I think that's what I'll do. I took the advice above and already put everything back together, with the exception of the courtesy/dome, before I find a problem that isn't there . I think tomorrow I'm going to take the light apart and look into it more. I do know that the light worked perfectly last year and now it only powers the red bulb. I switched bulbs and used a meter with no luck so the only other thing could be the switch itself.
Need help, hoping for help on wiring issue
- Thread starter mleads310
- Start date
SkunkBoat
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2017
- Messages
- 4,283
- Reaction score
- 1,486
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Manasquan Inlet NJ
- Website
- www.youtube.com
- Model
- Express 265
You did not mention if you have a fuse panel in the hardtop.
I looked at the diagram on your page 7-17 and its a crappy drawing. Does not identify wires to the light.
I looked at my manual and it only shows a Blue feed from fuse panel, Blue/white to spreaders, and ground(black)... which is not what is actually in the boat
I went out and looked at mine. Same light but on a 2000 265 Express.
The 4 wires to the light are red, black, blue and dark gray. I have to admitt I was confused by the dark GRAY wire. I'm wondering if that color changed over time.
So the Black goes to the negative bus on the fuse panel in the hardtop and the Red goes to a fuse on the panel.
The Blue is spliced to Blue/white and goes to spreader lights
The dark gray appears to be the positive feed for the spreader light switch and goes to a fuse on the panel.
I did not open up the light to see the connections
So it appears that Grady or the previous owner separated the power for the spreaders from the power for the dome lights.
I expected blue/white to come out of the dome to go to spreaders but it connects to Blue outside of the dome light
I'm assuming the red wire feeds the dome light switch and the dark gray feeds the spreader.(spreader uses heavier gauge wire)
I looked at the diagram on your page 7-17 and its a crappy drawing. Does not identify wires to the light.
I looked at my manual and it only shows a Blue feed from fuse panel, Blue/white to spreaders, and ground(black)... which is not what is actually in the boat
I went out and looked at mine. Same light but on a 2000 265 Express.
The 4 wires to the light are red, black, blue and dark gray. I have to admitt I was confused by the dark GRAY wire. I'm wondering if that color changed over time.
So the Black goes to the negative bus on the fuse panel in the hardtop and the Red goes to a fuse on the panel.
The Blue is spliced to Blue/white and goes to spreader lights
The dark gray appears to be the positive feed for the spreader light switch and goes to a fuse on the panel.
I did not open up the light to see the connections
So it appears that Grady or the previous owner separated the power for the spreaders from the power for the dome lights.
I expected blue/white to come out of the dome to go to spreaders but it connects to Blue outside of the dome light
I'm assuming the red wire feeds the dome light switch and the dark gray feeds the spreader.(spreader uses heavier gauge wire)
Thank you skunkboat! It seams as tho the previous owner did some splicing as stated. I going to boat in the next day or so after I get the replacement push/switch and map out the wiring from the inside. You posting what you have above at least verifies I'm not going crazy. Can't thank you enough.
Pretty sure my 2000 is the same as Skunk’s...It was definitely a head scratcher when I replaced my fuse panel but I just put it back together the way it was even though I really wanted to take all apart and figure out what was going on.
Maybe it’s basic electrical circuits, but I don’t get why there are two power wires from the dome light and one ground. I get that one is powering the spreader but does that mean there is a wire running from the spreaders going to the commonbus at our helm?
Maybe it’s basic electrical circuits, but I don’t get why there are two power wires from the dome light and one ground. I get that one is powering the spreader but does that mean there is a wire running from the spreaders going to the commonbus at our helm?