mast head steaming light and decklight - hella on b32

[stone687]

I have read previous posts on the hella steaming light and decklight not working.  I found my decklight full of water where the spinaker halyard had abraded the plastic housing.  Also water must have run down the cables in the mast, since when I exposed the cabin terminal block the block for the deck light had water in it and was severely corroded.  I have two questions:.....1. what is the best method of getting a cable down the mast? 2. does anyone know where I can get the wedge shaped G4 bulb with the 11mm width to fit the Hella housing?    The steaming light and decklight have failed together on my 2002 b32

Any other advice on this subject, gratefully received - especially on circuit testing methods.   As I have mentioned in other posts , the depth of my lack of understanding can never be underestimated

[Salty]

.
I have two questions:.....1. what is the best method of getting a cable down the mast?
2. does anyone know where I can get the wedge shaped G4 bulb with the 11mm width to fit the Hella housing?   
The steaming light and decklight have failed together on my 2002 b32

Any other advice on this subject, gratefully received - especially on circuit testing methods.   As I have mentioned in other posts , the depth of my lack of understanding can never be underestimated

1. Attach your new cable (tinned copper wire) to the old cable by cutting back some of the plastic insulation in order to keep the join as thin as possible and marrying the new wire to the old before wrapping the join with insulation tape to hold it together. Then get a friend to feed the new wire into the mast while you pull the old piece out at the other end. Do it gently so as not to break the joint where you married the ends together.

2. Try eBay, and if no success then go to your chandler.

If the steaming light and the deck light have both failed together, it's most likely that the problem is with the common negative wire having failed. Another problem may be corrosion on the surface of the existing copper wires. The corrosion prevents a good contact and can stop or considerably reduce the flow of current. On my B36(2002) the corrosion didn't stop the voltage from getting through, but it did stop the amperage needed to drive the lights. So although my light bulbs were in working order, and although a test meter showed 12 volts at the light fittings, there was not enough current getting through to light up the bulbs. In particular look at the cabling joints in the space in the cabin top just below the foot of the mast. On my 36 there is a removeable panel there which when unscrewed allows access to those wires. Use your mobile phone and take lots of pictures of the wires so that you know which wire connects to which other wire. If the wires there look dull or tarnished then it's odds on that the current can't get through and you need to clean off all traces of tarnishing or green verdigris.

[stone687]

Many thanks for that idea.  I do not know which is the common negative.  The deck light has 3 wires -- 2 blue which go onto spade terminals and a third green and yellow ( the same as a AC earth wire) which goes to the bottom of the G4 lamp holder.   The steaming light has one blue and one brown wire.  Do I assume the blue on the steaming  and deck light is the common earth?     Also why does the steaming light only need 2 wires and the decklight 3?   Furthermore the two little pins on the g4 light don't seem to have corresponding holes in the holder for the pins.    I did warn you all about my lack of understanding!

[MarkTheBike]

Hi
Salty is dead right about using tinned wire and how to pull-through old for new although I use self-amalgamating tape as it seems more robust in holding the join together when pulling. My light failed last year and the inside was so corroded I'm surprised the light hadn't fallen out of the unit. On the assumption that we have the same deck/steaming unit,  I replaced the decklight part ( https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HELLA-1GA007506-011-ULTRA-BEAM-Close-Range-Work-Lamp-H3-12v-24v-55w-70w/112769855524?epid=670373924&hash=item1a419b7024:g:2pAAAOSwLyVZw72U ) and the bulb later from a local motor spares shop... I seem to remember that it's not a G4 bulb, it's an H3, (which, I suspect, is why it doesn't fit) and is why I bought the unit first so I could check the bulb.

The brown wire is 'steaming +ve', the earth wire is 'deck +ve' and the blues are -ve (negative, not shared). Mine only had two blues but one had 2 sockets daisy-chained to fit the deck H3 bulb base (which has two -ve spades, not sure why).

If it's the same unit, I hope this helps.

[tckearney]

I had only an anchor light but wanted a tricolour and anchor light combined.  The cable to the mast to anchor light had also failed one leg.   I used the dockside crane to hoist me up and pulled the new cable (3core)  through using the old cable .  To join it I used some strong sail repair tread and wrapped it several times around both cable ends, then covered it in superglue.   It pulled through easily.  I fitted a new  SUPE NOVA  COMBINED LED tricolour and anchor light it is very bright.  It also only requires a 2 core  to do both jobs as it can be switched from anchor to tricolour as it leaves the cabin to enter the mast.   I agree that the self-amalgamating tape around the cable entrance and exit is very beneficial.  B42 2000