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MastheadDeck light combo replacement

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
When you get to it, here's an installation tip for you: My light was replaced by a contractor (it is not LED). When it rains, the water somehow runs down the individual wires and gets into the white outer-jacket that protects the 3 individual wires. Once inside the outer-jacket it permeates down the length of the wire until it finds a point (under my zippered vinyl headliner) where the jacket is cut back to expose the inner wires (this was near the terminal terminal block under the headliner on mine).

For months I thought my port deck organizer was leaking--I could see water droplets hanging from the mounting screw. Turns out the source of the water was from the masthead/steaming lamp. My wiring is already fixed in place so I think I have to fix my problem with caulk. You may be able to install your wiring with an "upward" drip-loop to avoid this.

20190221_144958.jpg After a good rain.....
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
A bit of (unsolicited) input to consider.

The light at the masthead is typically a 360-degree white light, aka "anchor light".

The light on the front of the mast is generally a 225-degree white light, aka a "steaming light".

I went with a Hella LED sealed-unit "anchor light" for the 360-degree light at my masthead.

700759.jpg

For the combo-unit (steaming light and deck-light, just above the lower spreaders) I was going to use the Aquasignal Series-25 unit (**)

https://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?path=-1|65136|2709015&id=64986

Seemed like a solid unit, maybe not as robust as the Series-43, but.... also only about 1/8th the price.

** On my mast the wires for that combo light come out of the wire-channel at the back side of the mast, through a dedicated tube to the front surface of the mast just above the spreaders. The location of the tube and its proximity to the spreaders made fitting the Aquasignal unit impossible without some contortions. I had the same issue with a Hella combination light. In the end I installed the current version of the old Perko combo-unit, which allowed me to use the existing location and mounting holes, and and I converted it to LED bulbs when I mounted it.

https://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?path=-1|65136|2709015&id=1652604

IMG_1772s.jpg

Seems to be working well, 3 years in....

Bottom line... be sure you can get the wires to the unit you want at the location you want to use it. That may limit (or, at least, refine) your choices somewhat.

$.02
Bruce
 
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GrandpaSteve

Sustaining Member
Good information Bruce, thank you. With regards to what the light is called, on my panel it is labeled “Bow light”. Yes we are talking about the same thing. Do you know what leds you bought for yours?
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
Interesting. It looks like Marinebeam manufactures their own unit - anyone here have experience with it?
https://store.marinebeam.com/led-masthead-foredeck-combination-light/

I maaaaaaay have one in the garage. IIRC I ordered one, drilled a couple of holes to match the existing holes, and then couldn't make it fit. And because I'd modified it, it wasn't returnable.

I think it was the $60 version. If you want, I'll dig through the garage and see if I still have it. "free to a good home"

Bruce
 

GrandpaSteve

Sustaining Member
Thanks,

I appreciate the offer, but if you couldn't make it fit, I'm sure I won't be able to make it fit either.
 

GrandpaSteve

Sustaining Member
I installed that and quite happy with it. Sealed unit, low power draw. The only negative is bluish hue of the deck light... but that is a matter of personal preference.

I asked Mike this, but you have a 32-III so it is more relevant - did you have to drill/tap new holes?
 

Joliba

1988 E38-200 Contributing Member
Yes, I needed to drill and tap new holes. Our old unit used four screws. The new one requires only two. The holes did not lineup at all. Also, the forward side of our mast is radiused on my boat and the marine beam fixture is almost flat with a very slight concavity. Therefore, there are some gaps between the fixture and the mast. However, I do not see this as a problem.
Mike
 

sharonov

Member II
I asked Mike this, but you have a 32-III so it is more relevant - did you have to drill/tap new holes?
No, I installed it using old holes. There is a bit of a gap between the mast and the light that I planned to fill with something but never got back to it. Cannot see it from the deck - out of sight, out of mind.
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
No, I installed it using old holes. There is a bit of a gap between the mast and the light that I planned to fill with something but never got back to it. Cannot see it from the deck - out of sight, out of mind.

Mine has a bit of a gap between the light and the mast as well. The aesthetics of it never bothered me, but I did mention the problem of water getting behind the fixture and into the wires. I'll probably climb my mast this year to seal the gap.....
 

nquigley

Sustaining Member
I replaced that fitting this spring (the old lens was yellow and crazed).
It was a rather tedious process - trying to stop the rather short wire ends from escaping down into the mast, while hooking them up to the new fitting, and then trying to get the wires positioned behind the fitting in a way that allowed it to lie flat against the mast. I replaced the steaming lamp with an LED, but I haven't yet found an LED replacement for the downward projecting bow light, which is a pretty bright bulb.
 
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