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Original mast lighting?

cagarren

Member I
I'm in the process of rewiring my mast lighting and am confused about the regs. Google says that you cant run the steaming and masthead tricolor at the same time but that's how the original wiring is on my E 25 . I only have two conductors in the mast that connect to the steaming light and mast tricolor. The boat also has deck level navigation lights on the front and rear. Were the regulations different back in 76?

Thanks,

Curt
 

Tom Metzger

Sustaining Partner
The rules on lighting have not changed in many, many years. In the 70s, and probably the 80s, no production boat builders put tricolor masthead lights on their boats. They had to have deck level running lights and wanted an anchor light up there so why add the expense?

You can add a third wire, or add diodes at the lights and a switch down below to change polarity. Since you are rewiring anyway the diode option is not as attractive because you might someday want to add an anchor light and not want to run a fourth wire. Also, with incandescent lights you would be cutting down on the amount of light you are putting out.
 

cagarren

Member I
The rules on lighting have not changed in many, many years. In the 70s, and probably the 80s, no production boat builders put tricolor masthead lights on their boats. They had to have deck level running lights and wanted an anchor light up there so why add the expense?

You can add a third wire, or add diodes at the lights and a switch down below to change polarity. Since you are rewiring anyway the diode option is not as attractive because you might someday want to add an anchor light and not want to run a fourth wire. Also, with incandescent lights you would be cutting down on the amount of light you are putting out.

Ah ok, It must of been a PO add on wired incorrectly. I was thinking about adding one of those Marine Beam tricolor/anchor light LED's . I'll pull a three conductor to drive it and the steaming light independently.

Thanks,

Curt
 

tenders

Innocent Bystander
A tricolor light is a bit of an oddity - are you sure that's what you have, rather than a Windex illumination light? Or perhaps a PO replaced a Windex light with a tricolor?
 

cagarren

Member I
A tricolor light is a bit of an oddity - are you sure that's what you have, rather than a Windex illumination light? Or perhaps a PO replaced a Windex light with a tricolor?

Its definitely the remains of a tricolor. The more I think about it I wont be doing any offshore night passages in this little boat and should probably just replace it with an anchor light.
 
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