Steaming & Decklight wiring confusion

[najsmith]

So I planned to replace the knackered Masthead/Deck light fitting with a new one this winter.

The original is connected to 3 core cable ni the mast, which makes sense. I purchased a

"Combo Masthead/Deck Light" from a well known swindlery and am confused as to how I'm supposed to wire it!

I would expect it to have a common ground and supply two possitives for the Deck(Halogen light) and Steaming light (reg bulb) respectively.

Can anyone make sense of the below diagram?

 

[sarabande]

It's a wiring diagram of a sort, but not as we know it, Jim !

Unless they want you to install them in series, which means you have the, err, benefit of both lit at the same time, with reduced power to each bulb ?

You'll need to switch them separately, as you suggested.

 

[MoodySabre]

Presumably you have two switches now as there was a steaming/decklight there before. So a common ground and one positive to each light = 3 core. Can't see the problem. Ignore the diagram which looks like part of the schematic drawing for my boat and not an actual wiring-up diagram.

 

[najsmith]

My diag shows whats been wired so far...

I will have to make some adjustments to allow a common earth and my two live switches.

The hardest part, as ever, will be running the blighters behind lockers, switch pannels etc!

 

[MoodySabre]

I'd assumed that you were using the original cable. Fiddling it back through the boat can be fun (not).

The common is a negative.

On my boat all the negatives come back to a buss bar and the switches are then wired from there. Makes using a common neg a lot easier as you don't have to get it to two switches. I thought this might be the case on most boats.

 

[VicS]

The diagram makes no sense to me either. Wire it as you expected to. Hopefully there is a common terminal for the negative connections and separate positve terminals for each bulb. May be, just maybe, there are separate negative terminals, in which case link them.

What make is the new light, maybe there is someone around who has recently fitted one.

 

[najsmith]

It's ust called a COMBO Masthead/Deck Light. No Brand, but a logo including the letters W and AAA

 

[wooslehunter]

Ifthe connections aren't obvious, then there is of course the belt & braces approach: try it out before you fit it.

Use a car battery, gell cell or any other 12v source capable of 2A (depends on your bulb) or so. Wire it as you think * see what happens. 2 x live + 1 x ground is right though.

 

[najsmith]

Thanks.

I'm clear on how it should be wired.

Problem relates to the fact the halogen light seens to have the wires 'pushed' into a fitting. Doesn't look very serviceable.

Should be able to sort it, just need to make a few adjusments.

Thanks again all.

 

[rogerthebodger]

is this the type. Copy of Aquasignal.
Thw wireing diagram you show is not correct, get one from aquasignal web site.

 

[gbr9840t]

Just a note to najs on the original silly diagram, the symbols shown are for indicator or warning lights not actual shiny type lights. I use this website for symbols explanations:

<http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/symbol.htm>

and this one is a rough guide to wiring, not boats but lots of info.

<http://www.kampenwagen.co.uk/Wiring.htm>

I have the '12 Volt Bible' as a standard reference book and this has a very good section on batteries as well - good investment.
Paul

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Will most likely get ribbed for this, but I havent seen a masthead/deck light before, a steaming/deck light yes, and a mast head/anchor light but not a masthead/deck light, are we sure we are all talking about the same light here?

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Will most likely get ribbed for this

[/ QUOTE ] Flamed more likely

The masthead light is what we popularly call the steaming light. It does not have to be mounted at the top of the mast, although the height is specified in the colregs, hence the confusion. The term steaming light has been coined to distinguish it from tricolours and allround whites which are mounted on top of the mast.

If you had read the "colregs" you would know what was meant by the term "masthead light"!

 

[TheBoatman]

I'm assuming that the decklight combo is one unit.
3 core cable
Use earth as earth for both - 1 core.
Then use Pos +(one core) & neg - (second core) as both power feeds to each lamp - 1 core each, wired back to each respective switch.

Peter.

 

[rhumlady]

And use plenty of silicon sealant where the three cores come out of the Sleaving so that you don't go nuts wondering where the leak is under the mast in the cabin when water gets into the light fitting!!!