mast electric wiring

[ebb]

Looking around the web trying to get an idea of what is current on mast wiring.
[EDIT The archive thread "All those wires inside my mast gotta go" might add more info.]

Main focus has been, that since the mast is being rigged to allow dipping, or lowering and raising,
how are the electric wires, the VHF coax, going to be handled at the foot of the mast?
Methods vary and the tips, photos and ability of tipsters aiming complexities
at my level of ignorance & confusion ..just flies on by.

There And Back Again is about all aye know of DC wiring.
Most descriptions and even diagrams don't include the Back Again of wiring - which doubles numbers, volumes and weights of wires that must be bundled, supported, passed through conduit (or not)

and out of the side of the mast, probably, and then down thru a deck fitting to a terminal strip inside - or BETTER: something that
will allow actually combining tricolor & steaming wire sets into plugs & receptacles (Deutsch HD10 Series Connectors www.wirecare.com)

Litlgull's mast will have a Hella tricolor plus anchorlight and a Aquasignal 'masthead' steaming/foredeck light combo.

Question. Is this cable a good idea for the harness:
>Ancor Marine Grade Round Mast Series Cable 14/5.<?
The cable has 5 separated/insulated wires encased in a 1/2" diameter vinyl sleeve (white,green,blue,red,black)
and comes in 16lb 100 foot rolls. 30ft of this stuff weighs 4.8lbs. Single 14AWG primaries weigh .69lbs per 30ft. (16AWG primaries are .48lb per 30ft.)
Jamestown has what looks like a great deal: $150 for 100ft, plus cross country shipping! Is this the time time to get electric wire for the mast?


Would take this 14/5 to the masthead for the LED Hella lamp (NaviLED Trio 2NM Tri-Colour Nav Lamp with All Round White Anchor Lamp
- has no strobe function.) 3 wires: Black Negative - Red Positive/4W Port/Stbd/Stern - Blue Positive 2W Anchor.

Is it legal to use this single bundle to make the circuit? (2 returns - the green and white - and wrap a black negative down the bundle to the terminal or connectors... and back to the battery.....3 UP, 3 DOWN = SIX... Correct?)
Seems logical to keep wires conveniently contained thru to the cabin disconnect terminal under the mast and then on to the battery/panel ? ?
About half the roll, 50ft, would reach from masthead to the companionway where the battery box is.

The other half (minus 15') might be used for the AquaSignal at spreader height.
Changing out the original steaming bulb(12V/10W) for a festoon LED.
But the tiny foredeck 12V20W halogen bayonet bulb has no LED retro, yet.
This fixture is also 2 positive, one negative...3 UP, 3 DOWN = SIX.
Assume the foredeck light gets used infrequently, since it's a night vision destroyer.

Need to be set straight on this.....
The Duetsch HD10 series doesn't have a 12 pole plug. There is a 14AWG goldplated six pole plug. A separate plug for each light could be done.
But you'd have to have two 1 1/2 hoses out of the mast and two 1 1/2 thru-decks into the cabin. Unheard of.
Called up wirecare.com, talked with a very helpful Phillip who told me that the diameter of the six pole plug is 1.14OD (about 1 1/8")
which means that it probably can be passed thru the inside ( 1 1/4") of a Marelon 1 1/2" 253 series hose tailpipe thru-hull.
A second thrudeck would be needed. OR an ondeck junction box that would be impossible to waterproof.

Obviosly plain wires to a terminal strip is going to be the only way. No nice plugs. Damn!!!
All cables and coax, with enough room for future cables, and enough room to pull cable and wire spaghetti in and out of the deck, could be routed thru a single 1 1/2" hosebarb fixture.
The antenna cable could have its own Newmar waterproof thru-deck fitting. But if it can have a disconnect I don't know. Have read that coax should be an unbroken run back to the radio - difficult to do! Would like to do away with the VHF antenna on the masthead if possible?
Feedback? Ideas please.
Thanks.