[Public-List] Wire gauge for mast lights
Michael Connolly
crufone at comcast.net
Wed Apr 10 15:33:34 PDT 2019
Kris,
Clever yes. I have done this many times but with the trailer wiring it just wouldn't work. I couldn't believe how small the factory wire was for the LED lights. Several times I had to check to see if I had inadvertently cut half the wire off with the insulation, but no there just wasn't much wire there in the first place.
For our mast work without any strain relief and 36 feet of wire bouncing around less than 16 ga. probably would not be wise.
Now if you added strain relief you might use smaller wire indeed.
Michael
> On April 10, 2019 at 4:50 PM Kris Coward <kris at melon.org mailto:kris at melon.org > wrote:
>
>
>
> I'f folded wire over (sometimes multiple times) in order to get it as
> large as a connector expects, many more times than I care to admit. I
> generally only use wires smaller than 16ga when I need to attach them to
> some other red-sized wire in a butt connector (and even then, did you
> know how well you can just use "mismatched" spade connectors and cover
> over the joint with heatshrink tubing?)
>
> -K
>
> On Wed, Apr 10, 2019 at 03:08:00PM -0400, Michael Connolly via Public-List wrote:
>
> > > I agree with Dave. I had a trailer with LED lights which I needed to repair. The original LED wiring harness was made up at the factory. When I attempted to strip and use crimp-on connectors the wire inside the insulation was so thin that the crimp-on didn't work. Even when I folded over the wire so the crimp-on would catch the wire just broke at the edge of the crimp-on. Damn those folks who will save a buck anywhere they can.
> > Michael
> >
> > > > > On April 10, 2019 at 2:57 PM "David A. Bardsley via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org > wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi all!
> > > Something to consider is the on-line calculators are great for
> > > determining the __minimum__ size conductor for a specified voltage
> > > drop. Another factor to consider is mechanical strength.
> > > For many LED lighting application 18awg or smaller is perfectly
> > > acceptable but I've found anything much smaller than 16awg very flimsy
> > > and too easily ripped or torn (maybe I'm too much of a neanderthal) for
> > > my liking.
> > > IMHO any wiring smaller than 16awg should be considered carefully with
> > > an eye to "what ifs", like "what if in three years I may want to
> > > reroute that wire involving a bit of pulling".
> > > Dave
> > > Ginseng #574
> > > On Apr 10, 2019 12:22, Kristian Larson via Public-List
> > > <public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi gang,
> > > I thought I’d pipe in with one of my favourite electrical apps. Blue
> > > Sea
> > > Circuit Wizard.
> > > It’s free and calculates all that stuff for you.
> > > I find it really handy. I could do the math but it gives you all the
> > > specs
> > > for the whole circuit given more factors than I would probably
> > > calculate
> > > for myself like wire insulation temp rating and wire bundle size
> > > etc.
> > >
> > > Cheers
> > > Kristian
> > > SV Mara Jr.
> > > #127
> > >
> > > On Wed, Apr 10, 2019 at 6:47 AM Michael Nikolich via Public-List <
> > > public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org > wrote: > Christian, > > The mast lighting wire in Skybird's mast is 14 AWG. I haven't
> > > done any > math to see if that is appropriate or overkill - the mast is down
> > > so I just > looked inside at what was printed on the wire. The wiring was
> > > done by the > rigging company that prepped the mast for use after I bent the old
> > > one in > 2013, so I didn't select the size. At the time all my lights were > incandescent, so the riggers presumedly would have sized the wire
> > > based on > those higher current draws. > > Mike
> > > > > > Mike Nikolich > s/v SKYBIRD > Alberg 30 #550 > mike.nikolich550 at gmail.com mailto:mike.nikolich550 at gmail.com mailto:mike.nikolich550 at gmail.com mailto:mike.nikolich550 at gmail.com
> > > > > > On Apr 5, 2019, at 12:18 PM, Jonathan Bresler via Public-List < > public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org > wrote: > > Christian, > > Using the BlueSea wire size calculator on my phone > with inputs of 12V, 1/2A, 90' of wire (36' mast + 9' to get to the
> > > battery, > both ways, 100' might be better), > 3% drop, 60C temps (lowest allowed), Not in engine room ( ;) 2
> > > wires in > bundle, turned on for 10 hours, > and terminated on a fuse > results in 18AWG. > > BUT increasing the current to 1Amp gets 14AWG. > > Appears that the limiting factor is the voltage drop. > > Would suggest going larger rather than smaller wire. > > Jonathan > > On Fri, Apr 5, 2019 at 1:17 AM Christian Douglas via Public-List < > public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org mailto:public-list at lists.alberg30.org > wrote: > > > I need to rewire my mast lighting. I have an anchor and windex
> > > light at > the > > top and a steaming/deck combo at the spreaders. All are LED and
> > > each > draws > > less than 0.5 amps. Seems that 16 gauge wire should be
> > > sufficient to keep > > me under 3% drop, even when overestimating the length of the
> > > longest run. > > Does that sound right? > > > > Christian > > Kittiwake #76 > > _______________________________________________ > > These businesses support your Association: > > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html > > Please support them. > > _______________________________________________ > > Public-List mailing list > > Public-List at lists.alberg30.org mailto:Public-List at lists.alberg30.org mailto:Public-List at lists.alberg30.org mailto:Public-List at lists.alberg30.org > > http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org > >
> > > > > > -- > Jonathan M Bresler > S/V Constance Alberg 30 #262 > Annapolis/Eastport MD > _______________________________________________ > These businesses support your Association: > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html > Please support them. > _______________________________________________ > Public-List mailing list > Public-List at lists.alberg30.org mailto:Public-List at lists.alberg30.org mailto:Public-List at lists.alberg30.org mailto:Public-List at lists.alberg30.org > http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org > > _______________________________________________ > These businesses support your Association: > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html > Please support them. > _______________________________________________ > Public-List mailing list > Public-List at lists.alberg30.org mailto:Public-List at lists.alberg30.org mailto:Public-List at lists.alberg30.org mailto:Public-List at lists.alberg30.org > http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
> > > >
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> > > --
> Kris Coward http://unripe.melon.org/
> GPG Fingerprint: 2BF3 957D 310A FEEC 4733 830E 21A4 05C7 1FEB 12B3
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