Stern light

[tonyjh63]

My newly acquired boat doesn't have a stern light pole, so I bought one on the advice of a salesman. Now, the base has 3 prongs, and my new light pole has 3 holes, but it looks like only 2 are "active" (any metal showing within the holes). The salesman assured me it should work...but it's not lighting up. Should it light up, or do I need one with 3 "active" holes? I can't find one...
Full disclosure: no, I have not checked to see if power is even reaching the base.

 

[roscoe]

The light only uses two contacts.
The 3rd peg is just so you install it in the correct orientation.

Is the new light an LED ?
If yes, you may need to swap the pos and neg wires in the base.

 

[QBhoy]

Hi…apologies for pointing out the obvious…but I am aware of some boats having a 2 stage rocker switch for lighting. Sometimes the set up can mean that the stern light (which can double as an anchor light) is not activated at one of the positions perhaps. Or something like that.
Other than that…there are generally two types of pole light fittings. Some have holes that mate to pins in the base…and some have spigots that contact sprung metallic strips. Attwood usually have the pins that insert into the holes. They won’t work with most of the other types out there.

 

[Bondo]

My newly acquired boat doesn't have a stern light pole, so I bought one on the advice of a salesman. Now, the base has 3 prongs, and my new light pole has 3 holes, but it looks like only 2 are "active" (any metal showing within the holes). The salesman assured me it should work...but it's not lighting up. Should it light up, or do I need one with 3 "active" holes? I can't find one...
Full disclosure: no, I have not checked to see if power is even reaching the base.

Ayuh,..... You need Power to one pin, 'n Ground to another one for it to work,.....
A test light will answer those questions,....

 

[crazy charlie]

Lights on pole last and last.....bases dont.Shine a flashlight in the base and see how much corrosion may be built up in there.I have replaced many a base and never a pole light.Charlie

 

[tonyjh63]

Update: pins have power, but the problem (verified by boat mechanic) is that for some reason, none of the poles we've tried (I have 2 brand-new ones) will fit all the way in to the base, so they can't quite make the connection! No obstruction either...so I may just have to replace the whole base. Ugh!
This is weird, as I would've thought (as does the mechanic) that these were all standardized in size?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Update: pins have power, but the problem (verified by boat mechanic) is that for some reason, none of the poles we've tried (I have 2 brand-new ones) will fit all the way in to the base, so they can't quite make the connection! No obstruction either...so I may just have to replace the whole base. Ugh!
This is weird, as I would've thought (as does the mechanic) that these were all standardized in size?

Nope, not standard

 

[airshot]

Very similiar and might appear to be the same, but each mfgr has their own design.