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Mast lights

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anomalous48
Deckhand

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1 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/30/2011 : 00:07:25

I bought my '82 C25 last month and decided to pull the mast down to replace sheaves and inspect the rigging. I also rewired the mast lights (new wiring harness, anchor light and the steaming/spreader combo light). After a weeks work we connected the mast light coupling (on-deck 4 prong) and tested the lights just prior to raising the mast. The steaming light wasn't working but the spreader and anchor light were functional. Given there is no spreader light switch on the electrical panel it seemed that the "bow" light wiring may have been connected to the spreader light. Given the choice I would prefer to have the bow (steaming) light functional over the spreader light.
Question #1 is why are there 4 connections in the mast deck connector and wires (1 common ground, 1 anchor, 1 bow and 1 spreader) when there is no spreader light relay on the panel. How would control the spreader lights vs the bow light if on the same circuit?

Thinking that I should get the mast up (crew time was limited and sunset approaching) to sail and rewire the bow/spreader light (switchover the bow/spreader wiring) from the harness on a later date we raised the mast without incident. However, as soon as we got it up (15minutes after testing the lights with the mast down) NONE of the lights were working. Fuses look good. We replaced the old plug (brass) with a new one (chrome) (and cleaned but left the old deck receptacle (brass) in place). No luck and still no clue. It seems highly unlikely that both the anchor and spreader lights both blew out or were somehow damaged in raising the mast and the fuses hadn't blown.

Question # 2 is where to go from here to get the lights functional.

Ken
'82 SR/FK #3102
SD, CA

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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3467 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2011 : 03:26:11

I would use a multimeter and check out the deck connector for juice flowing thru the prongs. At least then you may be able to rule out issues above the deck and then work your way to the control panel.

I don't understand your question as to why are there 4 connections (in the deck connector) - You named all the connections (common ground, bow, spreader and anchor lights). That's 3 positives and one negative. On my boat, the lights are an anchor light and a combo steaming light/deck light (each has an independent switch on the control panel). That's the three positives and the 4th connector is the common ground.

Control panels...There are some strange things going on behind that panel. For example, when I first purchased my boat I wondered why the VHF radio would be able to be turned on without first flipping "on" the control panel switch for it. Turns out that behind the panel, one of the switches believe it was the auxiliary switch had a connector hooked to the terminal that allowed two additional positive leads to be attached to it - 3 altogether. The way the connector was angled, it was making a positive connection byopassing the switch. I fixed that by bending the muti-terminal away so it no longer made contact bypassing the switch. Eventually, I added another switch panel below the sink (photos on my website) and I rewired many of the circuits that were on the old panel to then be on the new panel. What I am getting at regarding your situation is that if you have not done so already, do a close inspection of the terminals behind the panel and positively identify which ones are going to your mast wiring. Then see if any of the positive wires are sharing a common switch or if anything behind there looks abnormal. If your multimeter checks at the deck connector indicates you are not getting juice thru one or more of the positive leads, then you have to work your way back to the connectors behind the panel.

By the way, when you say the fuses look good. Some of us have a Catalina Panel that has only one master circuit breaker while others have separate fuses for each switch and there may be others that have a boat that a PO installed an in-line fuse in each positive wire separate from the control panel fuse(s)/circuit breaker(s). Then there are those that have installed circuit breaker switch panels where each switch is a circuit breaker.

Check out the deck connector with the multi-meter and then trace each line back to the terminal behind the control panel. That's the opnly way to rule out issues with each circuit. It's possible that you have some oxidation, etc going on insode that deck connector so if you have no juice present in one of the wires from the deck connector, the problem could still be right there with the deck connector.

Edited by - OLarryR on 06/30/2011 03:31:18

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2011 : 09:24:52

What Larry said.
1. Verify deck connector voltages.
2. Verify wires are in their appropriate order in the new plug.
If no lights are working I would be looking long and hard at the ground connection.

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2011 : 10:38:30

What Larry said.

You might also detach and reconnect the bottom of the wiring harness again to the top element of the through-deck connector. You mentioned that the lights worked before you raised the mast, but not after. It's possible that you pulled the wire up and out of the connector a fraction of an inch.

You could also check the mast lights with a 12V DC source, like 2 little 9V batteries wired in series. The 18V they produce is overvoltage, but it can light up the mast lights during a brief test.

I have also found that a multimeter is handy for debugging these DC circuits on the boat.

Good luck.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2011 : 17:43:06

I was having some similar problems recently and finally got some HD electrical contact cleaner at HD. Removed the wires from the mast side connector and cleaned them with sandpaper and the contact cleaner. On the deck connector side I shot contact cleaner down in the sockets and used a miniature size phillips head screwdriver in the sockets to help clean out the corrosion.

I also found that the little sockets in the deck connector had spread out just enough that the prongs on the mast side connector were not making good contact. I took a miniature size flat blade screwdriver and gently bent them closer together so they made a tight connection. Lights worked perfectly after that.

Edited by - on

anomalous48
Deckhand

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1 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2011 : 01:49:25

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. The contact cleaner and a little scratching on the deck connector was sufficient (for now) to get the lights (anchor and deck or spreader) working.

I have separate fuses for each of the switches on my electrical panel and there is a switch for the bow (steaming) light but none for a spreader light. So thats why I was asking why there were 4 wire connections for the mast light connector - I don't have a spreader light switch. Preferring to have the steaming light over the spreader (I have the steaming/spreader light combo on the mast) I switched out the hot wires for steaming and spreader and now the steaming light is working fine. I'm not sure where the spreader hot wire leads back to after the deck connector as the wiring is hidden by the teak panel in the cabin. It doesn't seem to lead to the back of the electrical panel (and there is no connect for it there anyway). I think I can do without a spreader light given the time and effort to trace the connection and then replace the electrical panel to provide a connection for spreader light wire. The electrical panel on the boat looks like it would be the original but why no spreader light switch and yet a 4 wire connector for the mast lights? It seems some of the 82's may have come without the spreader switch and yet had the 4 wire connectors ....I am guessing here.

I'm now onto installing a battery switch (Perko) so that I can have one for accessories and one to start the engine. I've already burned out one set of battery to switch wires - seems there must have been some contact of + and - of one battery after "bulldogging" the wires and switch into place. There are a lot of connections and and little room behind the switch to get them all in place. I also just bought a new Tohatsu 25' ultra long shaft electric start. I'm not exactly sure whether I need the alternator field disconnect and how to wire it to the switch and will try to work through it this weekend. Lots of projects still on the boat....hopefully a bit more sailing now that I have the mast back up. With working lights !

Ken
'82 SR/FK #3102
SD, CA

Edited by - on

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