415/418 - 12v on top of mast for davis windex light

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12v on top of mast for davis windex light

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Category: Hints & Tips
Forum Name: 415/418
Forum Description: 415/418 Hints, Tips and News
URL: https://www.myhanse.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13255
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 03:40
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Topic: 12v on top of mast for davis windex light

Posted By: spam
Subject: 12v on top of mast for davis windex light
Date Posted: 15 March 2022 at 03:50

Does anyone know what wires Hanse runs through their Selden masts? Is there any place to get 12 volts on top of the mast for a davis windex light? Obvious know there is 12V for the anchor light up there, but that won't be one when I need the windex light. The instruments will typically be on though. Does that bring 12V up? The davis windex LED is tiny so power consumption will be minimal. I am not near my boat so wondering

Harold

S/V Ventus

Boston

H415/314

Replies:

Posted By: iemand
Date Posted: 15 March 2022 at 07:17

you could consider to use the Simnet calble to steal 12v from. you would need some soldering etc. but it should work as far as I understand this.

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Hanse 312 MJ 2004 - Hanse 370e MJ 2007

Posted By: Sailingjack
Date Posted: 15 March 2022 at 08:31

Virtually all LED-lights have some electronics build in them. The simplest type of electronics only lowers voltage down from 12V to a suitable level for the diode itself. More advanced LED electronics also have a reversing polarity function. That is, they work no matter which way you connect plus and minus wires, they work like regular light bulbs.

One can lower voltage for a diode in two ways. Adding a resistor is simple, but this will consume power. More efficient way is PWM, Pulse-Width Modulation. Most modern LEDs have PWM build in then. The downside is that PWMs will usually send interference to the power line. That is why connecting Windex LED to Simnet cable may mess up network communication.

If you change the existing anchor light cable to a three wire cable, then you have two positives, one for anchor and another for Windex light and a common ground.

If the anchor light is also a LED, a two wire cable may be sufficient. Assuming these two LEDs don't have reversing electronics in them, connecting the LEDs in parallel, but one of them "the wrong way around" would make then work separately. When turning on the anchor light, the Windex light would be off since its getting the voltage the wrong way around. And vice versa. Reversing polarity would lid the Windex light and turn the anchor light off. You need a polarity changing switch for this. The down side is that with this configuration you would be unable to turn both LEDs on at the same time. Easy to test if these LEDs are without rectifying electronics. Reversing polarity should not(?) damage LEDs, but better re-check this one.

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Hanse 400#803 s/y Saara

Posted By: Arcadia
Date Posted: 15 March 2022 at 13:18

That is a clever solution sailingjack. Also, a small blocking diode in series with the negative contact of each each of the LEDs would ensure against reverse polarity damage.

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Leon / ARCADIA
2018 Hanse 588
Sag Harbor, NY

Posted By: spam
Date Posted: 15 March 2022 at 18:06

I absolutely LOVE sailingjack's idea! I hadn't thought about the reversing polarity approach. I am pretty sure it would work as such, but to Leon's point if I add two blocking diodes there should be no real risk. THANK YOU

Posted By: Arcadia
Date Posted: 15 March 2022 at 18:50

I’ve pulled new wires in my mast a few times and it went smoothly. They are only secured top and bottom. Pulling a new three or four conductor by attaching to your existing anchor light wire is a simpler approach. It would give you a spare conductor for later if you need.

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Leon / ARCADIA
2018 Hanse 588
Sag Harbor, NY

Posted By: Martin&Rene
Date Posted: 16 March 2022 at 06:41

On my yacht there is a 3 core wire to the mast head which feeds the anchor light, tri colour with a negative. There was also a 3 core wire to the steaming light, so I switched that light to a combined steaming and deck light.

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Martin&Rene Hanse 341 Dipper Wheel steering, 3 cabin layout, normally based in Scotland

Posted By: 32mike
Date Posted: 16 March 2022 at 11:57

That was what I was hoping I had on my boat from the factory but, alas, only two wires. I’d like to switch out both lights like you did but that is going to require pulling two new wires through the mast and, with more difficulty, through the cabin! Then there’s the Würth panel to deal with for more fun. Those two things are now on my “would be nice to have someday” list. It could have been so much easier with a little forethought from the Hanse yard.

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Mike
S/V Dulces Sueños
458 #087
Tampa, FL

Posted By: 415 Singapore
Date Posted: 17 March 2022 at 03:02

Hi, when our 415 was commissioned there was a drawstring in the mast, I am bot sure if this was a conscientious commissioning rigger or a factory installation, but it is very useful.

The other thing to remember is that it is a lot better to pull any halyard or wire UP the mast rather than the seemingly more logical method of installing it from the top. If you pull them up, the wire or rope is always under tension is therefore less likely to get caught on anything in the mast, whereas if you do it from the top, gravity tends to take over and you don't really know what has happened.

Good luck

All the best

Paul

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Paul - Night Train - 415 #136