Bulb replacement on 44 DB anchor/steaming light

z28jimi

Member
Feb 10, 2017
69
Daytona Beach
Boat Info
2006 44' Sea Ray Sedan Bridge, Highfield dinghy, 2006 22' Pathfinder
Engines
Cummins
Both bulbs are out, and it looks like I have to disassemble the rear portion of the soft top in order to get to the light. Can anyone give me some guidance on how to go about this, and how much of a PIA it is? (Looks like it's going to be a significant PIA)
I'm pretty sure I'm going to replace the bulbs with LED's once I figure out how to get to them.
 
I am not sure as I was wanting to access the top of my arch as well...I need to confirm this, but I think there is a zipper that runs the width of the bimini right up next to the arch. I was doing something else last weekend and caught this out of the corner of my eye and never investigated it further. I will know for sure this weekend.

There has to be something easier than unlashing/re-lashing the bimini.

Bennett
 
I am not sure as I was wanting to access the top of my arch as well...I need to confirm this, but I think there is a zipper that runs the width of the bimini right up next to the arch. I was doing something else last weekend and caught this out of the corner of my eye and never investigated it further. I will know for sure this weekend.

There has to be something easier than unlashing/re-lashing the bimini.

Bennett
I sure hope so. Will take a close look later this week. If I figure it out, I'll post. Likewise, if you figure it out, please let me know.
 
I was at the boat this afternoon, and found the following:
There is what I will call a "headliner" that has a zipper running fore and aft. This unzips, and the headliner can be taken down. It's a bit more work than that, but the end result is the headliner is down, and you're looking at the material of the top itself. There are two zippers right up tight to the arch. These zip open away from the center aluminum frame tube, and MAY give enough room to wiggle head and shoulders through to work on the light, radar, etc. I'm going to try this weekend. If there isn't enough room in the gap created by opening these two zippers, the only remaining option seems to be to start unlacing the top.
 
I'm pretty sure I'm going to replace the bulbs with LED's once I figure out how to get to them.

The USCG published info that some LEDS emit noise that interferes with emergency locating signals transmitted from VHF radios. You may want to research that issue before replacing them. Sorry to not provide more info. I saw the article last week but did not pay much attention to it as I have no plans to replace my running lights with LEDS.
 
Last edited:
The USCG published info that some LEDS emit noise that interferes with emergency locating signals transmitted from VHF radios. You may want to research that issue before replacing them. Sorry to not provide more info. I saw the article last week but did not pay much attention to it as I have no plans to replace my running light with LEDS.
Thanks, I'll look into that.
 
There is a track attached to the aft edge of the arch, and a bead and half-zipper goes in the track. The aft Bimini itself then zips to the half-zipper. I can unzip it enough to get my arm through, but no way my whole upper self is going to fit. I'm too afraid to unzip the Bimini completely, because I'm afraid I won't be able to get the zippers restarted. The steaming/anchor light is attached to the arch via a fitting of some sort that bolts to the arch, so I may try to unbolt that fitting, cut the wires for the light, slide the whole fitting/arm assembly down through the unzipped slit, then do it all in reverse once I have a new light installed on the arm. Can't think of a better way so far.
 
Unlashing/relashing the bimini does not look like fun. So many things on a boat are simple to fix...it is the access that is so difficult. Replacing the air fittings on the air horn tank and compressor will be very easy, but getting there is a real Pita.

Bennett
 
Well, after some crash courses at Google University, I think I have more info on the anchor/steaming light problem.
The fitting that I see appears to be a Perko fitting (Part # 1123) that accepts a two-prong plugin light pole. Similar to the removable light pole on a small outboard boat. If that's the case, there may be just enough room to loosen the retaining nut and pull the light pole rearward out of the fitting, then snake it down through the unzipped zipper where I can replace the bulbs. While I'm at it, I'll replace the plastic lenses too. I want to do this once, and then not again for a long, long time.
 
I looked at the zipper that runs parallel to the arch. It does look like if you unzipped it too far, you would never get it back without loosening the lashing.

Is it one long zipper that runs from one side to the other?

Bennett
 
I looked at the zipper that runs parallel to the arch. It does look like if you unzipped it too far, you would never get it back without loosening the lashing.

Is it one long zipper that runs from one side to the other?

Bennett
No, it's two zippers. They start at each outside edge and pull closed to the middle.
 
My anchor/Nav light has 2x of the Perko bulbs in there (fore and aft). They're the two ended bulbs like look like a double ended bullet.
If they've been in there a while ....getting them out without breaking them and making a mess of little broken glass shards all over will take longer than taking your rear camper top down. I had to gently...very gently...pry out, prying from the ends, not prying from the middle (which would shatter them). I cleaned the contacts with WD-40..and then a gentle wipe of the contacts very lightly with dielectric grease.
214692_LRG.jpg
 
I was able (barely) to get a good enough grip through the zipper to loosen the locknut, pull the light pole rearward, out of the mount, and bring it all down through the open zipper. The tube was full of water. The lights had obviously been changed before, because they were LED festoon bulbs. I got a part number for the light pole and I'll see if I can get a new one from Sea Ray since the contact end of this one is pretty grungy. I'll probably replace the mount too, while I'm at it. If I get real ambitious, I may take off the Perko light and replace it with an Attwood LED anchor/steaming light. That would give me a new mount, new pole, with clean, new contacts in each, and a sealed LED fixture instead of an incandescent fixture with a couple of LED bulbs of unknown light output plugged in.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,864
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top