Navigation Lights Are Dead

T

Tug

New member
The other night I went to turn on my navigation lights and nothing worked.
See pictures I just posted.
The rocker panel navigation light comes on but when I pull out the knob to activate the running lights but the fuse blows. I have power to the back of the rocker panel and one of the three wire connections on the back of the navigation switch. I not sure if there should be power to all the three wire connections.
When my wired Navigation Compass was stolen and ripped out , it looks like the wire was pulled hard. Yet, there are no loose or obvious signs of damage. The back side of the navigational switch three connections look corroded but it's been like that for ten years , always worked fine. I was leaving that for the last if I can't find the problem. Thanks Tug
 
I think the only way you are going to trouble shoot this situation is to carefully measure voltages at all involved points under various conditions (i.e., switch on, switch off, etc), and then to think it thru to see "what's wrong with this picture (i.e., the voltages you found)".
 
I just came back for my boat trying exactly that. No luck, I think I will remove the navigation switch from the boat and clean and sand all the connections. I would like to just replace the navigation switch with a new one . ( in case it's faulty ). but I have no idea if they still make or where I would look to buy a new one for a 1985 C-Dory 22 foot Angler. Thanks for the suggestion.. Tug
 
I just posted a picture of a 3-positional navigation switch that I found on-line. Is it as easy as swapping the new for the old or is there anything else I should be aware of like compatible amps and voltage or are these universal and fit all models.
 
Tug, Is this the replacement you are looking at?
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My Lites are a combo of 2 switches, 1. The anchor light and 2. The Red/Green side nav lights. I can turn in the anchor light separately or when I turn on the Nav lite switch, both R/G and anchor lights come on. I have indicator lights on both switches that come on when the lites are ON. They are rocker switches, something like the ones on the front of your panel here.
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I'm not the electronics techy type, but I do like that I have an inside indicator when those lights are on.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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I will try cleaning and sanding the switches terminals first . If that doesn't work I will just replace the Navigational switch. It's a pain trying to find a short, every wire must have a couple of pin holes in them by now. I can't go walleye fishing at night until I get the lights working. Thanks for the reply. Tug.
 
" . . . The back side of the navigational switch three connections look corroded but it's been like that for ten years , always worked fine. I was leaving that for the last if I can't find the problem. Thanks Tug"
Click to expand...

Might be that that is where you are at now. Until that corrosion is cleaned up, and it may be clear up into the switch, you are not going to be sure of a fix.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Two comments:

1. Every boater should have a digital volt meter aboard and know how to use it. That way there is no guessing about where the short is, and what will be necessary to remedy the situation.

2. Considering the age of the boat and wiring (26years) it is most desirable to replace the switch and put in new wiring. Problem solved in a critical piece of gear.
 
I ended up removing the Navigation Switch this morning. Turns out it was a 4-connector Perko Switch. When I tried to remove the screw from one of the connectors a piece came off from the back of the switch. I have an elastic holding it together in the picture I posted. Two connector was corroded badly , the other 2 were fine . I will order a new one and let you know if a new switch solves the problem. Thanks Tug.
 
At the very least, I would cut off those connectors, and put new ring terminals. Use a heat shrink adhesive fitting, and be sure and check the wire for corrosion. If significant corrosion, replace the wire with tinned AWG marine grade wire.
 
I ended up ordering a Sea-Dog 3-connector push-pull switch. It was all that I could find on Amazon.ca and shipping was free. If I ordered from the States shipping costs for a 4-connector switch was around $ 30.00 and I am not sure when I would get it . Some places won't even ship to Canada. One of the 4-connectors was for the Ritchie Compass but I really don't need it lite so a 3-connector switch will work.
If this doesn't fix the problem I will rewire all the navigation lights like thataway suggested.
 
So a little advice to all , and not trying to be a know it all . But I find it odd that people throw parts at problems with out knowing if its the part they need. So on your problem you should do the following , you know if your asking me......

Your light don't work so first step is are they getting power. Volt meter will tell you.

If you got power into the switch do you have power out? yes cool. no buy switch, volt meter will tell.

