I replaced the bow light on my 86 Hunter 31' because the old one was not working. Then found new one does not work either. I get batt voltage at the panel, but not at the connection in the port side of V-berth where the wires exit the cabin, through the deck to the pulpit. Jumpered from the panel to connection and the light works. Obviously I have a problem somewhere in the wire between the panel and the connection that exits the cabin [surprisingly and thankfully, the wire that goes through the pulpit to the light is not grounding]. My question is whether my problem wire runs on the port or starboard side of the boat. It would have to be an independent wire since it has its own circuit, but not sure if I can just attach a new wire at one and it pull it through using the old wire as a fishtape.
Bow light Wiring
- Thread starter wufibugs
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I am not clear on your testing for current. You have no power at the bulb socket? but have power at the electrical panel? Do you have power at some point in the wires running to the bow light? Are the grounds good at the bulb and is the ground wire good to where it is terminated? As to where Hunter ran the wires I have no clue but using the old wire as a fishtape is OK. I doubt you can run the entire span in one pull.
A little more clarity in you next post would help clear some of this up and I sure more will post back to you.
Hope this helps some.
Ray
A little more clarity in you next post would help clear some of this up and I sure more will post back to you.
Hope this helps some.
Ray
Lets see if I can do better, Ray. I cut the old wire where it exits the V-berth out into the pulpit and to the bulb. When I used a jumper wire from the panel to the wire leading out to the fixture, I got light. To me this means that the wire through the pulpit and the fixture is fine. Since I have battery voltage at the panel, the problem must be somewhere along the wire from the panel to where I cut it.
On the Hunter, the panel is beneath the hatchboards, so the wire has to run forward, either port or starboard, in the headliner. If I opt to pull a new wire, I can only hope Hunter did not decide to attach the wire anywhere along the run. Might be able to do two pulls if I knew from which side to remove an a/c plug so I can see into the headliner and fish the right wire. I did see the blue wires for the spotlights in behind the plug when I replaced a GFCI plug in the galley.
On the Hunter, the panel is beneath the hatchboards, so the wire has to run forward, either port or starboard, in the headliner. If I opt to pull a new wire, I can only hope Hunter did not decide to attach the wire anywhere along the run. Might be able to do two pulls if I knew from which side to remove an a/c plug so I can see into the headliner and fish the right wire. I did see the blue wires for the spotlights in behind the plug when I replaced a GFCI plug in the galley.
I don't know your particular boat, but I would imagine that this wire is wire tied, at the very least, several times between the panel and forepeak, so pulling the new one through with the old one probably will not work.
You have the option of following the old routing for the wire, which was very easy during construction of course, or finding another, perhaps easier route, leaving the old wires in place, but not connected to anything, for now.
You have the option of following the old routing for the wire, which was very easy during construction of course, or finding another, perhaps easier route, leaving the old wires in place, but not connected to anything, for now.
Yes, I've been thinking of a re-route also. I can understand the stuff in the pulpit and mast failing, but I keep wondering what would make wiring in the cabin fail. I've replaced a/c outlets and inside spotlights which gave me a peek into the spaces between the liner and the hull. No significant moisture intrusion so what gives. I refuse to entertain the idea that this wiring passes anywhere near the compression post and may have been pinched by a failing post though I have no indication of a problem at this time.
Perhaps there are crimp connections on the run from panel to forepeak that got water intrusion? Perhaps it was chafe where the wire passed through a bulkhead? At any rate, I guess you've got to fix this one, probably sooner than later. Wireless would be nice, wouldn't it? Let's contact TicTak.
Manual - It looks from the manual that the wire runs down the port side of the hull to near the companion way and then turns toward the panel.
If it is like my hunter wiring was run through a flexible conduit that has openings at the various access panels. On mine however there are a couple of places that the conduit was squished when the topsides and headliner were brought together - definite potential for chafing.
Manual for your boat is here:
http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_31_83-87_64283881.pdf
Looks like your bow light wire should be the white 16guage wire running into your panel. You will want to check the black ground that should be run with it as well to see which wire has the break.
If it is like my hunter wiring was run through a flexible conduit that has openings at the various access panels. On mine however there are a couple of places that the conduit was squished when the topsides and headliner were brought together - definite potential for chafing.
Manual for your boat is here:
http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_31_83-87_64283881.pdf
Looks like your bow light wire should be the white 16guage wire running into your panel. You will want to check the black ground that should be run with it as well to see which wire has the break.
You could be right about the crimp connection, though this is a single circuit and should have been a solid run from the panel to the fixture at the pulpit. There was a crimp connection in the V-Berth so the PO obviously did not wiring work on that circuit. Not abrasion at the bulkhead because I put 12v to the wire at the bulkhead and got light at the fixture. Problem is definitely in the run inside the liner. I will never know what happened unless I am able to pull out the old and pull in a new wire. As you said, not likely. Wireless. Hmm.
Good point twalker about determining which wire is the problem. Will run a continuity test on both white and black when I get back to the boat. Not sure how accurately the wiring diagram in the manual is drawn but it appears the bow light wire is run closer to where the liner and hull meet since it is a solid run from the panel all the way out to the V-Berth. Certainly a higher risk of getting crushed out there.
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