Egregious
Guru
I'm looking for advice on how to re-wire the mast on my Monk 36. Here's the background:
The 360 anchor light stopped working a while back. In addition the spreader lights trip the breaker after 10 seconds when turned on. A bundle of 4 wires plugs in via a 6 pin plug/socket and enters the mast via a clam shell which covers the entrance. Testing the 360 light socket shows only 9 volts, and a full 13+ at the base of the mast where the wiring enters the boat. Therefore the problem exists somewhere inside the mast and obviously there is a short somewhere since the spreader lights trip the breaker.
Now, there has to be a junction somewhere inside since 4 wires enter the mast at its base and 8 wires exit the mast in various places -- 2 for each spreader exiting at the spar, 2 for the 360 and 2 for the forward facing white running 180* light. So the 4 wires supplying all this are 1 hot wire each for the spreaders, running and 360 lights and one common ground. Testing with a multi tester at the base of the mast proves this to be correct.
Now the problem. When un-stepped the mast and took off the various fixtures I found some rotten wood under one of the stay collars, but I see absolutely no way to access where ever there must be a junction where the ground gets split 3 ways and the spreader hot side gets split in two. The mast appears to be constructed of two pieces of wood glued together and is hollow inside. There is also what appears to be a plastic conduit, but the wiring bundle doesn't use it. I tried snaking a stiff wire up the conduit from the base and it only goes about half way up before the wire won't go any further.
Was the mast manufactured, i.e. glued together with the wiring in place? Will I have to cut the thing in two to replace the faulty wiring? Any suggestions are welcome.
The 360 anchor light stopped working a while back. In addition the spreader lights trip the breaker after 10 seconds when turned on. A bundle of 4 wires plugs in via a 6 pin plug/socket and enters the mast via a clam shell which covers the entrance. Testing the 360 light socket shows only 9 volts, and a full 13+ at the base of the mast where the wiring enters the boat. Therefore the problem exists somewhere inside the mast and obviously there is a short somewhere since the spreader lights trip the breaker.
Now, there has to be a junction somewhere inside since 4 wires enter the mast at its base and 8 wires exit the mast in various places -- 2 for each spreader exiting at the spar, 2 for the 360 and 2 for the forward facing white running 180* light. So the 4 wires supplying all this are 1 hot wire each for the spreaders, running and 360 lights and one common ground. Testing with a multi tester at the base of the mast proves this to be correct.
Now the problem. When un-stepped the mast and took off the various fixtures I found some rotten wood under one of the stay collars, but I see absolutely no way to access where ever there must be a junction where the ground gets split 3 ways and the spreader hot side gets split in two. The mast appears to be constructed of two pieces of wood glued together and is hollow inside. There is also what appears to be a plastic conduit, but the wiring bundle doesn't use it. I tried snaking a stiff wire up the conduit from the base and it only goes about half way up before the wire won't go any further.
Was the mast manufactured, i.e. glued together with the wiring in place? Will I have to cut the thing in two to replace the faulty wiring? Any suggestions are welcome.
