Bow Nav lights not working (but stern is!)

[trobinson017]

I installed a new fishfinder last month on my Seaswirl CC, using an electrician's "fish" tape to run the transducer cable under the deck from bilge to the center console. After this operation my bow nav lights stopped working, but the stern light still works fine. That tells me the switch is okay and the wiring at least to that is okay. I pulled out the starboard fishing rod storage rack (indented into the hull) and see the two wires coming from the bow to the stern where it is joined with the stern light wire. I traced them through the bilge area and can see them crossing over the top of the fuel tank on their way to the center console. I don't know much about electrical stuff but it seems to me that if the stern light is working then there's no reason the bow lights shouldn't be working too. The switch is connected to the terminal block in the console (power) which I know works cuz of the stern light. Wires to all 3 lights run under the deck to the stern where it splits off to feed that light. Then two run up the starboard side to the bow lights, which don't work. I checked the connections to each bow light and they seem fine. Maybe the bow bulbs blew at the same time?

I'm stumped!!! Can anyone help me with this?

 

[jterrill]

Re: Bow Nav lights not working (but stern is!)

you could have a broken connection forward of where the bow and stern lights are tied together if so the stern light would still work. i would splice into the wires right after the light and hook up to a spare battery if it works then you have found your problem...(broken connection) i would tie new wire to the old where the stern and bow tie together and pull the new wire up towards bow and hook up.

 

[P 0 P E Y E]

Re: Bow Nav lights not working (but stern is!)

I would be glad to try to help you with your nav light challenge.

Even though I am feeling my age. I have been stumped trying to post some photos, VT Bob is helping so at the very least I might have made a friend.

Before you do a whole bunch of trouble shooting, check to see if you are putting the switch in the NAV position not the anchor position.

Many boats have a single switch that does both. Perhaps there is no malfunction. If this is not the problem, go to the next step.

If your Stearn light works and your bow does not, start off by checking the bulb, a simple swap if they are the same...bow to Stearn.

Light fixtures are not what they used to be quality wise and in smaller boats they have a high fail rate.

If the bulb tests OK and you have no power at the bow light remember it takes a ground and a switched, fused and functioned to the Stearn light positive wire to illuminate a bulb.

Try to find and check the junction areas (the area where the bow light hot and stern light hot wires come together and look for lose or pulled out connections, then check to see how the ground wires come together, either at a common grounding block or a bundle.

You may have pulled a wire out or lose while running the wires to the new unit.

One Test I always like to do is to use a long jumper and a test light. Use the long jumper wire to bridge the bow light wire directly to the battery, first positive and look for a ground through the test light then switch it up to see if the fault is in the ground leg or hot.

In your case, it could be either.

If this fails, follow and understand the current flow and test as you go.

Hope this helps.

 

[P 0 P E Y E]

Re: Bow Nav lights not working (but stern is!)

Forgot to say this extra point.

Try not to ever penetrate or compromise the wire insulation to perform troubleshooting.

I have seen positive wires fail due to a pin hole.

Water gets in and caused the wire to get an open that is hidden from view and hard to find.

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: Bow Nav lights not working (but stern is!)

Don't forget to check the simple things.....like the bulb in the bow light. It may save you a lot of time and effort to check that first.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Bow Nav lights not working (but stern is!)

Popeeye mentioned the bulb swap, pirate. I think if the bulb swap isn't possible, just get out the multimeter/voltage tester to see where the power is running. As mentioned, make sure you have the light switch in the "nav" position and not just the "anchor" position.

 

[trobinson017]

FIXED!!! Bow Nav lights not working (but stern is!)

FIXED!!! Bow Nav lights not working (but stern is!)

Ok, after reading all of your gracious responses I went out and checked the bow nav light bulbs. They looked fine. I then grabbed a beer and sat down, staring at the boat, and thinking through how the lights go from the switch to each light (bow lights are separate, port/starboard). Since the stern light worked and the bulbs up front looked good I went back to the switch. I checked all the contacts, all were clean. I then grabbed another beer and sat thinking about the wire run under the deck. I pulled the access hatch cover (6"er) and probed the area below with my hand. Nothing out of the ordinary. I then pulled the access hatch ring off to get a bit more room. Another probe and, VOILA!!! I found a loose gray wire, matching the color from the bow lights. More probing produced the other end that had an inline crimp coupler to the other half. Similarly, I found half of the black wire lying loose under a hose and reaching waaaaaaay under toward the console I found the other half, with the inline crimp coupler. After dressing each end and wire-nutting them together (temporary fix, will do correctly tomorrow) all the nav lights work!! WooHOO!

So, my initial hunch was correct. While running my fishfinder transducer cable under the deck I inadvertently caught those nav light wires with the fishtape and broke the crimp connections.

And to top it off, to celebrate (after another beer) I wired up a new bilge pump, doing the same fishtape under the deck routine. Everything still works!! So two nagging tasks completed at the same time!!

Man, I'm feeling good. Time for another beer!! : D

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[P 0 P E Y E]

Re: Bow Nav lights not working (but stern is!)

Awesome......congratulations.

Great that the problem is in your wake now.