Lights not working

JBam

Cadet
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
6
Hey guys, I have a little bit of a newbie question for you. I have a 1991 Bayliner Capri 1700 with a 90 hp Force. Neither my nav lights nor my stern lights will work. I changed bulbs, but still nothing. The switches for both lights are on the right side of my steering wheel in the console. The switches on the opposite side of the console (the horn and bilge pump) work fine. Could it be a switch issue? I found it odd that both lights went out, but I really have no idea where to start to look for the root of the problem. Any tips or advice would be helpful. Thanks!
 

jhebert

Ensign
Joined
Jul 24, 2005
Messages
902
Re: Lights not working

See

Basic Electrical Troubleshooting Procedures
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/001139.html

Basic electrical troubleshooting procedures will help you find many simple electrical problems on small recreational boats.

Begin at the load where you anticipate having voltage. Measure the voltage. If there is no voltage, follow the conductor from the load back toward the source of the voltage. When you reach the next device, measure the voltage. At some point you will find the voltage. You have now found the point from which the problem is downstream. Begin to inspect all devices such as connections, splices, terminals, fuses, switches, circuit breakers, lugs, crimps, etc., looking for some device or connection which has failed. In this way you will locate the problem. When you locate the device causing the problem you can choose to repair or replace the device.

In circuits which operate at 12-volts DC it is very common that a slight bit of corrosion or insulation on a conductor will prevent conduction. With a low voltage circuit the Electromotive Force (EMF) or voltage will not be able to jump through the insulating layer and restore the circuit. In higher voltage circuits the EMF can jump through small amounts of insulating corrosion and self-restore the circuit. With 12-volts it takes but a very thin layer of insulation to prevent flow of current.

Because boats are operating in a wet environment, it is common for electrical connections to become corroded. If you have any bare copper conductors, they will form an oxide of copper which may not be conductive. Silver is much preferred because silver oxides are conductive. For this reason almost all wiring used in a marine application should be tinned and connections should be tinned or silver plated, not bare copper.

Switch contacts should not be cleaned with rough abrasives. Usually a switch contact can be restored by careful cleaning. If an abrasive is needed use 600-grit emery cloth. You can wet-sand with a cleaner like WD-40. The contacts should be very smooth, almost polished.
 

Fireman431

Rear Admiral
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
4,292
Re: Lights not working

More than likely it is not a switch problem. A switch that is used A LOT may go bad, but a 3 position switch rarely has both sides go bad together.

I would assume your problem would be in a 12v+ power supply to that individual panel (fuse or disconnected wire). Use a test light or multimeter to see if you're getting 12v+ to the switches and make sure your grounds are good.
 

linehand

Recruit
Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Messages
3
Re: Lights not working

Check your grounds. I'd take a length of wire from a known good ground;like the neg battery post. and test at each lamp. Common bonding point probably crusty.
 
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