Glendinning Cablemaster Tangle

CLH

Member
May 4, 2016
56
Chesapeake Bay
Boat Info
2001 460 Sundancer
Engines
Cummins 450 hp
So the Glendinning Cablemaster is another new-to-me system. The 50 amp cord is something I'm always seeming to find myself struggling with in one way or another and today it about whooped me again.

In getting acquainted with my 460 DA, I found that about half of the cord was a tangled knotty mess inside the cable master bin in the engine room which of course would not allow me to pay out the full length.

With the help of a dear and patient friend at the marina, I wrestled the tangled cord out of the bin into the engine room floor, we unhooked the shore power end, and brought the rest of the cord all into the engine room so I could try and straighten out the cable as much as I could inside of the engine room; as the tangled portion would not pass through the cable master unit (or else it would have been easier to do this outside the boat!).

Long story short, I got all but about the final 10' untangled but there's still a bit of a knotted mess at the engine room end that I can't get unwound without, I believe, damaging the cord.

1. Has anyone had this happen before and how did you get out your tangle?

2. Ideas on how I might get out the tangle at the end, other than disconnecting the cable?

3. How do you prevent cable master cord tanglage from happening in the first place? This is a mess I inherited when I took possession of the boat and did not notice on the survey.


Cheryl
 
I would try feeding it out all the way, let it sit in the sun for a while. That should soften the cable, then it should roll back it correctly. Have somebody in the engine room to watch it feed in, to make sure it coils like it should
 
That works, but you really don't have to worry about softening the cable.

Unless you un-kink the cable as it feeds into the port on the boat, the CableMaster will effectively put one kink in the cable every revolution is makes laying the cable in the tub. 2-3 times a season, if you will pay out the cable on the dock and just un-kink the cable by rotating the plug end, it really isn't much of an issue. This is one of those devices that on its surface, it appears to be maintenance free and fully automatic, but not so, as you have discovered.
 
What Frank said, another problem you will find is that it's a pain in the ass working the cable thru the trunk, after a couple of years dealing with it I moved it to exit right out the back of the boat, not a hard job and soo much easier
 
Good thoughts- the issue is that I can't get the full length of cable to pay out due to a really nasty kink toward the end which, I don't think, will pass through the feeder without risk of damage to the cable or the feeder.

Therefore, I wonder if I'm going to have to feed it as far out as I can get it, disconnect the cable from the inside, straighten out the kinked part, and then wind it back in.

Cheryl
 
Cheryl

I had a similar issue, and unfortunately the only way to resolve this that worked for me was to disconnect at the terminals and then lay it out as others have indicated here. Good luck.
 
IMO I would Disconnect the junction box connection in the engine room. Then spool the cable out flat. Based on the age, you may be well advised to replaced the entire cable because with 240 Volts, ANY abrasions inside the cable bundle is a very real fire hazard especially if this problem has persisted for a number of seasons.
 
Thanks- I was wondering the same thing about replacing the cable with a new one just to be sure- it sounds like a good idea for the peace of mind.

Cheryl
 

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