cockpit lights

[missprint]

I went on a overnight bluwater trip on my 28 last year we were running out to the fishing grounds when all of a sudden my cockpit lights went out. The ones under the gunnel were still working it was just the overhead ones. It almost acted like they blew a fuse or something. Went down this week to do the always fun spring cleaning and tried working on them. Replaced switch under gunnel and checked to make sure the lights were not burned out. Neither was the problem. Not exactly sure how the wiring of the lights are actually run or if there is an inline fuse. would love to here any suggestions if anybody else has had this problem.

[backman]

Spreader switch/weak point

I find the under gunwale switch for the sperader lights a weak point as the original switch was not wster tight and was flaky. I eventually replaced it and got a year or so out of the replacement. This spring I'm planning on replacing the on/off switch with a rubebrized push/pull switch like are used on the macerator pump.

In any event the single fused circuit is for both under gunwale lights and the spreader lights. The spreader lights are controlled the on/off switch I mentioned under the starboard gunwale. Check that switch for corrosion - I'll bet that's your problem.

[Wolakrab]

I don't really have an answer to your problem, but I do have an observation about the under-gunwale cockpit lights. I replaced the bulb in the port side light 3 times, as it kept burning out. I ended up replacing both with cool white LED lights...no problems since. I was surprise how cheap the original lights were....they were extremely corroded when I replaced them and the boat wasn't even 6 months old then. Just one of those "little things" that can aggravate the bejesus out of you.
Mac...you'd be well served to put LED's instead of regular incandescent in all of those lights. I'd bet no one would even bat an eye at the few extra dollars it'd be....

[missprint]

i already changed the switch last weekend with a new one and that did not work. like i said the lights under the gunnel work but the spreader lights do not. just wondering if there were any ideas on was could be wrong.

[Capt B]

Is the new switch a double pole - what happens if you reverse the leads on the switch and put the spreader lights on the cockpit light pole?

[Wolakrab]

On my 28, the cockpit lights are controlled by a switch on the console and the spreader lights by a switch under the starboard gunwale beside the tackle station. The console switch acts as a master, which I can use to turn both off. It sounds as if you may have a continuity problem in the wiring. Have you checked to see if you have any power at the spreader lights?

[missprint]

i have checked the power at the spreader lights and there is none. There seems to be no power at the switch even though there is power for the under the gunnel lights. thanks for all of the help keep the ideas coming

[backman]

What Wolkrab said

My boat's far away (7000 miles right now ...) but I believe the cockpit and spreader lights are powered by blue/white #12 wires energized by the helm cockpit lights switch. Thinking about it that one switch had 1 wire coming out of it which has to lead to 3 seperate circuits; port and starboard lights as well as the spreader switch. My guess is that somewhere in the helm there's a bus bar that splits the single switch wire into 3 seperate sets.

In any event I'd start at the cockpit light switch at the helm and work back from there.