I really need some guidance here. I am chasing an electrical problem dealing with the bow running lights on my 1994 Hunter 40.5.
The problem manifested itself just before my race to Mexico which is where I am now. Altho the lights had worked fine the week before, they were not the night before, naturally. The lights are Hella series 40 which are dead simple. The stern light works fine. What puzzled me was that I read 12.8 volts to the light feed lines, but nothing when connected to the socket. Suspecting a bad connection where the electrical exits the bow pulpit, I redid all of those. So, I still have 12.8 volts but no lights.
I took the sockets apart and cleaned them up. I had a spare incandescent bulb, so I checked it directly to the starting battery and it worked fine. I installed it in the socket and tested it on the start battery and there was light.
So, now I’m thinking there is voltage but inadequate current to power the lights. I checked the connection at the panel, cleaned everything up and then checked it with my bow light in its socket. It worked normally. I then took a small halogen spare bulb and checked it on the bow light lighting and got nothing.
So, it is looking to me as if there is a bad connection or splice somewhere that is allowing just enough current for the volt meter but not enough to fire a bulb. What do you think? I figured I’d poll you here first before proceeding further.
BTW, the wires that exit the pulpit are not the same as those leading from the panel, so there must be a splice somewhere and I think they are all positive, so it must be picking up a ground somewhere too. To add to the issue, the wires run inside the pulpit to somewhere between the hull and anchor locker liner. Beats me where they exit. The wiring diagram is no help. It may be under a cover in my V-berth which is where you get access to the windlass (I hope). Any of you 40.5-ers know?
Suggestions welcome. I’ll check back in tonight.
The problem manifested itself just before my race to Mexico which is where I am now. Altho the lights had worked fine the week before, they were not the night before, naturally. The lights are Hella series 40 which are dead simple. The stern light works fine. What puzzled me was that I read 12.8 volts to the light feed lines, but nothing when connected to the socket. Suspecting a bad connection where the electrical exits the bow pulpit, I redid all of those. So, I still have 12.8 volts but no lights.
I took the sockets apart and cleaned them up. I had a spare incandescent bulb, so I checked it directly to the starting battery and it worked fine. I installed it in the socket and tested it on the start battery and there was light.
So, now I’m thinking there is voltage but inadequate current to power the lights. I checked the connection at the panel, cleaned everything up and then checked it with my bow light in its socket. It worked normally. I then took a small halogen spare bulb and checked it on the bow light lighting and got nothing.
So, it is looking to me as if there is a bad connection or splice somewhere that is allowing just enough current for the volt meter but not enough to fire a bulb. What do you think? I figured I’d poll you here first before proceeding further.
BTW, the wires that exit the pulpit are not the same as those leading from the panel, so there must be a splice somewhere and I think they are all positive, so it must be picking up a ground somewhere too. To add to the issue, the wires run inside the pulpit to somewhere between the hull and anchor locker liner. Beats me where they exit. The wiring diagram is no help. It may be under a cover in my V-berth which is where you get access to the windlass (I hope). Any of you 40.5-ers know?
Suggestions welcome. I’ll check back in tonight.