95 Bayliner 1800 - Getting power but no light

[cotten]

In trying to troubleshoot the nav and anchor lights as well as bilge pump I'm finding that the circuits don't make sense to me. I have only a rudimentary understanding of electrical but when the switch is on I get 12v at both the nav light and the end of the pole for the anchor light. If I put the bulb into the nav light I lose current in both locations.

What in the world could be going on here? Am I looking at short somewhere? Am I better off just trying to rewire this stuff?

I do see the instrument panel lights come on. Horn doesn't work but I think the horn my have been destroyed.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 95 Bayliner 1800 - Getting power but no light

When weird things begin to happen it is generally a bad ground that's the cause. Just because you have 12 volts into a device, doesn't mean it will work. Each device also must have a good ground.

 

[cotten]

Re: 95 Bayliner 1800 - Getting power but no light

Turns out it was the fuses after all. They didn't appear to be blown but replacing them anyway caused the whole thing to just work.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: 95 Bayliner 1800 - Getting power but no light

buy some electrical grade grease and put a small dab on your metal parts of your fuses now that they are new or you will be having the same problems again in a few months when they corrode and cause a poor connections. the poor connection is enoght to read voltage but you also need ampage thats why it works when theres very little load but not when you turn on more items. a little spary with contact cleaner might also do the fuse panel a world of good (disconnect battery first as contact cleaner is flamable)