Lights lights lights

[melp64]

I wanted to start a separate topic and not ad on to my previous thread that way if someone was searching for lights.
Because I know very little about electric, I am learning as I have a friend that is an electrician for over 40 yrs. For the last two weekends all we have done is trace down wires and try to figure out where they go. For an update on my last topic my friend said that the connectors that I bought he would have no problem using them for exactly what I did connect lights, as for the rest he feels more comfortable using crimp connectors and shrink wrap. This is what we are using.
Now for the questions, I asked people in the yard and it seems not all boats are the same. They actually told me to ask someone that has a catalina.
So far we have been able to get the cabin lights and the stern light.We worked for hours on the bow light checking the bulb to make sure it would turn on, with no success. today I opened the anchor locker and found the wires to be disconnected.Picture 1 is what I found.
When I was trying to get the stern light to work I thought I had the right wire but  it was the wire to the second picture. I think that is a cigaret lighter The PO cut the stern light and scabbed a piece of extension cord, and left it disconnected.
If I turn on the steaming switch which lights should I expect to see turn on I am guessing that the stern and bow is there any other light that should be added to that switch?
My next question is there is a grey sheaved wire with three red wires in it at the back of the panel that all had been cut. we traced that wire to the mast. see picture 3, but the wires change color and then it goes to two wires We have not been able to get any of the lights on the mast to work. Im not sure if I have a light on the very top of the mast but there is a light just below the spreaders and I think it faces out and down.
Anchor light = light on top of mast
spreader light = light just below the spreaders on mast.
Steaming lights = bow and stern lights

Do I have the above correct
the last picture is of the back of the panel after we cleaned up the miles of speaker wire that was added to the panel

[Ron Hill]

Dan : Heat shrink over the crimp is the way to go. I'd use Anchor heat shrink because it seals.
Your question on the "steaming lights" I believe that the compass light is also in that circuit with the bow and stern lights.

I also got rid of all of the blue connectors in the cabin light wiring. They were just trouble!!

Keep going!!  Good Luck!!  A few thoughts

[melp64]

Do you mean the blue plastic little squares it looks like where wires are spliced together. we noticed that when the were wiggled the lights flickered.
when I turned on the navigation switch the depth gauge showed a MSD on it and the wind gauge showed a 12 on it. I don't know what MSD means will lights turn on the engine dash light up or is everything on that dash operated by the motor.
I am guessing that the small lite bulbs I found that was wired with speaker wire is some thing for the engine dash.
I took a picture of one of the light bulbs do they make led light bulbs in that style?
Is there a place I can buy the caps to the fuses I'm missing 2

[scgunner]

Dan,

Your steaming lights along with the bow and stern lights should also include the mast head light. It's the forward facing white light between the spreaders. There is also a downward facing light in that unit to illuminate the fore deck usually on a separate circuit.

[melp64]

I am guessing that the connector that is on the floor is so you can take the mast down. I am trying to figure out how I can find out if the lights work without going up the mast. I think I might be able to use the ladder that I get up onto the boat with and try leaning against the mast to check the lightbulbs that are just below the spreaders.

[melp64]

does anyone have a part number to fuse caps I checked catalina direct but didn't come up with anything, In the picture Im missing 2 of the caps.

[High Current]

Welcome to the joys of wiring!  I'm glad you have friends to help you.

On my 1990, "Steaming light" is the light halfway up the mast that faces forward, which should be on when you're motoring.  "Running lights" is the white light on the stern rail plus the forward red/green, which should be on regardless of whether you're motoring or sailing.  "Anchor light" is at the top of the mast and "Deck Light" is in the same assembly as the steaming light but faces down, toward the deck.  The names may be different but the functions on your boat should match.  Compass and instrument lights are probably tied to "Running lights" but I'm not sure - I don't sail at night much.

For the mast connector:  turn them all on and go see which, if any, bulbs are lit.  Turn them off one at a time to figure out which is which.  If any aren't lighting, grab a voltmeter and unplug the mast connector.  Turn on the broken switches one at a time and probe the contacts to make sure power is getting to the mast.  If so, the problem is in the mast and you have no choice but to climb it or take it down.  The mast connector and all the bulb sockets were corroded when I bought my boat, so nothing worked first try...

+1 to what Ron said.  Heat shrink (the kind with GLUE) over everything (or use the butt splices that come with heat shrink insulators).  From your 1st picture, the wire coming out of the blue butt splice is dark; that is because it's corroded, and you usually have to cut/strip back several inches or more to find clean wire.  Not good.  Contact corrosion is probably why you "noticed that when the were wiggled the lights flickered."  Corroded contacts are not only unreliable, they also make heat and can cause a fire.  No need to panic, especially with low power circuits like lights, but if you find it, fix it!

[High Current]

does anyone have a part number to fuse caps I checked catalina direct but didn't come up with anything, In the picture Im missing 2 of the caps.

You might be able to steal one from a replacement fuse holder.  It looks like a 5x20mm, but I can't be sure.  Check your local Marine supply or do a Google search for "panel mount fuse holder".  Worst case, you can replace the whole fuse holder.

[melp64]

Thanks Ben I'm googling already

[Ron Hill]

dan : I spent one afternoon and soldered each and every connection on the back side of the engine instrument panel. It was a back breaking job, but I've NEVER had a problem since!! 

A thought

[melp64]

well we have spent the last 3 weekends running down wires and removing wires that were just cut and go nowhere. As my friend says this is a cobbled up mess pieced together with tape. He thinks it would be safer if we rewire the whole boat. Has anyone ever done that. so many questions!
1. There is a little antenna on top of the mast this has a cable/coax that is in one piece is that for the vf radio
2. I have a white radar ( I believe) It has a cable about the size of your thumb that comes all the way to the panel.The end was cut off, is this still good. Can a new end be installed and reused.
3. The light halfway up the mast. One shines down and one shine out are these separate lights I looked for a new one and its 49.99 see pic 1 (light shining down is spreader light. light shining out is the anchor light???)
4. bow and stern lights were easy to find with led only 16.99
5. is it possible to rewire the mast while it is standing?
6. Does the engine panel have any wires that are connected to the main panel.

If I have to rewire the entire boat I'm not sure if I will be able to splash next spring.

[Ron Hill]

Dan : The light half way up the mast - down shine is a deck light   forward shine - is the steaming light (should be on with the nav lights).

Don't think that you can use a wire that goes to the top of the mast as a leader wire because it has a knot tied around the bolt up there (to take the strain of that length of wire of of the connection)

The VHF cable wire should go to the top of the mast antenna!!

A few thoughts

[Jon W]

The anchor light is on the top of the mast.

I did an extensive rewire of my boat in 2016. I put a write up with photos in the Tech WIKI. There's others write up's there too. I pulled the mast to add a second conduit run, plus LED spreader and tricolor lights, new steaming light, electronics and radar. Depends on what you're doing and ease/safety while doing it.