Electrical Wire Disconnects

[bad1129]

I'm rewiring a deck stepped mast and need some way to connect/disconnect the wires at the mast step. I've search Defender, West Marine and Amazon for waterproof wire connectors but I'm not finding anything that seems adequate. Any suggestions on where to get these or what to search for?


TIA!

[SeaStory]

Waterproof junction box would be your best bet, if you can find a place to mount it.

Or are you looking for something that goes through the deck, like a seadog thru deck plug or a thru deck cable?

[ForeverDes]

My boat has a keel stepped mast so the connection isn't open to weather, but I use a 6 way trailer plug and socket. It's fairly small, but you need a vertical surface to mount the socket. It's also not really water proof, just weather resistant. But it is cheap and effective. It was also WAY better than the plastic (not Molex) connectors the PO had in place.

[bad1129]

The wires are all internal to either the mast or compression post so the connection is inside the mast just above the mast step.

[Sailmonkey]

Are these to disconnect on a regular basis, like a trailer sailor, or just something to disconnect on the rare occasion the mast is removed?

If the latter, just add service loops and use heat shrink butt connectors. With enough service loop you can get a dozen or so mast stepping events

[glenn.225]

Just use an auto type connector, water tight and comes in a multiple of sizes. Really cheap at a scrap yard or a few dollars at a auto supply store. A new one will come with pins so you can use tinned wire or just splice in a used one. I use a 12 wire one so just unplug it and the coax to remove the mast.

[miketo]

+1 for Sailmonkey's advice. It's always a good idea to include a service loop anyway.

As for connectors, unless they're rated IPX7 or better, I'd avoid them.

[Tomodore]

Extra wire with shrink wrap butt splice is a good idea, if wire length is an issue you can crimp ring terminals and machine scew and nut together and tape.

[Tomodore]

Extra wire with shrink wrap butt splice is a good idea, if wire length is an issue you can crimp ring terminals and machine scew and nut together and tape.

[AndyEss]

If the connections aren’t exposed to weather, look at crimp on bullet splice connectors. Even Home Depot carries them. Make sure the wires are color coded or somehow identified individually