C30 cabin light wiring?

[BoeroBoy]

Hi. I bought a heavily updated 1980 C30 this year. One issue I'm having is the galley cabin light is the only one that works. The nav station switch controls the one working cabin light OK, but none of the other sockets are hot.

The C30 wiring spec is happy and utopian with its single line that that goes to "Cabin Light" and back again. Can anyone tell me where each of the cabin lights is actually run? I'd like to check for shorts. Looks like all wires run out the bottom of the breaker panel into the bilge, but how does that get back up into the ceiling?

Any help appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Stu Jackson]

What you need to do

is open up the electrical panel and trace the wiring. Since you said the boat was "heavily upgraded" there's really no other way to know than having you physically trace the wires. Who knows, maybe some idiot simply didn't bother to connect them??? You can start at the light fixtures and work back, which is what I would do if it was my boat.

 

[Kent2040]

Same Problem

I wondered if you were successful in your quest ? I too have this problem and have looked and looked for the feed wire for all the lights on the starboard side. No Luck. I can feed power to the wire at the light with a jumper and back feed the whole side but am unwilling to do this as I can't find the original feed wire. Hope you have had some luck.

 

[BoeroBoy]

Not yet. I've located most of the wiring under the berth and around the stuffing box, but unclear which one is which. Cabin lighting is supposed to be blue according to schematics. I'm going to buckle down this weekend with a label maker and trace all the wire I can. Hoping to run some new 12v rope light before July 4. Will let you know what I find.

 

[Bad Obsession]

I hate to sound like a jackass, but did you check to make sure that the bulb isn't blown first. Often times I have been working on an electrical problem and overthought the issue. It can be something really simple and you forget to check it and you end up doing a bunch of stuff only to find out that you didn't need to do any of it. Start simple and work your way back to the problem. Check the bulb, the breaker, then trace the wires. Also check the connection with the bulb to the socket. If all that isnt' working and you traced the wires, it may be time to just rewire the damn thing and hope that takes care of the problem.

 

[Team118]

You're in for a project!!!

I agree with both Stu and Bad Obsession. A wiring diagram is the only way to go. If the wiring throughout the boat is original then it's imbedded in the boat, at least that's the way mine was.

I would rewire what you can, there are 4 cabin lights in total. There's no simple way and you'll have to create conduit runs for the wiring in the main cabin, head and pilot's berth. The positive side is if you're rewiring, you can also run a few reading lights in the fore berth too.

I used clear 1x6 pine that I ripped into 1 to 1 1/4" strips about 1/4" thick. I screwed these to the ceiling. I then ripped another strip the same width but thick enough to run duplex through. My only mistake was to round the edges with a router, this made it difficult to screw them to the base plate. I'm going to redo this winter. I am also going to use a different wood that will stain closer to teak. I should use teak, but am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the cost. (didn't seem to faze me in the rewiring phase!)

Notice the 'bare' wiring that leads under the ceiling edge?

I ran the dining room table overhead llight to the galley light, spliced them together and ran one wire to the circuit breaker over the nav table.

I ran the galley light up front to a terminal bus and also ran two reading lights to the same terminal bus. I then ran one wire back to the circuit breaker.

The pilot berth ran directly to the circuit breaker. This is three wires to the breaker which is the max. Amp wise, the 2 reading lights, galley light and overhead table light are all LED, the galley and pilot berth are regular bulbs. So the total drain is acceptable.

I'm no expert, but it works. The LED lights are a bit harsh. Blue in color. Obviously the regular lights are fine and the 2 reading lights are a bit better.

I'm happy though.

Hope this helps!
Chris

 

[BoeroBoy]

Thanks for the tip (pine strips). I actually have 6 original cabin lights. As I got into it this weekend I discovered the rats nest of rewiring some previous owner did when a new set of Raymarine gauges were installed. It's possible the lights were disconnected (on purpose or accident..).

Instead, I ran rope light along each side behind the bevel under the windows. Will show pictures when done.

 

[Team118]

Looking forward to the pics. I added rope lights too. I bought some LED 18" amber strips that are usually sold to car enthusiasts. I 3m 5200'd them to some scrap wood and then screwed these up under the overhang. I bought 4 of them, 2 on each side and they add some very nice low light at night at almost zero battery cost.

I stole the idea from someone else, he's got pictures of it on his website, just don't remember where.

Good Luck!

Amber LED Lights

Light under ladder

Cockpit LED. I put this on a piece of scrap teak. Notice the SSI combing box? I got this on ebay for about $20 and put it in place of the old engine gauge panel which I moved up and to the back so it is more visible.

 

[BoeroBoy]

Rope light results.

The cockpit lights are a nice touch. I suppose the first time I'm out at night, I'll wish they were there.

Sorry it took so long to get these pics up. The rope light looks really nice, but doesn't really illuminate like I hoped it would. Will need to supplement it with lamps. I ran it completely around the deck joint for a nice touch, but the 45 watt, 30 foot ropes are as long as they can get. Once you try two in series, they get pretty dim. Lights were attached firmly with sticky christmas light hangers every 18 inches or so.

A nice bonus effect is the glowing cabinet above the head sink (thought I took that picture). Sorry these pics were made on my cell phone. It's extremely cheap. I got the 30' rope lights for $5 each. Still need to wire them to original cabin light switch and possibly beef up the fuse.

 

[Team118]

Nice job!

Great pics.

I wouldn't worry about these lights being bright enough. Mine are merely there for night lighting. They are bright enough for company and if I have to get around. Yours look like the same brightness!

Great job, my wife loves Christmas lights and she would love the touch in the forward berth!