[Rhodes22-list] mast lighting

[Dennis]

Hi Rob,

Two possibilities come to mind. You're going to need to install a wire 
to the masthead regardless, but you can make two conductors work for 
both lights (and make the two conductor deck connector work for both as 
well).

The secret is knowing that LEDs are sensitive to polarity, so you can 
run the two conductor wire to a two pole double throw switch (DPDT) - 
one that has a middle "Off" position. When you want the steaming light 
on, flipping the switch in one direction will connect the positive 
terminal of the battery to one wire (call it white), and connect the 
negative terminal to the other wire. The LED in the steaming light is 
happy, as are the boaters in your vicinity (and the Coast Guard).

OTOH, the LED in the anchor light at the top of the mast won't light, 
since you've cleverly reversed the leads connected to it - and the LED 
won't light since it sees the wrong polarity. To anchor, flip the DPDT 
switch to the opposite side, connecting the battery's *negative* 
terminal to the white wire - and the anchor light will happily come on. 
The steaming light will refuse to do so, since it sees the wrong 
polarity now. The middle switch position kills both lights for day sailing.

The other possibility? Install another two conductor wire down the 
length of the mast, and install an new connector at the deck for the 
additional wire pair.

There's a relatively inexpensive tool you can use to pull wiring down 
the mast, but I used fiberglass rods to push a new wire in place, 
together with a piece of string to pull future wiring should the need 
arise. The rods can be anything flexible. I used some screw-together 
rods (normally for cleaning a chimney), some tent pole rods (and some 
duct tape), etc. It was ugly, but it worked.

A bit of a hassle, but an interesting project to play with while waiting 
for Spring to spring.

Dennis
Magic Moments
one eye on the thermometer & one eye on the water level


On 2/23/2017 11:59 AM, Lowe, Rob wrote:
> I've got the mast off my boat and was looking at the lighting on it.  I've got a light half way up my mast (streaming light?) but no lights at all at the top (all around light?).  I've got only one set of wires (plus and minus) going up the mast.  I'd like to either replace the mid mast light or move a new light to the top of the mast.  What do others have and what is recommended/required.  My desire is to be legal at night anchoring out.  West Marine provides this info. Thanks - rob
>
> https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Navigation-Light-Rules
>
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