Courtesy Lights.


R

RDOBROSKI

New member
My boat has the switch which when pushed once turns on all courtesy lights in the cockpit using the clear (white) part of bulb. If you push switch again they all turn blue. Here is my issue. Only the blue part of bulbs are working. We cannot get the clear (white) part of bulb to turn on. I am perplexed. The same switch on panel is used to turn the lights on. Any ideas? I love the blue but sometimes you need clear bright light at night.
 
I do not have them, but here is my understanding on how they work.
If you turn the switch on, the last color that was lit when turned off comes on. if you than turn the switch on and off quickly, it will change colors.
Hope this helps.
 
When you press the switch to change the colors, do you hear the "clicking" noise when the switch is being pressed ? I thought there was another component in the loop to make the lights change from color to color to off
 
Yes your hear the click. Push once, you hear click and it should be white but nothing. Push again hear click and you see blue. Push again, hear click and they go off.
 
I would check the connections....I think there is a SEPARATE wiring path for the WHITE lights vs. the BLUES. I am pretty sure I remember this when I wanted to make some changes.
 
Take the screws out that hold the switch panel. Remove the contacts, use an Emery board on the "male" contact and needle nose pliers to press the female connector a little tighter and then reinstall.

If the problem continues, switch the wires and try it again. If only the "white" lights come, the switch is bad. The good news is that the switch is only about $40.00 from Formula.

Good luck!
 
RDOBROSKI said:
TooFast do you mean check the connection at the switch?
Click to expand...

Yes (first step anyways)...as unforgettable detailed for you nicely!

Also, you could test for continuity on the wires, just to make sure you don't have a cut/chaff/loose connection somewhere up in the radar arch....as the switch could be OK and the bad wire could be somewhere else.
 
My understanding is that it is still a single pole switch and wiring for one circuit. There are drivers in each light that will do the switching, not internally in the switch.
The best way to explain is that if anyone wanted to upgrade to these lights, only the light will need changed, not the switch or wiring.
 
Right... that's just what I did - changed the lights themselves. The drivers are in the light, not the switch. Mine is after-market so I can only speak to my set up but from what it sounds yours is similar.
 
I will take the dash apart as explained by Unforgettable. However if what Gary says is true, then are we thinking a light went bad thus causing a dead short or ?? I had a light in the transom that use to flicker while on white, could this be causing the issue? As I said, all blue lights still work. I won't be back to boat until Friday. So I will take dash apart first and then go from there I suppose.
 
The lights are wired in series with the aft-locker-swim platform lights being last. You can try disconnecting them one at a time up the line until you find which light fixture is causing the problem. I installed the same lights that I ordered directly from the manufacturer but I wired them to my original toggle switch i.e., up the lights are all blue, down the lights are white. I also installed a 36" secton of LED lights on the inside of the port & starboard aft engine room vents. I connected these to the 3 LED underwater lights and wah-la. That being said, I did run a separate circuit for for the underwater lights/36" LED lights. FYI, I purchased the LED lights at a local Auto Store for approx $18.00 per section. This is the 3rd season and they still work perfect ;-)
 
I forgot to mention that I did have to run an additional wire to provide 12V to the "blue" LED side of the fixture. Each fixture had 3 wires back then i.e., one for the +Blue / +White / and "-". The new fixtures are only 2 wire so all that you have to do is change out the fixture. To change colors you simply turn the power switch off and then back on. What a great updated gadget.....
 
I ordered a new light last night. Hope I got the right one. I took a picture of my light and I have 3 wires coming out of it. Black, Red, and white. I did match up the part number. But that doesn't mean the light wasn't updated.
 
Got the new light and replaced the light that was flickering. Guess what, only the blue still works. Checked the switch, no corrosion and all wires were connected. Guess I should replace the switch next?
 
RDOBROSKI said:
Got the new light and replaced the light that was flickering. Guess what, only the blue still works. Checked the switch, no corrosion and all wires were connected. Guess I should replace the switch next?
Click to expand...

well you could put a meter to the wires and see if they are getting juice when you turn on off the switch...guess it could be the fixture as well.

never easy
 
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