[Public-List] Wire gauge for mast lights

[Michael Nikolich]

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


On Apr 5, 2019, at 12:18 PM, Jonathan Bresler via Public-List <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> 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
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-- 
Jonathan M Bresler
S/V Constance Alberg 30 #262
Annapolis/Eastport MD
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