[C320-list] Knot Meter Sender Replacement

[Quentin Murphy]

I'm replacing the Raymarine knot meter sender (thru-hull unit with paddle
wheel) as it's defective. I've tested with a new sender by spinning the
wheel and the display showed "speed" just to make sure it is the sender
that's at fault. Due to the five female spade connectors on the instrument
end of the long cable that comes with the sender I'm having difficulty
removing the old sender cable down through the port pedestal guard tube to
the aft cabin ceiling below.  There is a cover for the steering pulleys with
about 12 screws which I removed.  This pedestal guard tube is so packed as
there are many other cables for other instruments in the port side of the
guard as well as in the starboard side.  As I have to attach a thin nylon
fish line to the end of this with electrical tape all over the spade
connectors, I feel there is no way to pull them past the other cables
(without it breaking apart or damaging the other cables.  The only way this
could be pulled in my mind is: disconnecting all of cables to the
instruments and pulling them all out as at one go and then pulling them all
back, minus the old cable, adding the replacement cable.  That would be a
lot of hassle.  Can anyone see a problem if I cut the cable (say under the
port settee) and solder the fire wires in this cable, using heat shrink on
each wire and then a larger heat shrink on the cable jacket?  It's pretty
dry there, especially if I tyrap it high up.

Quentin Murphy
Celtic Knot #667