Changing a stern light

[Dennis Brooks]

I am trying to change the stern light on my Hunter 23. Hunter doesn't give you any wire to play with or room to work. One wire broke off inside the boat. I am having a hard time getting to the stern light wiring inside my boat. Does anyone have a simple way to get to the wiring other than climbing underneath the console from the battery side of the boat? I am too big to get to it. I am up for any suggestions.

 

[Mike C.]

Try this

If you can't reach the wire, then bring the wire to you. Run a flexible line into the stern light's wiring hole on the transom. Use something sturdy. #10 wire might get it done. You want it to be flexible, but strong enough to push past minor obstructions. Snake it through until you can reach it from inside the cabin. Attach 2 new wires to it with a wire butt connector and electrical tape over the ends of the connector so it will smooth the edges of the connector. Then, pull the wires back through. It sounds like you need to replace the old wiring anyway, so why not do it while you're at it. When the new wire comes through the hole, cut off the butt connector and connect the stern light and your done. Don't forget to use shrink tubing and the liquid tape stuff too. Hope this helps.

 

[Dennis Brooks]

Wiring

Thank you Mike. The wiring inside the boat is in a postion I can't see. It is on the other side of the boat. I am down inside the boat where the battery would be located looking across. The cockpit is right in front of me with maybe a two and a half foot opening between the cockpit and the bottom of the boat. I can't get underneath the cockpit. According to the wiring diagram the front light follows the same route across the boat but goes forward when it gets to the starboard side of the boat. Can this still work with out messing up the front light?

 

[Mike C.]

Same circuit

Most of the time, the bow and stern lights are on the same circuit. So, it shouldn't mess it up as long as you connect negative to negative and positive to positive. In other words, do not cross the circuits.The idea I have explained is to approach your situation the same way an electrician would if he had to wire a junction box to a breaker box by snaking a cable through conduit. Use the existing wire from the stern light to pull new wire through until you have enough to reach and connect. This is the best way I know. I did this with a 23 (not a Hunter) that I owned. I pushed a length of #10 wire with a small loop in the end through the stern light hole until I could reach it. Even then, I had to use the boat hook to reach way back under the cockpit to finish the pull. An assistant to continue to feed the wire in is a real help.This situation of yours requires some ingenuity.Recently, I had to replace the wiring in my H30. The bow light makes a blind run from the anchor locker to the cabinet behind the head. I connected new wire to the old with one butt connector. Then, I pulled the old wire through using the new wire. When the job was done, I installed new wiring just by pulling it through the boat with the old wire.Before I jumped into this, I checked the diagram of the H23. It seems possible to do it the way I suggest. Best of luck

 

[Dennis Brooks]

Stern light

Thanks Mike for helping me. I am going to the boat and trying the idea. I believe it will work.