I have the '87 Wing Keel model. My factory dome lights (fore & aft) keep going out. I replace the fuse and after a short (no pun intended) while, they go out again and I replace the fuse. I took apart the main fuse box (under the companion way) and I could not find anything (e.g crossed wires, etc). I'm at a loss where to look for where this circuit might be shorting out. Any ideas? Bob
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It Could Be Corrosion...
Bob, It may not be a "dead" short or crossed wires, but corrosion on the wiring terminal, crimped wire connection, fuse holder, or light bulb fixture. If the fuse doesn't burnout instantly, than its probably excessive current draw due to corrosion on electrical terminals which is causing a poor electrical connection. I would look at and clean the light bulb holder fixture, fuse holder, wire crimp connections and electrical wire terminals I would also check the battery terminals for corrosion. Another thing you might do is verify in your owner's manual the size fuse and light bulb model. And look at the wiring schematic if you have it, a long shot would be that both fixtures shouldn't have been on the same circuit or you have some other electrical device on that circuit that shouldn't have been put on. This is a safety concern, since the excessive current draw is probably heating your wires before the fuse blows and could cause a fire hazard if not corrected. Fair Winds. Clyde
Bob, It may not be a "dead" short or crossed wires, but corrosion on the wiring terminal, crimped wire connection, fuse holder, or light bulb fixture. If the fuse doesn't burnout instantly, than its probably excessive current draw due to corrosion on electrical terminals which is causing a poor electrical connection. I would look at and clean the light bulb holder fixture, fuse holder, wire crimp connections and electrical wire terminals I would also check the battery terminals for corrosion. Another thing you might do is verify in your owner's manual the size fuse and light bulb model. And look at the wiring schematic if you have it, a long shot would be that both fixtures shouldn't have been on the same circuit or you have some other electrical device on that circuit that shouldn't have been put on. This is a safety concern, since the excessive current draw is probably heating your wires before the fuse blows and could cause a fire hazard if not corrected. Fair Winds. Clyde
H23 Dome lights.
Bob, the first thing you have to do is look at the 2 bulbs themselves. There is a wattage rating on them (10 W if I remember correctly). 10 watt bulbs draw about 1 amp or so each. Then you have to say what fuse you have in that circuit (should be either 5, 7.5, or 10 amp). Third, if that's OK, then try a new fuse (1 amp) with NO bulbs in there. If there is some kind of short, it'll blow the fuse and you've got some detective work to do. I suspect the bulbs were changed to make things brighter inside the cabin. If you use two 20 watt bulbs with a 5-amp fuse, it won't last (by the way, exactly how long does the fuse last - hours, days?). If this IS the case, then just use a 7.5 amp fuse. Don't worry, the wiring can easily handle it. If you like, you can email me: ocrc@litenet.net. Happy Hunting! Jim Maroldo s/v: Lil' Wass Ett
Bob, the first thing you have to do is look at the 2 bulbs themselves. There is a wattage rating on them (10 W if I remember correctly). 10 watt bulbs draw about 1 amp or so each. Then you have to say what fuse you have in that circuit (should be either 5, 7.5, or 10 amp). Third, if that's OK, then try a new fuse (1 amp) with NO bulbs in there. If there is some kind of short, it'll blow the fuse and you've got some detective work to do. I suspect the bulbs were changed to make things brighter inside the cabin. If you use two 20 watt bulbs with a 5-amp fuse, it won't last (by the way, exactly how long does the fuse last - hours, days?). If this IS the case, then just use a 7.5 amp fuse. Don't worry, the wiring can easily handle it. If you like, you can email me: ocrc@litenet.net. Happy Hunting! Jim Maroldo s/v: Lil' Wass Ett
Dome Lights, conclusion
Thanks to both of you, I did clean some of the contacts which had some minor corrosion. Then I ran the circuit without bulbs and the fuse was OK after a few minutes. I installed the bulbs and ran the lights and everything was fine. They were still on after 15 minutes. I'm just curious as to where you might get replacements for those bulbs, pointed on both ends that look like minitature footballs. Bob
Thanks to both of you, I did clean some of the contacts which had some minor corrosion. Then I ran the circuit without bulbs and the fuse was OK after a few minutes. I installed the bulbs and ran the lights and everything was fine. They were still on after 15 minutes. I'm just curious as to where you might get replacements for those bulbs, pointed on both ends that look like minitature footballs. Bob
West Marine Catalog Has Them
The "festoon" bulbs are sold by several companies: Aqua Signal, Perko, Ancor, to name a few. See the link to the West Marine web site (first of several "pages" and there are a number listed there. Recommend using some dielectric grease at the contact points to keep the corrosion at bay.
The "festoon" bulbs are sold by several companies: Aqua Signal, Perko, Ancor, to name a few. See the link to the West Marine web site (first of several "pages" and there are a number listed there. Recommend using some dielectric grease at the contact points to keep the corrosion at bay.
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