E34 Bow Light wiring.

[JSM]

The bow light on my 87 E34 is inop. Yesterday I checked the bulb (good) and cleaned the contacts in the fixture. Multi meter shows only 9volts coming off of the wires at the fixture. I tried following the wiring back from the fixture but can't seem to find where the wiring goes after it enters the bow pulpit tubing. Is it possibly tied into light fixture on the starboard side of the V berth ?
Will have more time to explore later this week any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
JSM

 

[toddster]

The first places I'd check are the connections where the stern light is spliced into the circuit, the switch, and the grounding buss.

Oddly enough, the wires for the running lights are just about the only original electrical equipment left on my 70-era boat that still work. They are embedded in the hull, apparently taped over inside the hull/deck joint. I'm kind of amazed that none of the rub-rail screws has shorted them out, as I suspect happened to the cabin light circuit.

 

[gulfcoaster]

Bow Pulpit

Pull the bow pulpit and inspect the wire where it passes through the deck. Mine was almost rotted through. I slit a small hole in the liner in the V berth and replaced the wire all the way to the light. Problem solved. If you slit the liner and access the wire there, you can also check the voltage there as well. Good luck.

 

[Afrakes]

Tracing wires

For preliminary testing, you should be able to access the bundle of wires containing those for the bow light through zippered opening of the headliner in the head area or main salon. I had an intermittent problem with my bow light and ended up having to remove the bow pulpit. The problem ended up being the connection just below the foredeck. Luckily I also had the anchor pan pulled and was able to deal with it that way.

 

[JSM]

Thanks All, have determined that the short is somewhere between the panel and the fixture. Has anyone tried pulling new wire using the existing wires ?

 

[JSM]

Finally nailed it. Pulled the bow pulpit and found one of the wires was partially broken. Wires going thru the stantion base were caulked in and could not be pulled out, ended up using a long drill bit (and lots of muscle) to punch thru and pulled new wire all the way back to the panel.
Also installed new LED bulbs in both the bow and stern fixtures. Big improvement.
http://www.m4products.com/festoon-1...le-dimpled-festoon-super-bright-18-5630-leds/