Cabin Lights Wiring Issues

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Saildad
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Posts: 43
Cabin Lights Wiring Issues

Hello 36'ers
I am looking for input on my electrical issue. I have no power going to the port side light fixtures. After trying new bulbs-no help. I removed the fixture (see attached pic) and checked for voltage with a meter-no voltage.
I know the switch at the panel is OK because the starboard side is fine.
The question:Where is the splice from the panel to the starboard side? There are two blue wires coming off the cabin lights switch on the panel (see attached pic). These wires go into a taped loom. I haven't torn the boat up yet because I figure someone has "been there, done that" in the group.
thanks in advance for the help
Capt Bill
Maverick
Channel Islands Harbor
1989 # 1015
Fin Keel

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LeslieTroyer
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Posts: 533

I’m sure it crosses over somewhere but don’t know which fixture it would be spliced in.  Your friend here is a fox and hound aka tone generator and probe. $20 from Amazon  clip the tone generator on the dead hot lead and use the probe to follow the wire under floors, behind bulkheads..... till it stops (hopefully at a fixture). 

Les

Les & Trish Troyer
Mahalo 
Everett, WA
1983 C-36 Hull #0094
C-36 MK 1 Technical Editor. 

Commodore

 

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Haro
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Posts: 446

Here is what this device does.
I have no affiliation with this product or company and I am not endorsing this particular product. There are many others that you can choose from.

Pat T
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Joined: 6/12/08
Posts: 26

Many years ago I had same issue with port side lights too. Turns out I had sprung a leak in my bilge hose at the aft end of the boat just before it exists the hull on the stb end. This is under the stb cockpit aft locker where you might store fenders, etc. The water found its way into the corrugated conduit carrying the wires for the port lighting and sat there eventually corroding the wires until it broke the connection. It took me a while to figure that one out. Good luck.    

Pat T, 1995 TR, wing keel, #1388
"Liberty Call"
Burnham Harbor, Chicago

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GaryB
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Posts: 582

Basically it crosses from starboard to port in the bow. Look at the  schematic in the manual. If all the lights work on the starboard side up to the bow, but nothing from there on I would suspect that the last light that works is where the problem lies. I had a Cat 30 (1984) and the bow lights were also part of the circuit and it came apart in the anchor well
Additional comment note if your bow light works then one would assume by schematic that the black wire is OK to where it leads off to the bow. One could suspect that if the junction is bad at this point then the lights after that will  not work. If indeed the connection is good then the issue is between that point and the next light in the string. based on schematic.

Gary Bain
S/V "Gone With The Wind"
Catalina 36', Hull #: 1056, Year: 1990, Engine: M-35
Standard Rig
Moored: Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Home: Auburn, Maine

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File Cabin Lights schematic.docx827.06 KB
Saildad
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Joined: 4/3/13
Posts: 43

36'ers
Thank you for all the input.
Gary have you looked at the wires in the bow?
I am fairly certain that i found the blue wire going from the aft most cabin light down and under the engine and the floor board. As I was doing my testing I found bat voltage at the fuse panel. then 0 volts at kitchen flouresent fixture. When I ran a test power wire to fixture the port side lights came on! BONUS!
So instead of running a wire completely around the boat I went to the hot wire on the glow plug relay. and teed that in to the blue wire in the aft cabin andd boom!! all the lights on the port side are functioning correctly. HOWEVER, the flouresent light about the stove is still inop. we can get along without this light just fine. When we cook at night its much brighter to hang a flashight from the hand rail.
Thanks to all again..
Love this list
Is the owners manual available here?
Capt Bill Brayton
89 Std Rig #1015
Winner Newport To Ensenada Fastest Catalina to Finish Trophy 2015

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GaryB
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Posts: 582

Bill,
​Going back to your original post. You show you have two blue wires. In the electrical panel schematic which I have posted a copy from the manual there is only one supposedly to the cabin light panel switch. So someone has changed something. The schematic shows the blue wire going from the panel to the aft cabin (starboard side) first then to the lights along the starboard side to the forward cabin light, from here finds it's way to the port side to power the portside lights. Obviously a PO made some change and you have added another. You may wish to document your new way so that you or someone after you has a place to start.

Gary Bain
S/V "Gone With The Wind"
Catalina 36', Hull #: 1056, Year: 1990, Engine: M-35
Standard Rig
Moored: Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Home: Auburn, Maine

Attachments
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File schematic electrical psnel.docx668.05 KB
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