Anchor Light Problem

I have a 2011 Sea Ray 350 Sundancer. I have having problems with the navigation/anchor light. The front half of the combination light top of the radar arch does not light with either the "nav" nor the "anch" key presses.

When the navigation button on the dash keypad the following occurs:

1. The "nav" and "anch" indicators illuminate
2. The both bow running (red and green) lights illuminate
3. The rear half of the light on top of the radar arch illuminates
4. The front half does not illuminate

When the anchor button on the dash keypad the following occurs:

1. The "anch" indicator illuminate
2. The rear half of the light on top of the radar arch illuminates
3. The front half does not illuminate

I have replaced the bulb but that did not correct the problem. Since the other lights illuminate with the appropriate key press, I am thinking that I have a wiring problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Simple test before digging into the wiring. Have you tested the bulb in a fixture you know is working? Swap out a working bulb as a test, that will verify things.

Or better yet put a voltmeter on the light fixture with the switch on.

I confirmed that there is no power getting the to front fixture with a voltmeter. Since this light is a combination around light can I just simply wire the front fixture to rear fixture so that they both will get power from the same wire and both will illuminate when either the anchor or navigation button is pressed?

No you cannot because you won’t have the proper lights. The all around light is an anchor light. The single light is a steaming light.

have you checked the power at the switch? It may be as simple as that.

NotHerDecision said:

No you cannot because you won’t have the proper lights. The all around light is an anchor light. The single light is a steaming light.

have you checked the power at the switch? It may be as simple as that.

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There is no separate stern light on the 2011 350 Sundancer. The USCG rules are: The masthead light and sternlight may be combined as an all-round white light on vessels less than 39.4 feet long.

My boat does not have traditional switches but rather uses a keypad that controls multiple functions. Since the red and green running lights come on, it appears that the keypad is providing power to the circuit.

On my boat at the dash when you press the navigation light - both the anchor and navigation light indicators illuminate. In the rearing facing light is on with the red and green running lights; only the front half does not illuminate. That is why that I thinking that if wire the two together; it will be correct.

Don’t forget to check your local waters rules and any locality you travel to.

The wires on my boat have a splice in the tube up to that light. If you remove the light you should be able to pull the wires up enough to check them with your voltmeter. You might also check to see if you have an in-line fuse somewhere on that circuit.

I don’t have an EIM keypad but I am curious to know if the keypad would let you have the anchor light and the NAV lights illuminated at the same time.

In addition, it could be the fixture itself has failed. I believe it to be made by Perko and not expensive.

argus1 said:

I confirmed that there is no power getting the to front fixture with a voltmeter. Since this light is a combination around light can I just simply wire the front fixture to rear fixture so that they both will get power from the same wire and both will illuminate when either the anchor or navigation button is pressed?

Click to expand...

The short answer is maybe yes. But if possible, that should be a last resort solution. I say last resort, because Mickey Mouse wiring solutions are the bane of every boat owner. I realize desperate times, desperate solutions, etc. Biggest potential downside is you go to sell and buyer’s surveyor starts to bust your chops about the lights not working “correctly.”

Now about the maybe part. The two part light mast exists because of the complexities of the lighting regulations and manufacturing and supply chain considerations. Some boats are ok with an all around mast light, larger boats or boats with physical limitations use a forward facing white mast light, and transom mounted rear facing white light for navigation. But, For anchoring a single all round white light is needed. So boat builders just buy a multi-use light and wire approximately. Depending on your boat you may not need the two bulb light.

Now the punch line. Have you tested the light socket? If it’s bad, switching the power source isn’t going to fix anything. But if you are going that way, dismantle the light mast. The boat wiring will have a solderless connection between the light socket and boat harness. Nip the wire off below the connector and test the voltage in the boat harness. If you don’t get power on the forward light harness, there’s a fault in the wiring. Now splice the forward socket to the rear light wire

If you do get power in the forward boat wire, remove the connector on the socket line and temporarily connect the wire from the socket to the boat and test the new bulb. If the light works, redo the solderless connector and put everything back.

H

As mentioned, if you don't have a stern light that completes the "360*" of white light, yes, you could wire them together. Or, replace the existing 2-bulb mast light with a single light mast light.

While you don't have traditional switches at the dash, once you get past the "electronic" stuff at the dash everything turns back to normal. Meaning, your switchpads feed to an "EIM" and the EIM then feeds the circuits. If you want to do some investigating, you can check your wiring diagrams (downloadable if you don't have your owner's manual) and check the appropriate wires leaving the EIM for power. Mast lights are usually grey wires (maybe grey w/white). But check your manual - it will tell you.

I'm just going to go out on a limb and, based on what the most logical thing would be... is that the issue is at the mast light fixture, itself. Meaning, the feed wire is probably fine - the issue could be where it splits to two wires to feed the two bulbs or the actual fixture itself is too corroded. In other words, you may very well only have ONE power wire for the mast light running to the arch.

I would start by focusing on the fixture.

I discovered what was the problem. I had MarineMax install new radar with a SeaView radar pedestal and light bar. When I opened up the access plate under the arch I noticed that there was a bundle of three wires (a red and a black and a white wire). The white was loose and not connected to anything. I got on top of the arch to confirm that this bundle of wires were for the anchor light. Once I connected the red and white wire together, the lights worked correctly. Evidently the tech replaced a two wire light with a three wire combination light and did not wire it correctly. There are only two wires (#213 power and #214 ground) coming up to the arch for the light.

Good - easy fixes are nice. So it was the split where the feed wire connected to the fixture wires. just out of curiosity... was the power wire (213) grey?

Yes, 213 power wire is grey with white stripe. I could have call MarineMax to fix, but I think is good to know and do some things yourself.