My anchor light is on crack!

[oliverC.]

Where does a newbe start learning about basic wiring problems?

Where does a 'newbe 'start to learn about sailboat wiring? I have a new old boat that has an electrical mind of its own...

Gremlins do exist. I had a steaming light that did not work for 4 years and I kept saying to myself I need to change the lightbulb but kept putting it off. One night I'm testing the lights by running through the switches, Navigation-OK, Anchor-OK and flipped the Steaming light switch expecting to draw a blank and wala the light came on and worked well for another few years. Check your wiring and connectors like Alec suggests. Good luck.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Newbie electrical

Where does a 'newbe 'start to learn about sailboat wiring? I have a new old boat that has an electrical mind of its own...

You could start online. Try BoatUS and read their technical library. Go to the Ample Power and read their technical documents, especially the Ample Power Primer. Read the WM Advisors, both online and in their catalogs. Buy a book, by checking a chandlery "library" an finding something that interests you for your level of skill. The more you read, the more you'll know.

 

[sailingdog]

Where does a 'newbe 'start to learn about sailboat wiring? I have a new old boat that has an electrical mind of its own...

Start with a good book, like Calder's Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual.

Also, taking a course on 12 VDC electrical systems, like one for automobiles, at the local Voc/tech school would be very helpful, especially if you don't know how to use a multimeter.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Try the book Don Casey "Sailboat Electrics Simplified" That is a good book for starting out.

 

[Pat T]

Had an intermittent cabin lighting issue once. Took many hours to trouble- shoot starting with the easy, obvious possibilities - fixtures, fuses, etc. Long story short - it turned out that there was a hole, leak in my bilge hose. As the water leaked out it dripped into the corrugated casing that held one of the lighting wires. The water just rested there. It eventually shorted out at a connector.

My guess is it's not the obvious. You would have it figured out already.