1972 Chris Craft Lights

I recently purchased a Chris Craft and the previous owner had done nothing with the lights. I have been trying to switch out the lights and when I swap them with the new lights, the lights turn on and just glow orange but never really light up. Has anyone else experienced this or have any suggestions? Thank you.

Re: 1972 Chris Craft Lights

Are you just replaceing the old light bulbs for new ones, or the old fixtures for whole new fixture?
If you are replaceing the fixtures it might be a good idea to run all new wire and have it all new.

Basicly, grab a 12v test light. I would expect to see 2 wires to each light, one directly to the battery and one through a switch. Test every wire every conection, at the fuse, or fuse block, switch, socket. teh wired should NOT be cracked or brittle, the conections shoudl be water tight so water can not get easily in check each side of the fuse and switch.

If you are just replaceing the light bulbs check the socket, cleanish, not mucked up or too much scale rust. In the socket there is a fibre disc on it there are 2 dull metal pads, they need to be clean and proud of the surface of the dissc. Under the disc there should be a spring it too need to in gooos shape. The disc needs to move to allow enough presure between the metal pads and the light bulb.

Are the lights wired in series or parellel? to check with the lights on if you remove one bulb from the circuit does the other stay on or go off. If if goes out they are wired in series and you need to change that , if it stays on it is wired in parallel and that is waht you want.


Good luck

Re: 1972 Chris Craft Lights

check your battery then check your connections from light harness to wire leads and from leads to terminal and switches if anything is corroded clean or replace chances are if its original wireing its 39 years old? id run a few new lines might be corrosion in the copper and your just not passing enough volts to do the job. likes gasch said if its cracked replace it its probably green and is no longer good. same thing happens to your trailer plug on your vehical over the winter it turns green and is in need of cleaning and or replacing depending how bad it is.

best way to replace wires use electrical tape and tape it to the old wire then pull the old wire out and give your self an extra few inches at both ends incase you mess up crimping or stripping the wire. tape up your connections when done best to use a wax/grease filled barrel connetors but as long as its not directly close to water cheap normal ones will work just fine.

Re: 1972 Chris Craft Lights

the lights turn on and just glow orange but never really light up. Has anyone else experienced this or have any suggestions?

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Ayuh,... Sounds like a Bad Ground...