Subject: [Catalina-22] [TECH] - Multimeter

From: "Chip Ford" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 07:01:55 -0400

Boy, doesn't this list liven up when April rolls around!
 
Somehow, we dodged the bullet here yesterday -- the snowstorm, predicted to
drop an unseasonable 6-12" never showed up; just lots of rain.  I ran around
like a nut Wednesday afternoon, preparing what I could move in or recover
without too much effort.  Oh well, better safe than sorry, and certainly
better rain than snow.  Now we've got a "powerhouse" nor'easter due to hit
late Sunday through Monday and into Tuesday, winds up to or exceeding 60
mph, waves over 20-feet, astronomical high tides, and a deluge of rain --
one ot the "top-ten nor'easters of the past 50 years" the weatherman just
predicted.
 
But tomorrow looks to be a relatively if rare nice day, maybe even reach
50°!  I'm hoping to get those handrails reinstalled, tightened down Sunday
morning before the s**t hits the fan, again.  Ah, "spring" in New England.
As the sun rises out there (yes, sun!), the temperature is 33° and
everything's covered with a glaze of ice.
 
About ready to give up on much else I can do on "Chip Ahoy" for a while, I
thought of my mast and the damage that needs to be repaired due to the
lightening strike last summer -- no sealing, curing, or drying involved,
temperature not a factor!
 
I need to replace the VHF antenna coax cable inside the mast, my next
project.  But I also want to check the mast wiring harness in there.  The
lightening strike apparently blew out some of the light bulbs in no
particularly systematic design or order.  After the apparent strike, I noted
and replaced:  the anchor light atop the mast; the steaming light; the bow
running light (the stern light worked, go figure), and the cabin lights.
The strike  <http://chipford.com/graphics/061026_16.jpg> blew up the
"Squatty" antenna atop the mast and cooked the VHF radio; both of which
<http://chipford.com/cape_062.htm> I've replaced, though still must mount
the antenna atop the mast.  Before hauling out last fall, I noted the mast
deck light (immediately beneath the steaming light) was out, though it'd
been working when I replaced the others.  I'm now wondering about the wiring
harness. . .
 
I've got a multimeter that I think I can use to test the mast wiring
harness, but don't have a clue how to use it for this.  I'm pretty good with
wiring -- I rewired the entire boat back in '03 as one of my first projects
-- but that's just basic electricity.  Using one of these gadgets is beyond
me; even the electrical terms mean little, so reading the thin instructions
booklet hasn't been much help.
 
I've got an  <http://www.marineengine.com/products/accessory.php?in=1172101>
Ancor model # 702072.  If anyone's proficient using one of these and can
instruct me, please contact me off-list at [email-masked].  I'd like
to call you and have you talk me through the basics.
 
Chip Ford --
Marblehead, Mass.
1974 Swing Keel "Chip Ahoy" #3282
CTY032820374
Chip Ahoy website:  www.chipford.com