Author Topic: Bow light wiring replacement  (Read 654 times)

blue-max

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  • Boat Model: ocean 47
  • Boat Year: 2000
Bow light wiring replacement
« on: October 23 2024, 09:50 »
The bow light wiring on my ocean 47 (2000) has developed high resistance  and needs replacing - with tinned wire appropriate for marine use - but the  existing cable runs through the pulpit into the anchor locker. Cable is free at the lamp end but fixed hard at the stanchion base. This is the typical rod insert with a threaded base. It has been drilled out to accept the cable. Has anyone re wired their bow light without removing the pulpit. If so how did you do this. Or how easy after pulpit removal was the job?

Yngmar

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Re: Bow light wiring replacement
« Reply #1 on: October 23 2024, 10:52 »
Pulpit on our 40 Ocean was just fixed in three places, not difficult to remove at all.

However, for the bow lights, I switched to split ones (starboard and port) and mounted them on the wide capping rail. This worked better because the original bow light was mostly lighting up the roller bar of the anchor, the split ones shone past that on both sides. They were flat LED ones and lasted well there, wiring from inside the anchor locker was more sheltered and less troublesome than fumbling a wire into the pulpit tubes as well :)
(formerly) Sailing Songbird  ⛵️ Bavaria 40 Ocean (2001)

sy_Anniina

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Re: Bow light wiring replacement
« Reply #2 on: October 23 2024, 12:05 »
We did the cable re-run once on our B40 (non-Ocean) and what you describe sounds like the design of our pulpit as well.

In our case the cable was free to pull (with help of dishwashing soap as lubricant). However, I had to replace the (short-lived) light fixture only a couple of years later and found the cable to be stuck beyond pulling it away / pulling new cable with the old cable. So I ended up making a watertight joint between the lantern and pulpit.

Summary - if soap and some other lubricants (WD40?) won't help - you may end up rewiring some other route. Have you thought about trying electricians fish tape on the opposite side?

BR,

Tommi - s/y Anniina

blue-max

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Re: Bow light wiring replacement
« Reply #3 on: October 23 2024, 16:23 »
I've blocked the bolt holding the pulpit at the front so would need cutting which I could do without. I wonder where the jam is located perhaps inside the base for the station.