The challenge is to fix the wiring and replace the LED lights with legal 2 mile rated LED lights.
I first pulled the starboard light and found that the wiring was simply twisted together, not even a wire nut (I was hoping for something even if it was bad).
Ok now to trace the wires (red & black). Down to the anchor locker, yep can see them come through the cap rail into the anchor locker, then into the forward locker over the v-berth and back to a small locker in the forward head which is split by the forward chain plate. Of course this leaves almost enough room to get 1 hand in to make any new connections.
This is where it gets interesting. Now to sort through the 8 wires here, I can almost see the wires and can see the wiring for the starboard side of the v-berth alongside of the running light wires. Sort through and eventually figure out the running light wire that was switched with the v-berth light. Make the cut and start to rewire. New fittings, clamped on as best I can. Add some wiring but running all new wasn't going to happen today. Too many places that I still don't have good access and wires are tied together. However, multi meters shows 12.5+volts so should be good to go.
Back up on deck. Check out the wiring and voltage. Hmmmm.. 7.5 volts. LED only lights up 4 of the 10 LEDs, What gives, back down below, 12.5+ volts, remove port side wire and I get 12.5+. Ok now to remove the port side light, yep same twisted wire and still no connector, wire nut or even tape. Nice green corrosion on the twisted wire clumps. Trim everything up, new connectors and amazingly now I have a full 12.5+ and all 10 LEDs light up on both port and starboard lights. Yea success.
Only took all afternoon and twisting myself into a few positions that this old body doesn't fit into anymore. The most interesting part was getting only partial voltage due to the corroded and poor connections. I'm just an amatuer at the electrical and so was flumuxed by the 7.5 volt reading when I expected 12+. One wire with 12.5+ wired to two wires should give me 12.5+ at both end wires unless my 1 semester of college electronics was totally wasted. How corroded and poor connections draw off 5+ volts was a mystery to me and caused way too many trips between v-berth and deck.
Sorry for the long rant but thought it might be interesting for others to hear. I know my fix isn't perfect or even fully to code but it is much better than before and gets me to the next project. How to raise the yacht specialties binnacle guard by 8 inches for my new chart plotter.
The joys of working on an old boat
