ACR Spotlight Problem

RaySea Girl 2

RaySea Girl 2

New Member
Mar 6, 2011
25
Rochester, NY
Boat Info
1997 Sea Ray 400 Sundancer
Engines
Twin 7.4L Gas
My ACR Spotlight on my 97 400 Dancer does not operate and i'm trying to find a place to start in diagnosing it. It has power to the RCL-100 Pointpad as indicated by the red LED over the "Power" button, and the light will only move to the right in response to command on the control (So I know it must be getting power to the light). Other than that it does not respond to any other movement on the Pointpad and the directional indicator lights on the pad do not work either. It has a coaxial connection between the pad and the light (I believe). Any help will be appreciated before i decide to scrap it for a new unit.
Thanks,
Ray
 
I never fixed one, but when I was thinking on installing one on my 320DA I know there's a harness with about 7 wires in it (if my memory serves me right). The fact that you have power is not enough. I think 2 wires are for the main power (+/-) and the rest to provide power to move the light. I would take the plug from the light out and test to make sure you're getting juice while another person operates the switch.
 
Thanks Alex. I assume you are referring to the harness from the main control to the track pad?
It's a step in the right direction as my internet search was not very successful on diagnosing and the harness is not easy to get to. I'll dig into it.
 
Fuses on the remote both in tact?

"Green" wire in the light itself still attached to its proper place?
 
there is a "receiver" on the other end of coax cable which controls light movement. it is usually installed close to light (inside rope locker if your light is installed on bow). they are going bad. track pads also go bad and light itself (there is two motors inside light and very "fancy' electrical connector which allow light to spin 360). the worst part is that there is not really a way to diagnose what is bad. sometimes changing ends on coax solves problem but most of the time is a bad keypad (cracked underside) or receiver.
 
Ray, pm me I have the Product Support Manual and the Troubleshooting & Breakdown list I found on ACR web site. I tried to copy and paste it on here but I can't do it. We have to check ours out. It turnes 360 degrees but does not go up and down.
 
My Light doing almost same think took it apart had a broke gear thay are plastic and motor was frose up acr sent me a gear and motor works fine now Not much to the inside very easy to change
 
Ours has experienced similar symptoms over the last couple seasons. Assumed the contacts in the pad were going. Hardly use the thing so it must be a material failure!?
 
Mine was doing the same thing, not going up or down and would only go in one derection sideways. I asked Marine Max about fixing it, they said it could not be fixed it had to be replaced , and that would be about $3000.00. So thinking I had nothing to loose,I removed it from the bow and took it home. I took it all apart and found that all the connections were coroded and the motor was as well . A lot of tiny brass gears,like a watch and as I recall two little electric drive motors. As I cleaned it I tested it with a battery jump pack for my 12 volt power source. Well to bring this to an end everything began working just fine. The only thing I had to buy was new light bulbs. Kind of expensive.After all that I sanded it and gave it a fresh paint job!! It was well worth the time and effort. Did I say it was winter? Hope this helps you out. Good Luck Gus:smt001
 
RaySea Girl 2 said:
Thanks Alex. I assume you are referring to the harness from the main control to the track pad? ....
Click to expand...

From the spotlight remote control to the ARC spotlight.

As others have experienced, chances are you have contacts corrosion issue around or inside the spotlight. So, before taking the unit apart the first step is to make sure that all wires that deliver juice (positive side) are actually providing juice. From there you can determine if the jusice gets to the ACR spotlight, then the issue is inside the spotlight.
 
I also have had problems......I took mine apart and it was total junk nothing worked!

I call ARC and they have a rebuild program....They will fix ever thing that is wrong with the light sand blast it and give a fresh coat of paint for $500.00...(light only) not the pad or control box are included in the deal....
 
When was that Todd? I looked into the factory refurb option this winter and they told me that they no longer offer that program on the older vintage units.

I never use the stupid things, but I don't like it when things don't work.
 
This is who I talked to........

Yes, we have a recondition program for $500.00. We sand blast and painted the outside and replaced any parts that are faulty. Just send us the unit with a letter stating what’s wrong with the light and that you want the light recondition and provide your contact information.



Regards,



Carlos Guerra

Customer Service Technician

Cobham Life Support

ACR Products

T:+1.954.981.3333 x2172

D: +1.954.862.2172

F: +1.954.983.5087

carlos.guerra@cobham.com



ACR Electronics, Inc. doing business as Cobham Life Support www.cobham.com/acr

5757 Ravenswood Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312-6645 USA




When you say Vintage.......I think they still make the same light today:huh:
 
Last edited:
roosevelt14 said:
When you say Vintage.......I think they still make the same light today:huh:
Click to expand...

I think you're right - same light, but 2 generations of control pads since. I have the old membrane style control, which was lousy even when new. Maybe we had a misunderstanding about support of the old control pad? I'm happy to hear that reconditioning is still an option.
 
IMG_1538.jpgIMG_1540.jpgi
 
OK, I found the RCL-100 Master Control Unit in the anchor locker and did a voltage test on it while my son operated the Point Pad. I had voltage into the unit but no voltage out to the light, left turn, or tilt leads. The only lead that did have voltage was the right turn. Should i assume the Master Control is bad?
Doesn't look too difficult to replace once it is removed, and wiring is straightforward. Suggestions before I drop a few hundred on a control unit??
 
Here's how ACR told me to check mine so you know if it is the Light or the Controler.....

Subject: RCL100 TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

Hello Bud,

Yes, there is a way to test the searchlight by itself. Apply direct voltage
(12v) to the RED/WHITE for the Up/Down, BROWN/BLACK for the left/right and
YELLOW/GREEN for the light bulbs. if everything works fine in the light measure
the voltage in the master controller on the same wires they should measure 8 to
10v and 11 to 12v on the green and yellow wires. Above I'm sending you an
attachment for the RCL100 troubleshooting guide. If you have one of those old
style control pad we do not carry that model anymore and needs to be change for
a P/N: 9283.3 that comes with a master controller and point pad.

Regards,
 
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