"John F. Hughes" wrote

I *can* throw in a simple question for the electronics buffs,
though: what's your favorite way to wire a mast in which there
are things halfway up and things at the top (i.e., spreader-lights
and a steaming light about halfway up, masthead tricolor, anchor light,
maybe wind instruments, and VHF antenna at the top. In particular,
how do you handle the ground wiring. You can run a three-wire cable
up to the spreaders and a separate several wire cable up to the
masthead, where the 3-wire cable has GND, STEAM, and SPREADER,
and the masthead has GND, ANCHOR, TRICOLOR, ...

But that involves an extra gound wire. You could also run a "tap"
from a multi-wire cable at the midpoint to provide ground to the
spreader and anchor lights.

ANy thoughts?

--John

What ground wires? DC lighting never uses a ground, what are you talking
about? One positive lead one negative lead, end of lighting story. Of course
in a large mast with thousands od tiny ss screws protruding into it, you
will discover what grounding DC lighting and instruments does unless you
protect the wiring in pvc conduit.

Jack
with never a rope on the boat