Servicing Hella dome-lights?

[frderek]

I have four or five of these on my Westerly Merlin 28.

http://www.rexbo.eu/hella/interior-light-2ja003231011

you turn the lens to turn them off and on. Except that the switching mechanism is worn/corroded? so that with incandescent bulbs in it varies from no light to dim and flickering, fiddling and percussive maintenance can get them up to full strength temporarily. The led festoons that I've bought to replace them, needless to say, will not strike at all. If I remove the lens and press the contacts up they are fine. Are these simply worn out or is there a way to get them working again, please?

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I have four or five of these on my Westerly Merlin 28.

http://www.rexbo.eu/hella/interior-light-2ja003231011

you turn the lens to turn them off and on. Except that the switching mechanism is worn/corroded? so that with incandescent bulbs in it varies from no light to dim and flickering, fiddling and percussive maintenance can get them up to full strength temporarily. The led festoons that I've bought to replace them, needless to say, will not strike at all. If I remove the lens and press the contacts up they are fine. Are these simply worn out or is there a way to get them working again, please?

You could solder the LED's in place but it does sound as if the lights are passed their sell by date.

FWIW though, I have a switch that always plays up at the beginning of the season. After the boat has been used for a bit it seems to work just fine. I assume a bit of condensation gets in during the winter layup.

 

[TonyBuckley]

You could solder the LED's in place but it does sound as if the lights are passed their sell by date.

FWIW though, I have a switch that always plays up at the beginning of the season. After the boat has been used for a bit it seems to work just fine. I assume a bit of condensation gets in during the winter layup.

Sometimes the flexible contact strips need a little bending - I've always been able to get mine working again but bit fiddly.

And the bulb fixings sometime corrode so need a scrape.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Sometimes the flexible contact strips need a little bending - I've always been able to get mine working again but bit fiddly.

And the bulb fixings sometime corrode so need a scrape.

True but, as I read it, the OP is getting a problem with both the switch and the contacts. It may just be the contacts though.

 

[TonyBuckley]

True but, as I read it, the OP is getting a problem with both the switch and the contacts. It may just be the contacts though.

Well on mine, the 'switch' is just a bendy strip of metal that a plastic lug pushes against which is on the clear lens.

Annoyingly one of them may have the lens refitted with the lug in the wrong place so it would never come on.

I hate them - the plastic has discoloured over the years.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Well on mine, the 'switch' is just a bendy strip of metal that a plastic lug pushes against which is on the clear lens.

Annoyingly one of them may have the lens refitted with the lug in the wrong place so it would never come on.

I hate them - the plastic has discoloured over the years.

I know what you mean. My boat has very upmarket toggle switches (!) but the lenses have all yellowed over the years. I fitted bright white (i.e. blue) led's and the lenses give them a very good likeness of warm white.

 

[frderek]

Sometimes the flexible contact strips need a little bending - I've always been able to get mine working again but bit fiddly.

And the bulb fixings sometime corrode so need a scrape.

Ok, I've used some fine emery-cloth on the bendy-strips and the 'ends' that they contact but to no avail. When you say they 'need a little bending', in which direction? The symptoms I have seem to suggest that the bend bits are not being shoved hard enough against their contacts. IOW if I push them with my fingers the light comes on just fine (led or not) but the plastic lens doesn't seem to be pushing them home hard enough IYSWIM. The bulb contacts are fine (or the 'digital' swithching wouldn't work). I suspect it's something 'mechanical' with the lug and strips that isn't working properly. The boat is 30 years old Trouble is, there's no obvious 4-inch (103mm) surface-mounted replacement available in the UK. Seasense (USA) do a drop-in LED replacement but I can't find a UK dealer and their postage from the US is nearly twice the price of the unit (!).

Oh, BTW, thanks for all the replies - much appreciated.

 

[TonyBuckley]

Ok, I've used some fine emery-cloth on the bendy-strips and the 'ends' that they contact but to no avail. When you say they 'need a little bending', in which direction? The symptoms I have seem to suggest that the bend bits are not being shoved hard enough against their contacts. IOW if I push them with my fingers the light comes on just fine (led or not) but the plastic lens doesn't seem to be pushing them home hard enough IYSWIM.

I wish I could visualise the workings but I cannot.

From memory, I had to only slightly bend the strip in the centre so the lug would pick it up.

Alternatively, build up the lug with some layers of tape or something - perhaps after 30 years (mines 36) it has worn down.

At least you know they work so this is purely a mechanical issue of a lump of plastic pushing against a metal strip. If you push upwards against the lens when in the on position, does it light?

 

[frderek]

I wish I could visualise the workings but I cannot.
At least you know they work so this is purely a mechanical issue of a lump of plastic pushing against a metal strip. If you push upwards against the lens when in the on position, does it light?

Yep. Mostly. I'll experiment with bending the strips so that they project more into lug-land. If I break it then no loss: they don't work as it is! The alternative is to put led strips down either side of the cabin and 'have done' but the Hella lights are more 'period', and obviously original.