I am renovating the electrics on my Macgregor 26c due to water flooding and swamping everything.
The battery as fitted was located under the sink until alongside the fresh water storage and I believe the battery should be outside the main cabin.
i have fashioned a storage for area for two batteries in the rear locker or Lazarette above the depth and speed sensors.
Does anyone have knowledge of how to run the cables in the roof voids from the batteries to my distribution panel which I have now located higher than bilge water levels.
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Woody DB
Jack Jeavons, M26C Fair winds to all
Hi Woody
I don't know the C, but if it's anything like the X then getting cables into the roof spaces takes patience but is not impossible.
First I recommend getting an electrician's fish tape, this can be pushed through difficult spaces, then a cord or cable tied to the end and pulled back. The trickiest bit is negotiating the ribs moulded into the underside of the decking. In one case I had to drill an extra access hole, then insert a blank when I'd finished. You can often take advantage of the existing access plugs as "staging points" in your route.
I always find it's best to pull a strong cord through first, then use this to pull a cable through. As well as the cable, pull another cord through and leave it in place. This means that once you've created a route you've always got a cord ready to pull another wire if you need to.
Good luck!
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
Thank you Rick
i am an electrician and used many of my specialist tools and regularly come across blockages. I have pulled out the cables installed by the previous owner often finding them wrapped around bolts and fixings in the infrastructure of the boat. This has been many of the issues were the wrapping has cut through the insulation and I would like to avoid the same issues as I replace them.
i am dubious about drilling into the roof space as it's we're the buoyancy self righting polystyrene is located and am guessing this is the main cause of blockage.
The original wiring has brittle insulation however the copper has been strong enough for me to pull lines back through around the corners. Lord knows how many cables have been run that seem to go no were. Some even double back to the original start point.
I will however endeavour with my small budget to make good the wiring.
I don't know what the X is like but thank you for the advice.
fair winds and happy sailing
Woody DB
Jack Jeavons, M26C Fair winds to all
I can see you're already ahead of me!
I think the MacGregor manufacturing technique was to lay the wiring in place prior to bonding the liner to the deck. That, together with modifications by prior owners (of varying competence!) tends to lead to the stale spaghetti that you've encountered.
The buoyancy is contained only in the large spaces, there's none in the thin ceiling spaces which is where it's hard to do the threading. Most if not all the buoyancy is accessible via inspection panels, you can pull all the blocks out if you want to get access then put them back afterwards. It's just random lumps of polystyrene rammed into the spaces, very low-tech!
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
Hi Rick,
i have removed the buoyancy polystyrene and re-sealed the through deck fittings in the area above the galley. There does not seam to be an inspection hatch for the area above the stern bed which is below the cockpit. Most of the cabling appears to have been fed via the joining space between hull and deck and the blockages are bolts and strengthening supports for the two when joined.
I have come across what I think is the original wiring for a stern light which at some time was replaced probably due to the insulation break down were it could have been rubbing against one of the fore mentioned bolts.
i have decided to install single core cable wrapping the multiples in a Nylon sock for protection now that I have most of my mouse lines fed. The only outstanding is the batteries across that stern bed location but that will soon be overcome I am sure.
i am pondering photographing the cable pulls to document things for future 26C owners tempting something similar which will depend on my arrival back in the UK and her indoors wishes to spend some time with me.
Remembering a bad day sailing beets a good day at work any time so safe fair winds to all.
Dave Wood, 26C Jack Jeavons.
Woody DB
Jack Jeavons, M26C Fair winds to all