SPORT 15 Electrical Connector for Navigation Lamp

Electrical and electronic topics for small boats
Waterfun
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Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2016 10:22 pm

SPORT 15 Electrical Connector for Navigation Lamp

Postby Waterfun » Sun Feb 04, 2018 3:24 pm

I bought a [1989] SPORT 15. The plug for the [aft navigation lamp] and the [lamp] itself are both female ends, and there is no way to plug them to each other. Never seen that before.

Is there a connector manufactured that converts one to a male end so that they can connect?

Thanks

jimh
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Re: SPORT 15 Electrical Connector for Navigation Lamp

Postby jimh » Sun Feb 04, 2018 3:56 pm

Is there a connector manufactured that converts one to a male end so that they can connect?
No.

If an electrical circuit is properly wired with connectors, the part of the circuit that is providing electrical power to a load will have a connector with female contacts or sockets. The part of the circuit that is the load and will consume electrical power will have a connector with male contacts or pins. Any configuration of wiring and connectors that allows the source of electrical power to be on exposed male pins is a serious error.

The branch circuit for the aft navigation lamp, which I presume is for a white all-round light, should be re-wired with appropriate connectors. Generally a two-pole connector is used. A very common and traditional choice is a two-pole rubber-body connector. You can find these under the SEA DOG brand:

http://www.sea-dog.com/groups/742-polarized-molded-electrical-connector

although some might complain these connectors ARE dogs. However they are very traditional.

Your description fails to elaborate on the type of connector you need. In many small boat installations the white all-round light is provided on a pole lamp, and the base of the pole contains an integral electrical connector.

Usually on a classic SPORT 15 the pole lamp had a cable exiting the bottom of the pole, the cable was perhaps a foot long, and the cable was terminated in a connector. It connected to another cable-end connector on the branch circuit for the navigation lighting.

If you give some more specifics about what sort of arrangement you have now or what arrangement you would like, an appropriate connector can be recommended.

Discussion of small boat electrical wiring is best conducted in the SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL forum. This topic has been moved there. The duplicate article you posted and created a second duplicate thread has been deleted. If you have a problem finding your posting, refresh your browser before you decide to post a duplicate.

Waterfun
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Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2016 10:22 pm

Re: SPORT 15 Electrical Connector for Navigation Lamp

Postby Waterfun » Sun Feb 04, 2018 4:34 pm

Here is a picture of [the pole base of the aft navigation lamp] as well as the connector:
IMG_1786.jpeg
IMG_1786.jpeg (55.94 KiB) Viewed 4225 times

jimh
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Re: SPORT 15 Electrical Connector for Navigation Lamp

Postby jimh » Sun Feb 04, 2018 4:55 pm

My interpretation of the image:

--on the left is a cable-end connector with socket contacts coming from a branch circuit that supplies power;

--on the right is a connector integrated into the pole of a pole lamp with socket contacts that is the load for this circuit.

If that is correct, there is no good solution to the situation shown in the image. The pole lamp has a socket connector. You'd need to install a male-gender cable end plug to mate. That would be a bad choice, as it would leave the power on exposed pins.

The actual situation may be: the pole lamp used to have pins or male contacts and they broke away.

Jefecinco
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Re: SPORT 15 Electrical Connector for Navigation Lamp

Postby Jefecinco » Sun Feb 04, 2018 7:40 pm

Is it possible the pole connector fits into a socket with a male receptacle? If so, it would seem to be a bad idea as pointed out in in jimh's comment. Is there a male socket on your boat. If I remember correctly the white all around light on our 190 Montauk uses a pole with a female connection like yours. It is designed to fit into a socket on top of the helm which has a rubber weather resistant cap over it to protect the male connector from the elements and inadvertent contact.
Butch