Restoring Power to Navigation Lamp Circuit

[Anthonya860]

Q1: where a wiring diagram for the switch panel for a Boston Whaler 1998 Ventura 18 be found?

The three-position switch that controls navigation lighting does not illuminate the navigation lamps. There appears to be no connection to the switch from the positive power bus.

Under the NAV LTS switch there is a circuit breaker with a white button. The power from this circuit breaker is connected to a cigar lighter socket power outlet. A solar panel was plugged in to the cigar lighter power socket outlet, maybe in an attempt to charge the battery.

The Courtesy switch and lamps work. When I move a jumper from the Courtesy breaker to the Navigation-Anchor switch, the combined sidelights lamp at the bow illuminates. The white all-round lamp at the stern does not illuminate, but it needs a new bulb and is quite corroded. From this I infer the switch is good.

Q2: could add a jumper from the circuit breaker associated with the navigation lamps to the switch controlling the navigation lamps?

Q3: to what source of power should the cigar lighter socket power outlet be connected?

Q4: can the cigar socket power outlet be used as a way to charge the boat battery.

For any and all assistance I will give you my thanks.

[jimh]

Q1: where a wiring diagram for the switch panel for a Boston Whaler 1998 Ventura 18 be found?

Boston Whaler customer service may be able to supply you with the requested diagram, it one exists that is specific to that particular model and model year. You can also search at the BOSTONWHALER.COM website under the OWNER RESOURCES tab. You really do not need a detailed schematic diagram to solve the problem at hand: the navigations don't work.

[jimh]

Q2: could add a jumper from the circuit breaker associated with the navigation lamps to the switch controlling the navigation lamps?

Yes. From your narrative, my inference is the wiring has been disturbed and is now in a condition that has the technical name "haywire."

Apparently some prior owner added a cigar lighter power socket outlet. He stole the power for the navigation lamp circuit and used it to provide power to the cigar lighter power socket outlet, leaving the navigation lamp circuit without power. My inferences:

• the prior owner never used the boat after sunset or if he did he never showed the required navigation lights; and,
• the prior owner was not a boat electrician or even a boat owner with much understanding of electrical circuits, which is not unusual.

You do not mention the fault current rating in Amperes for the circuit breaker that is now providing power to the cigar lighter socket power out which is presumed to formerly be providing power to the navigation lamp circuit. For the navigation lamp circuit a 10-Ampere circuit breaker would be appropriate.

On those foundations, I recommend:

• remove the jumper to the cigar lighter socket power outlet from the circuit breaker associated with the navigation lighting
• restore power to navigation lighting control switch by reconnecting its jumper from its associated circuit breaker--assuming that circuit breaker as an appropriate current rating

[jimh]

Q3: to what source of power should the cigar lighter socket power outlet be connected?

Re-wire the cigar lighter socket power outlet to obtain power from the main power bus at the helm, via an appropriate fuse or circuit breaker, that is, appropriate for the wire conductors used and for the capacity of the power bus, but not to exceed the capacity of the socket, which is probably 25-Amperes. However, there is nothing horrible about limiting the current with a 10-Ampere fuse or circuit breaker, as long as you do not intend to connect any loads that will need more than 10-Amperes. The most common load these days might be a charger for a smartphone with a cigar lighter plug.

Q4: can the cigar socket power outlet be used as a way to charge the boat battery?

Sure. Using the cigar lighter socket power outlet as a INPUT for an external power source like a photovoltaic cell to act as a battery charger is a reasonable workaround. For this to work the circuit breaker or fuse associated with the cigar lighter socket power outlet will have to be large enough to carry the maximum current from the photovoltaic cell, but that is probably only going to be one or two Amperes.