No worries. Glad you found a work around using the plastic screws and hope to learn how you make the final fix.
Chuck > On 08/15/2022 9:37 PM Randal Stafford via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: > > > Thanks Chuck, I missed this one. But my reply to the others this morning > covers the points, I think. > > Cheers, > Randy > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Aug 11, 2022, at 21:21, CHARLES SCHEAFFER <cscheaf...@comcast.net> wrote: > > > > Hey Randy, > > > > Strange problem. Something is creating a dead short to blow the fuse. The > > lights have a ground and one hot wire each. I'd be curious if the dome has > > a metal ring and looking to see if the hot bulb tab is touching the metal > > ring or the dome screw. You can insulate it with electrical tape or some > > liguid nylon paint made to isolate electrical terminals. > > > > https://www.walmart.com/ip/Plasti-Dip-Liquid-Electrical-Tape/16888975?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222222009616975&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=10356703939&wl4=pla-1103084903071&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=16888975_0&wl14=liquid+nylon+coating+electrical+tape&veh=sem&msclkid=4568518b85b11293c354337e43110c92&gclsrc=ds > > > > > > Chuck > > > > > >> On 08/11/2022 8:10 PM Randy Stafford via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > >> wrote: > >> > >> > >> Hello Listers, > >> > >> I’m in need of your sage advice or at least hypotheses on an electrical > >> problem. > >> > >> Here’s the background. Late last season my starboard running light bulb > >> burnt out. It was a simple incandescent bulb, and the fixtures were > >> probably original. So I thought hey, why not replace all three running > >> lights with LEDs. In the process of doing that, I accidentally dropped > >> the port fixture’s dome cover to the bottom of my slip (no chance of > >> recovery; zero visibility). So, shit. I buy three new fixtures which > >> have the same hole pattern as the old ones but of course take different > >> bulbs so I had to buy LED festoon-style bulbs too. What started out as a > >> simple $1.50 bulb replacement turned into a $150 project. And of course > >> the new fixtures’ bases are thicker than the old, so I had to get longer > >> stainless screws and drill and tap deeper holes in the stemhead casting. > >> > >> Well, after getting everything back together I discovered the running > >> lights circuit is blowing its fuse within seconds of switching it on. But > >> only when the dome covers are screwed on to forward fixtures (the new > >> stern fixture including dome cover screws into the teak taffrail and > >> causes no problems). I’ve now isolated the misbehavior to screwing the > >> forward dome covers on. If I leave the covers off, the LED bulbs burn all > >> night. I can press down on the fixtures and twist the LED bulbs around no > >> problem - none of that causes any contact that shorts the circuit. If I > >> put the covers on but don’t screw them down, the LED bulbs burn all night. > >> But as soon as I screw those forward covers down, blown fuse. > >> > >> I’ve pulled the fixtures and looked carefully again at all the wiring, > >> including in the forepeak under the deck. There is no pinched wire or cut > >> insulation. The wiring to the fixtures goes through different (and much > >> bigger) holes than any of the screws do. My heat-shrink butt connections > >> are tight. As a short-term solution I just bought some nylon screws to > >> hold the covers down. I haven’t tested that yet, but hopefully it works. > >> > >> Meanwhile I’m pretty mystified. Any theories? > >> > >> Thanks, > >> Randy Stafford > >> SV Grenadine > >> C&C 30 MK I #79 > >> Ken Caryl, CO
