Invader 22
Goodies - or not so Goodies ?
Quality stuff from electrical wholeseller
Why - didn't I paint those locker
compartments while I had all the old wires out !
Since writing this page I have re-thought the cable sizes - I was forgetting the neutral return length on the volt drop situation. I'd bought a roll of 100m 1.5 mm sq 3 core shipwiring for the run up the mast, so have stripped the outer off this and run 1.5 for the mast lights from the panel. Another source of tinned cable is SIF single cable from electrical wholesalers. The 3 core has been handy for running through the lockers to the auto helm and stern light etc - I've got loads spare, so if you want some ?
Thought I would show a few of these things - just to have my say !
I am beginning to find 'boat' things a bit of a rip off. The panels seem reasonable - but the stainless bulkhead light seemes tacky for the price, and the red light, which is a simple two part plastic moulding, did not even come with a bulb ! - I am going to go back to the chandlers and demand a free one! It seemes to me that some things are expensive - but superbly made and worth it. Then other things - with the marine 'tag' are crap with the price mutiplied by a factor of twenty !
I looked hard for sources of shipwiring cable. Index marine sells by the metre at 1.90 for 1,5 twin core. Batt cables in Bristol sell 1.5 sq mm twin shipwiring for 45 pence a metre.! - but have a minimum order of 75.00
After a check out of the local electronics wholesailer, Maplins - and some excellent 25 mm Kopex flexible conduit from a local elecrical wholesaler - I settled for everything up to the mast base in 10 amp single cable, tinned copper - 30 x 0,25. Maplins sell this at 29 pence a metre - in blue/black/red/blue/brown/green. The flexible conduit is super tough and comes complete with 10 bullkhead screw fitting with about a 10 metre coil - for 9.99. - Fantastic value. - and standard 25 mm clips fit it.
So I 've run a double 10 amp run, pos and neg for the tricolour at 20w - then individual 10 amp pos and neg for anchor, steam, deck flood - have to check the wattage for the bow combined - though even 25w would be ok on the volt drop for an approx 6m run..
Got space for extras if I need it - notice the spare runs of old cable with the knots in - for pulling any more through. When you put a new one through - if you have room, pull another bit of spare with it - for next time !
This flexi conduit - I think it is called Kopex - is super flexible and very strong - I originally bought it for running up around the engine bay - but liked the look of it so much I altered my approach and surface mounted the wiring run - didn't like running cables through the void between cabin roof and deck - as I have to put some fitting on deck and wouldn't know whether I had touched one drilling through. Anyway - I liked it - it looked 'boaty' - nicely functional. Maybe I'll go a little heavier on the clips - there only 20 pence each.
I've sort of ended up with a 8 switch set up - which gives me plenty of options.
Be glad to finish though - but at least I'll know the backside of every dammed plug and socket on this boat intimately by the end of it.