| Kaholee Refit |
September 5, 2007 I spent most of the day on the electrical system again, though the aspect of that particular project was beginning to change now that I had all of the bulk wiring completed. That meant that it was time to turn to the more detail-oriented, final connection-stage of the project. The only supply wires remaining to be run include the larger cables for the anchor windlass, and the two bilge pumps and electronics. I began in the head, where I installed a pair of terminal blocks for the mast wiring: one block for the mast lighting components, and the second block for the wind instrument cable. Because it's impossible to hide these wires, I chose instead to simply arrange things as cleanly as possible, while making access easy in the future. For the mast lights, I terminated the five positive leads and three grounds to one side of the first terminal block; later, when the mast is finally stepped, the wires from the mast can be led here and terminated properly to the other side of the respective terminals. I followed the same procedure for the 5-conductor (well, 4 and a ground) cable for the masthead wind instruments. |
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I continued with the electrical by beginning to tighten and secure all the wires that I'd run through the two main forward wire runs--one each on port and starboard. During initial installation, I'd installed wire clamps, through which I'd pulled the wires, but I found a need for several more here and there to ensure that the wires were properly supported and held out of harm's way. Given the poor access to the lockers through which the wires were run, this took some time. I pulled the slack out of the wires and bundled them neatly. This, intermingled with a few other small jobs (including installing the final three locker doors in the saloon, now that I had the hinges back in stock), took up most of the rest of the day. I wrapped up the day with more paint on the cabin sole edges, and knocked off a bit early to take advantage of a beautiful fall-like day for my weekly sailing allotment. |
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