My 23 has a OEM (Perko) steaming light (new one 2 yrs old). It is the oblong shaped one identical to the stern light. IMHO it a stupid design in that you must disassemble the entire fixture to replace the bulb. Anyway, it worked on and off till I replaced it with the same fixture and guess what, same problem. I have traced the intermittent action to the bulb contacts (whacking the mast fixes the problem for a while till it decides to turn itself off whenever. I attribute it to the "torpedo bulb" design. Anyone who has ever taken one apart knows what I mean. In all fairness I must say that the original stern fixture has never had a problem (go figure). Any suggestions from anyone who is familiar with the fixture? Maybe dialectric grease etc.? I have investigated other fixtures, but they all use the same "torpedo bulb") and there is no sense duplicating the same problem with another Mfgr. I am hoping it is just something obvious I am overlooking. BTW, Don't forget abiut the 4th annual Hunter 23 Nationals at Indian Lake, Ohio in August. Email Mikeepp@mindspring.com for details!
Steaming Light
- Thread starter Dan Ulrich
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Festoon bulbs
I had trouble with my Perko masthead lights. Well, when I bought the boat they weren't working at all. The tips of the festoon bulbs were loose -- I could twist them on the glass ends. I figured they must be burned out being unsealed like that. I replaced the bulbs and still no lights. Then I bought a StarBrite Corrosion Buster Pen and cleaned the male and female deck connections and -- there was light! The female sockets are hard to clean with the pen, but it was the male end that was more corroded. ...RickM...
I had trouble with my Perko masthead lights. Well, when I bought the boat they weren't working at all. The tips of the festoon bulbs were loose -- I could twist them on the glass ends. I figured they must be burned out being unsealed like that. I replaced the bulbs and still no lights. Then I bought a StarBrite Corrosion Buster Pen and cleaned the male and female deck connections and -- there was light! The female sockets are hard to clean with the pen, but it was the male end that was more corroded. ...RickM...
Deck Connector
Yea, I checked the deck connectors and they are fine, including power to the fixture, which tells me the problem is in the fixture!
Yea, I checked the deck connectors and they are fine, including power to the fixture, which tells me the problem is in the fixture!
The Perko light may not be all bad
I really dislike the OEM Perko stern light (for the exact same reasons you gave) so I didn't want to use the same design for the steaming light. I can tell when the stern light goes out and I don't mind leaning over and whacking the transom to make the light work. However, I can't see the steaming light from the cockpit and even if I could, I won't be leaving the cockpit to bang on the mast. My bow light is AquaSignal so I decided to get the same brand for the steaming light. You can also replace the bulb without having to take the whole unit apart. The only problem is that the light sticks way out and sometimes it catches the leech of the genoa when tacking. The Perko light is smaller and smoother, so I doubt very much that it would foul the sail. Peter H23 "Raven"
I really dislike the OEM Perko stern light (for the exact same reasons you gave) so I didn't want to use the same design for the steaming light. I can tell when the stern light goes out and I don't mind leaning over and whacking the transom to make the light work. However, I can't see the steaming light from the cockpit and even if I could, I won't be leaving the cockpit to bang on the mast. My bow light is AquaSignal so I decided to get the same brand for the steaming light. You can also replace the bulb without having to take the whole unit apart. The only problem is that the light sticks way out and sometimes it catches the leech of the genoa when tacking. The Perko light is smaller and smoother, so I doubt very much that it would foul the sail. Peter H23 "Raven"
Masthead vs. stern light
Yea, there are 2 little "horseblinders" on the stern light. Other than that they are exactly the same perko fixture.
Yea, there are 2 little "horseblinders" on the stern light. Other than that they are exactly the same perko fixture.
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