Mast light won't work

[rfm1992]

I noticed my mast light won't come on. I went forward with a tester to see if I was getting power at the plug but couldn't figure out how to ground the tester.

I just got the boat so I don't know if it worked when I got it but called the guy and he said it did.

Are all the plugs the same? My boat is a 2001 X. The plug has 4 prongs with one a little bigger than the others. I made sure I had it plugged right.

Again...how to ground a tester?

Thanks

Rick

[Moe]

Hi Rick. It was nice to meet you and your wife this weekend.

There is no "ground" on a boat, like there is on a car or trailer. So unlike trailer lights, for example, where the frame is used to carry current on one side, everything on the boat has positive and negative leads.

One of the four pins in the mast plug should be a shared negative, and the other three positive. Typically, that's one for the steaming light, one for the anchor light, and one for a deck light or spreader lights. The larger pin should be negative.

--
Moe

[rfm1992]

Moe, good to here from you again. I'll try checking it again tonight.

rick

[Trav White]

I have a hard time keeping my mast light on due to corrosion. I have the two pin version with each pin slit down the middle. I have to take a flat head screwdriver to gently spread apart the pins so they will have better contact when plugged in. Maybe you have the same split pins?

[rfm1992]

Trav, thanks but I have the 4 pin plug, but I will check to see if they are split.

Rick

[Andy26M]

You can use a fine grit sandpaper to remove the oxidation/corrosion from the pins, and either a pin or some sort of solvent to clean out the sockets a bit. Usually when these things don't work, it is lack of a good connection.

- Andy

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

I have a hard time keeping my mast light on due to corrosion. I have the two pin version with each pin slit down the middle. I have to take a flat head screwdriver to gently spread apart the pins so they will have better contact when plugged in. Maybe you have the same split pins?

I had the same 2 pin problem, and had to clean the connectors often for the light to work. But, I found that the male plug attached to the mast is open at the top where the wires go through. I siliconed the top of the male plug, and no moisture seeps through anymore. No trouble since.

[Jimnkathy]

I had the same issue with my 2001 mac. I found the insulation on the wire had been split open where the wire comes out of the hole at the bottom of the mast. This was causing a short in the circuit. I replaced the wiring in the mast since the insulation was in bad shape. It wasnt that hard to do. I used left over trailer light wiring. You can buy it at Wal mart. I disconnected the wire at the light socket and spliced the new wire to the old wire and then I slowly and gently pulled it through from the bottom of the mast. Make sure your splices are real secure you dont want to break the splice half way through the mast.

After rewiring my light was still interemittent. It was better but still not 100%. I spread apart the prongs on the socket and sanded away the corrosion. It works 100% now.

Hope this helps you.
Jim

[Frank C]

Further to Jim's comment ... you should insert a rubber grommet to protect the wire where it exits that hole in the side of mast. You'll find a little plastic box w/assorted sizes of grommets, about $2.00 in many stores . . . WestMar, Radio Shack, HmDepot, Pep Boys ... prolly even in Wally's.

[bastonjock]

has anyone replaced the plug and socket on their mac?,i cant get the 2pin plug over here in the uk so i was thinking of replacing the whole plug/socket for a metal one

[AmyTom]

I replaced the plug and socket on my X. Found them at WestMarine. easy job, don't even need soldering iron just a small screw driver to pull little set screws that hold the wires. Although tinning the leads to reduce corrosion isn't a bad idea either.

[tangentair]

Just IMHO and FYI, tinning an end and then putting it under a compression point like tightening those little set screws is a bad long term solution because the solder/tin will "flow" under pressure and you can get a corrosion build up. Just my opinion but in any long term or hard to get to space, making a truly permanent connection - soldering and then covering with shrink tubing and dielectric silicone or liquid electric tape - is worth the little extra effort.

[socalmacer]

I also sand the corrosion away when noticed. What I've found really works is some conductive anti corrosion grease I purchased from Home Depot. This does the trick on the two prong connector in terms of maintaining a good connection as wells as reducing the corrosion rate.

I also use this grease when ever a I make up a new connection. Simply coat the wire ends prior to inserting them in a mechanical crimp connector and the connection is good to go. I usally wrap the connector in electrical tape as a last measure. I've had my 26X since 1996 and have not had to redo one yet. I only use my boat in salt water so corrosion can be a constant issue.

Hope this helps....

[waternwaves]

if you had it since 96, and keep it outside, You probably need to replace the brittle jacketed wire like I had to....
with silicone or EPDM jacketed cable

[tangentair]

I said earlier

Just IMHO and FYI, tinning an end and then putting it under a compression point like tightening those little set screws is a bad long term solution because the solder/tin will "flow" under pressure and you can get a corrosion build up. Just my opinion but in any long term or hard to get to space, making a truly permanent connection - soldering and then covering with shrink tubing and dielectric silicone or liquid electric tape - is worth the little extra effort.

For those in a salt water environment, I may have given bad advice. I did not consider that solder and copper are dissimilar metals and electrolysis may occur in this case. At least this was the case in an article I was reading this weekend about electronic problems in marine environments. I am not sure if a liberal coating of liquid electrical tape would prevent the problem, and I am not going to redo any of my connections (but I am also not in salt water) - still I may be wrong about using solder.