Navigation Lights Ugh!

[whitty30]

I just bought a 1983 Skeeter fishing boat and the navigation lights are not working. I changed all the fuse on the panel and still not working. Should I change the Pull switch which it is a two position switch? Really I just want to know what to do and fix it. Thanks for the help!

 

[JCF350]

Re: Navigation Lights Ugh!

Best thing to do would be to get a voltmeter and test first then you'll know which parts to install.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Navigation Lights Ugh!

A $10 voltmeter will save you time, money and frustration. When you get one you will wonder what you ever did without it. Marine switches are more expensive than the meters here.

Have you checked for corrosion in all of the connections? While you are checking coat them with dielectric grease that you can find at Lowes, Home Depot or most big box stores. It will slow down problems in the future.

I have learned to coat the sockets with dielectric grease also.

 

[JCF350]

Re: Navigation Lights Ugh!

Better than grease.
http://www.crcindustries.com/marine/content/prod_detail.aspx?PN=06026&S=N
Looked at a Egg Harbor 33' sport fish last week, that I redid all the electrics on 30 years ago (boat sank) everything looked just the same has the day I finished it (well, everything that hasn't been repaired since).

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Navigation Lights Ugh!

Get the meter. And when you're done, come back and tell us it was a bad ground. Always is...

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Navigation Lights Ugh!

did you check if the bulbs are good? always keep spares on board.

 

[whitty30]

Re: Navigation Lights Ugh!

Thanks, I will try that. Did I mention all the wires under the dash look like spaghetti and I have the faintest clue as to what in the heck he did. It's going to be a guessing game for me anyways....

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Navigation Lights Ugh!

On any kind of wiring of that age it could be many things, Bad ground, broken wire, corrosion in sockets or switches. Bad rewire job.

Best to try and trace back wires from light sockets to switches just to get a feel for what you have and look for any of the above.

 

[jevery]

Re: Navigation Lights Ugh!

First thing I?d do is put a test light or a multimeter on the switch to first verify power to the switch and second verify that the switch is working. Should be three wires attached to the back of the switch. Only one should be hot, (12V), when switch is off, another should be hot when switch is on anchor light, and all three should be hot when switch is in running lights position. This way you?ll know which direction to go from the switch ? toward the fuse panel or toward the lights themselves.