Anchor light mystery - HELP sought

[wmwel@embarqmail.com]

The anchor light on our 1990 C 34 stopped working a few months ago. Before going up the mast to check the bulb I pulled all the wires at the base of the mast above the bilge. I found a large, white cable (VHF presumably), a single black wire of fairly heavy gauge (presumably wind instrument) and two romex cables, one with a white and black, the other with a white, black and red. The blacks are combined together with a black coming from the panel so these are ground. The other wires operate the deck light and steaming light which I confirmed by disconnecting and reconnecting the wires until I figured out which was which.

Look as I may, there is no wire to be found for the anchor light, yet the darn thing was working but a few months ago.

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

Bill Welsch, Punta Gorda, FL

[Craig Illman]

Don't you have two whites and a red? One powers the deck light, one the streaming light and the third?

Craig

[Ralph Masters]

The one with a black and a white goes to the anchor light, the other as you found serves the steaming/deck light.

[Ron Hill]

Bill : The two "romex" (paired wire cables) you found are for the anchor light (white and black) and the white, red and black is for the steaming deck light fixture.

If you try a continuity check (ohms) you can test to see if it is the anchor light or maybe the anchor light fixture.  If you still have the factory domed anchor light fixture, you'll probably find that it is cracked and there is moisture inside the fixture.

Good luck with changing the dome and bulb.  A thought

[wmwel@embarqmail.com]

Thanks. Got it figured out and all three lights seem to be working. I suspect the problem is in the ragged performance of the 20+ year old wire. When you peel back the coating on the wire the copper inside is solid black. Not a good sign.

Appreciate the assistance.

Bill Welsch
Punta Gorda, FL

[patrice]

HI,

Not a good sign at all.
Had the same issue when bought the boat, I cut about 2'' of the cables, and still oxided.  Even after cutting 6''.
So I bought new cables and replaced both, and added LED lamp at same time.

[Ron Hill]

Bill : What you need to do is get back to "copper" wire for a good connection.
Then keep that most fwd bilge DRY so corrosion won't form. 

A thought

[stevewitt1]

I hope this picture shows up... but I replaced coax with decent coax, new anchor light but then bought a LED 360 anchor light lamp.  As you see I had to turn a space of starboard to get the lense up a little. Very little amp draw and the brightest anchor light in the group, as a rule.
Steve
www.ocontoyachtclub.com