Bow light not working

rjmman

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Aug 2, 2023
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My old light was not working. I bought a new light. However, when the switch is off the light is on and when the switch is on the light is off. The old light worked last year so I doubt it is a cross wring problem. It may be a terminal connection issue. I've tried two different new lights and the results are the same. I moved the stern light to the bow and it works just fine. Any help is appreciated. Thanks Rick
 

brodmann

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That makes no sense at all. All a switch does is complete the circuit. On completes the circuit, off interrupts the circuit. Basic 12v system. Does the switch connect to anything else? Both lights? Again, a simple switch with two wires, "ON" makes a connection and "OFF" doesn't make a connection. There's something else going on here.
 

1975oday22

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makes perfect sense. trust us switch the wires around. on the switch.
 

rjmman

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Thx. That seems like the simple answer but 1. It’s a rats nest under there and 2. For 22 years it worked just fine.
 

1975oday22

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Thx. That seems like the simple answer but 1. It’s a rats nest under there and 2. For 22 years it worked just fine.
maybe with the same light sure. take the bow light and reverse the wires. then let us know what your findings are.
 

brodmann

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That makes no sense guys. one wire in, one wire out. "ON" completes the circuit, "OFF" does not complete the circuit. Electricity passes through a light bulb in either direction. A simple switch just allows current to pass though when it's turned on and doesn't allow current to pass through when it's turned off. A switch is not directional. Current passes through in either direction. I wire houses. Either Alternating "AC" current or Direct "DC" current, a switch is a switch.
 

1975oday22

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re read the ops post. it makes clear sense that the wires are backwards on the switch. or the light wires that he replaced need to be switched around in accordance with the switch.
 

1975oday22

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That makes no sense guys. one wire in, one wire out. "ON" completes the circuit, "OFF" does not complete the circuit. Electricity passes through a light bulb in either direction. A simple switch just allows current to pass though when it's turned on and doesn't allow current to pass through when it's turned off. A switch is not directional. Current passes through in either direction. I wire houses. Either Alternating "AC" current or Direct "DC" current, a switch is a switch.
ok you wire houses. try reversing a wire and let us know wich way is on and wich way is off..... same goes with boat wiring. trust me and scott on this. done enough wiring and also have wired houses as apprentice myself.
 

tpenfield

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When installing the new bow light, did you do anything at the switch? or did the wiring to the switch remain as it was previously?
 

rjmman

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When installing the new bow light, did you do anything at the switch? or did the wiring to the switch remain as it was previously?
I haven't done anything with the wiring. Took the old one out and put the new one in. I had a guy at the boat store check the old one and he said it was bad.
 

rjmman

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The guy at my local boat service department thinks it’s a short issue because the switch is receiving power when it is off. The fix is a rewire Sounds like an after season job as he is running six weeks out.
 

brodmann

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Chieftain, you go to any switch in your house (not a 3-way) and reverse the wires on the switch. It will still work!! A simple switch has no positive or negative. The screws aren't different colors are they. You can run hot straight to a light and put the switch in the return, or ground, or neutral wire and it completes the circuit when turned on. Or, you can run power to the switch first and then to the light or whatever fixture it goes to and you can still wire it either way and it still works. Don't you guys remember middle school science class where you learned about a simple circuit? The "switch" was a simple piece of metal that made contact to complete a circuit. That hasn't changed. Go ahead and change the wires at the switch. Those wires aren't positive and negative!! They are either the power going to the light and the current passes through the switch when on, or they are the negative or ground wires that complete the circuit to ground when turned on. Think about this just a little guys. A switch has not positive or negative unless the switch is a lighted switch that lights up when it's turned on. If that's the case, then yes, he may have the switch wired incorrectly. But simply changing the light fixture will never require changing the wires on the switch. Go ahead, change the wires on the switch. Still, current will pass through when on and not pass through when off.
 

mr 88

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The guy at my local boat service department thinks it’s a short issue because the switch is receiving power when it is off. The fix is a rewire Sounds like an after season job as he is running six weeks out.
It's supposed to have power on one terminal and none on the other terminal until you flip the switch. So the switch is bad if no power is being sent to the other terminal. No need to rewire anything.
 

1975oday22

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if the light works when the switch is off the light is on and when the switch is on the light is off its not a bad switch. switch the damned wires . makes total sense. how do people not get this?
 

tpenfield

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Can we get a picture of the back of the switch?

Did the switch work properly before?
 
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