Navigation Light Troubleshooting

[1stgenbird]

My navigation lights haven't worked right for awhile. They are controlled by a 3 position push/pull switch. When pulled into the 1st position, nothing and in the 2nd position just the stern light. I suspected a defective switch because when I wiggled it when the stern light was on, the light would go out intermittently.
I bought a new switch but the lights still don't work any differently.
I disconnected the bow light thinking that was defective or the bulbs burnt out but when I held it across a 12v battery, it worked. I then metered out the wires to the bow light to be sure no breaks, and no problems there.

Hooking up the new switch, I get power (approx 2.6V) to the switch. In the 1st position, 2.6v to the stern light terminal, the 2nd position, both the light terminals get 2.6v. I then connected the lights and the stern light works in the 1st position but when I pull the switch into the 2nd position, both the light terminals drop to zero.

When I remove the bow light wire from the switch, the voltage works as I think it should. I suspect I have a bad bow light but it worked when I connected it to a battery. Any thoughts?

 

[Silvertip]

You can start by getting 12.6 volts (not 2.6) INTO the switch and out of it in both the first and second positions. Then if the lights don't work, troubleshoot the light and associated wiring. 2.6 volts into the switch as you stated drops to zero because the current is not there to support the load of the lights.

 

[1stgenbird]

2.6 is what is at the fuse block and all gauges, blower and bilge pump work, just no lights.

 

[Grub54891]

Do you have you'r meter set to the D.C. Setting? You have to get 12 volts for anything to work properly.

 

[redneck joe]

I hate electricity but I always work my way back from the end. Light not working? Test/look for any connections. If you get back to the switch then work from battery back. So many times a PO has spliced 10 times into a line. Find it, fix it.

 

[Silvertip]

Gauges are powered via the "I" terminal on the ignition switch which receives power via the engine harness so they are unrelated to the light problem. Fact is you are either reading the meter incorrectly or it is set on the wrong scale. If you truly have only 2.6 volts at the fuse block you need to fix that first. Start at the battery and make sure the connections are clean and tight. That means disconnect them and make them shiny clean. Ensure the fuse holder at the battery is not corroded. Replace it if necessary. Once you have 12 volts at the fuse block you can then move on to the light issue. The blower and bilge pump "may" have in-line fuses and therefore not powered from the fuse block so again, would have no bearing on the light issue.

 

[1stgenbird]

Fixed the problem. Was a combination of a bad ground point and a wire carrying 12v not connected properly.