Chrysler Sailors Forum

Ahoy All,

My C22, the Honu, has new wiring, new circuit breaker panel and a new battery that the last owner installed just before he sold it to me, bless him. However the lights are all shot. New everything going to very old cheap crusty sockets bulbs, yuck. Oh yea, none of them work, I get full power right up to the crusty rusted old bits, then nothing.

I

I can not speak from experience on the LEDs for light but I intend on the same.

As far as Microwaves on a sailboat? No. Do not waste your time unless you spend all your days tied to a dock.

I have a 40 foot boat with 4 HUGE 6 volt batteries for house and a separate starter battery. The microwave we have is a lower powered one and it absolutely KILLS batteries. I must run the 50 HP deisel motor if I entend on using the microwave without shore power. Yes I can run it on batteries and an inverter but the draw is so huge I avoid it if at all possible on battery power.

Now if you have shore power, that is different.

Just my two bits!

Scott

Alan.....sounds like you have the fever my northernmost friend, we have all been there, but if you don't mind me suggesting...KISS keep it simple she IS a 22 footer, have fun!! however if you must! we use some LED's
a courtesy light in the cockpit of our c-26 and one in the coffin, no ventilation there and we only use it for storage, they are get and pricey would like them elsewhere, we have a LED masthead anchor light but I still need to take the chair up to replace the original, you will probably not find inards for your existing lights in LED, as for the wiring run the best you can get if you are in a coastal port (are you?) we have spent alot of $$ wiring and more to go 12volt, fiber optic and 110, as for the microwave via the inverter....NOT! we have the ability to cruise the islands for 7-10 days and never use the nuker, well almost never but only with the geeny running. As you will come to find out battery is precious my friend. you can go to sailboatowners.com and find lots of toys if you can't keep it simple like the old Keysskipper.....LOL KS

Try superbrightleds.com they have direct plug in repacements for most 12 volt light bulbs. I used them for my Ensign using 9 led festoon bulbs for the Perko running lights. $3 to $5 per light. Be sure to use red LEDS for red lights, green for green etc. they have worked great and really save the battery. In the Chrysler I am removing the old contacts, screwing in solder lug strips and soldering on groups of 9 LEDs with up to 27 in an interior fixture. Lots of light for very little juice.

Randall

Hi Alan
I plan to replace my filament style bulbs with LEDs. Another source for direct replacement LEDs is MastLight.com . They advertise in Good Old Boat. You can get new socket bases at NAPA. They are shown in the Echlin illustrated parts guide. there are several styles. They come with new springs, base, lugs and about a 6" pigtail. They also have crimp and solder butt splices. After crimping you use a heat gun to solder the wires together and shrink the sleeve. 16/14 ga. p/n 725313 for a box of 10. Deck plugs for lights and antenna are available at West Marine. When you run the wires in the mast, don't forget to wrap 6-8" tie wraps around them and leave the tails on. this will keep them from slapping internally when you're anchored.
Clair

Hi Alan
I plan to replace my filament style bulbs with LEDs. Another source for direct replacement LEDs is MastLight.com . They advertise in Good Old Boat. You can get new socket bases at NAPA. They are shown in the Echlin illustrated parts guide. there are several styles. They come with new springs, base, lugs and about a 6" pigtail. They also have crimp and solder butt splices. After crimping you use a heat gun to solder the wires together and shrink the sleeve. 16/14 ga. p/n 725313 for a box of 10. Deck plugs for lights and antenna are available at West Marine. When you run the wires in the mast, don't forget to wrap 6-8" tie wraps around them and leave the tails on. this will keep them from slapping internally when you're anchored.
Clair

Hi Alan
I plan to replace my filament style bulbs with LEDs. Another source for direct replacement LEDs is MastLight.com . They advertise in Good Old Boat. You can get new socket bases at NAPA. They are shown in the Echlin illustrated parts guide. there are several styles. They come with new springs, base, lugs and about a 6" pigtail. They also have crimp and solder butt splices. After crimping you use a heat gun to solder the wires together and shrink the sleeve. 16/14 ga. p/n 725313 for a box of 10. Deck plugs for lights and antenna are available at West Marine. When you run the wires in the mast, don't forget to wrap 6-8" tie wraps around them and leave the tails on. this will keep them from slapping internally when you're anchored.
Clair

Do I hear an echo???



Scott

ME TOO!

led's for me and also all wiring and antenna wiring ( my coax fell all the way down into a heap at the bottom of mast..so what is best practice for running heavy coax through the mast...I plan on doing this wtih the mast down..but can't figure how best to pull 30 feet horizontally? is there a wire fish made that long?

NYC,

Lowe's sells a 50' fish tape for about $25.

I had to run an internal halyard on the little Coronado 15, and here's what I did - propped one end of the mast on top of a 10' step ladder, and tied a heavy lead weight to the halyard, and let gravity do the work. I had to jiggle the line a bit as well as shake the mast some, but it worked fine.

I've read that on old bycicle chain on the end of a line feeds nicely through a mast standing up!

Just another random thought!
Scott

Method for fishing line thru conduit or mast:

You'll need line, plastic bag, duck tape and a shop vac. You attach the bag to the line, put the bag in one end, and tape (if necessary) the shop vac to the other end. Foomp, your line is run. Works great in any direction, vertical or horizontal. You then use the line to pull your wiring.

Darin