Bow light

[mailman1]

The red/green light won't work. The stern white light works which is on the same switch. Bulb is good and getting power to the bulb. 10 volts. What should I look for?

 

[jlinder]

Re: Bow light

Bulb is good, and it is getting power? Obviously one of those statements is wrong.<br /><br />Are you measuring at the wires going to the socket? If so, the socket might be the problem. Does the socket look corroded? It is the logical place to suspect. <br />Take a look at the wire crimp connections for the fixture. Make sure you have not corrosion there.<br /><br />Also question the 10 volts. Do you have 12.6 from the battery? If so, why is there a 2.6 volt drop, expecially since the light is not coming on.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Bow light

I agree with Jack. When you said that you measured 10 volts at the socket, was that with the bulb inserted ? If not you may find that the voltage goes to zero when the bulb is inserted. Check the socket and any connections.

 

[NBE]

Re: Bow light

I had the same problem and it turned out to be the ground wire was broken about a foot away from the light under the edge of the carpeting. The wire must have been touching the boat (aluminum boat) when I measured the voltage because I was getting intermittent readings but not quite the full voltage. Once I traced out the wiring I found the broken ground. Good Luck!

 

[spike_87]

Re: Bow light

I have a similar problem. My bow light did not work (88 Bayliner) so I assumed it was just old and needed replaced. So rather than buy a new bulb, I just bought a new light. It didn't work either so I checked the voltage on the two wires going into the bulb. The voltage is 12 volts but when I hook up the light it doesn't work. I hooked up the hot wire and checked the voltage without connecting the ground wires together and it checked ok but when I connected the two ground wires and checked it again I didn't get anything on the scale. Any ideas why hooking up the ground wires would cause it not to have a reading and resulting in the light not working?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bow light

How did you measure 12 volts without a ground connection? Can't happen.

 

[spike_87]

Re: Bow light

No, what I'm saying is that I hooked the hot wire from the switch up to the hot wire on the light and then put the red lead from the tester on the two connecting wires then I touched the negative wire from the switch with the negative lead from the tester and I had 12 volts. I then connected the negative wire from the switch to the negative wire from the light and again touched them with the negative lead from the tester, I then get no reading on the tester.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Bow light

No, what I'm saying is that I hooked the hot wire from the switch up to the hot wire on the light and then put the red lead from the tester on the two connecting wires then I touched the negative wire from the switch with the negative lead from the tester and I had 12 volts. I then connected the negative wire from the switch to the negative wire from the light and again touched them with the negative lead from the tester, I then get no reading on the tester.

Switches do not generally have a "negative lead." But as Silvertip indicates, something is funky with your test light procedure.

I would jumper the light from a battery to prove that the bulb and light socket are functioning, and then find the wiring problem if they work. Also, test your power at the bulb socket not at the switch! IF there is no power at the socket, then test the wires working your way back to the switch.

If your switch has four, or five terminals it is because nav light switches for small craft turn on the all-around white light in one position and the all-around white light AND bow red/green light in the other position since the white light has to be illuminated whether underway or anchored. (The switch may have two other terminals if it is a lighted switch: one for the power to the light when the gauge lights are on, and the negative terminal for the switch's light. BUT THAT IS NOT A NEGATIVE "LEAD.")

DC voltage is very straightforward but you have to decide what variable to control before you explore a failure. Prove the bulb works (that is then your first controlled variable) > prove the bulb works in the socket (2nd variable controlled) > prove the wiring pigtails to the socket work > prove the switch controls the power (on/off; meter shows voltage when switch is moved to "on' and voltage goes to zero when switch is turned off) > prove the ground (negative) is connected to the negative and the neg's are bonded {end}

There ain't nothing else to fail; that is your circuit and the solution to the equation is in there somewhere.

Hope this helps.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bow light

Here is the wiring for a typical NAV light system. Note that there are NO ground wires on the switch. The only time there is is when the switch has an indicator light and that ground is only for that light, not the the bow or stern light. Using a test light or meter means you connect them ACROSS the feed and ground lines. You are not using the tester properly.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Bow light

yeah- what he said.

Silvertip's definitely a better teacher than I am.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Bow light

I have a similar problem. My bow light did not work (88 Bayliner) so I assumed it was just old and needed replaced. So rather than buy a new bulb, I just bought a new light. It didn't work either .....

were you successful in getting it working???