If you have power in and out of the switch do you have a full circuit from there to the light and back? volt meter will tell you. see a theme...

volt meter

This will do more then you and I will ever need. between the 12 volt meter and the complete circuit buzzer you can do a lot. Identify the bad part before you start buying parts new parts. If you dont you might end up with a job at a car dealership service department.
 
Today, I finally fixed and got my navigational lights working again. I ended up " Up-Grading " the original switch with a SeaChoice 4 connector Push- Pull switch. The problem as suspected was the wiring form the Richie Compass that had been ripped out. I tested each connector at a time with power to the switch for the bow lights , running lights and anchor light . The only time the fuse was blown was when I added the wiring from the Richie Compass . I re-wired the compass wire and all is running as it should. I did find a burnt out anchor light bulb and after tracing all the wiring to the switch I now know what goes where and where they come from so that in itself was worth the effort. Tug
 
Just another hint. Works if you leave your all around/anchor lite up all the time or put it up each time you launch, (Which is what I do). That light pole that goes from the cabin top connector up to the light sits down into the connecter on the cabin top. Oh, bright idea, now any moisture, rain or salt water that hits that lite post will follow the laws of physics and collect and run down hill 8) :shock: :twisted: into that nice little cup. Yup, right into the connection fixture. Guess what happens next. Funny how that works, right :roll:

So , , , , fix it. My fix, I wrap that base from the bottom up, covering the plastic tightener ring and on up about an inch. Each wrap overlapping the previous wrap about half the width. I do this with Rescue tape, pulled fairly tight. Makes that connection waterproof. NO corrosion, and not shorting. Yes, it take a bit of time, but in 15 years, I doubt I have spent as much time preventing, as Tug has fixing the result. (NO I don't put up that light at every launch. It depends on the weather, and time.)

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Tug":1v10ekin said:
The other night I went to turn on my navigation lights and nothing worked.
See pictures I just posted.
The rocker panel navigation light comes on but when I pull out the knob to activate the running lights but the fuse blows. I have power to the back of the rocker panel and one of the three wire connections on the back of the navigation switch. I not sure if there should be power to all the three wire connections.
When my wired Navigation Compass was stolen and ripped out , it looks like the wire was pulled hard. Yet, there are no loose or obvious signs of damage. The back side of the navigational switch three connections look corroded but it's been like that for ten years , always worked fine. I was leaving that for the last if I can't find the problem. Thanks Tug
Click to expand...

I have also come across an incorrect bulb installed in the running light globe causing a dead short. The correct bulb in this case was a 2 contact the replacement was a single contact.
Good luck. :thup
 
hardee...the light I was referring to was the little light just above the cabin door . it to is prone to water leakage. I leave the pole light in the connector when my boat is at the marina and remove it when I am towing also. Thanks for the tip about the Pole light , good idea. Tug
 
Tug, I found this pix with, I think, the right view. There is a small light above teh door and also a tall light, front of teh cabin top.

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"I went to turn on my navigation lights and nothing worked."
Click to expand...

So, Which one is the navigation light? ON some boats the tall pole light is both all around light for navigation, and also the anchor light. (That is the way mine is.) ON some, the small light over the door is the aft facing, white, running light, OR it might be just a white cockpit light, as mine is.

Sorry for the confusion. But yes, the pole light like "Rescue Tape" a bunch. Me too.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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On some of the early C Dorys there was a rear facing stern running light. I believe that some of these had the two bulb forward steaming light. For an anchor light both bulbs were activated. For the navigation light, the forward steaming light (225* forward), and the stern steaming (135*sector aft) lights were activated. My 1993 22 had this arrangement. It uses a little more power both with running navigation lights, and more importantly for anchor lights it uses 2X the power.
 
I have a question about that switch (Hardee posted a pic above).

On mine, when I pulled the switch to the first position "navigation", the anchor light would come on. Then to 2nd position "anchor", and the nav lights came on. Seems someone wired it backwards. I fixed it, and noticed the switch has four terminals. Power, nav, anchor, and one unused.

I also noticed that the Nav light (red/green combo) comes on by itself. The "anchor" light only comes on in anchor position. Should the white "anchor" light on top also come on with the Nav lights?
 
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