Masthead/Anchor/All Round light requirements

Maybe A Dancer · Jan 20, 2022

Recently purchased a 450 DA

Her LOA is greater than 12 meters

She is currently on the hard at a marina with skinny water during winter.

Tides may force a nighttime launch

I modified her radar pedestal for clearance purposes, and need to replace her masthead or all round light before launching.

She is equipped with a transom light (currently non-functional, hopefully just a bulb, we'll see)

Can someone please share how this larger than 12 meter vessel is wired for running/anchor lights

according to USCG anything over 12 meters has a different lighting requirement.

see Page 27 here:

420.PDF (uscgboating.org)

BEST !

RWS

Stee6043 · Jan 20, 2022

When underway you need the forward portion of your masthead light switched on along with your side lights and stern light (all on one switch). When at anchor your masthead must be fully illuminated, 360 degrees, none of the other lights on, using a separate switch.

fwebster · Jan 20, 2022

The 450DA was wired for and fitted with the appropriate arch light for night operation. Based on what you found in CA when you inspected the boat, I'd bet the previous owner removed the light to mount something like a KVH antenna system with the spectinmg the boat.

There is a Perko arch light in th e center of th e underside of the arch. Remove it and poke around and I bet the riring is shoved aside in side the arch. Perko still makes the correct all-around light. It has a fixed basethat is about 2" tall and a plug-in tubular post ot upright that is shaped to plug in at the bottom, then bend upwarad and around a radar array. Here is a picture:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/464785624017838842/?d=t&mt=login

I find their catalog hard to navigate and I don't use Pininterest but this gives you an idea. They aalso have a folding model but it may be too short to use with a radar array on the arch.

Frank

Maybe A Dancer · Jan 23, 2022

Yes - the wires are in the radar arch.

The switches are still covered up so the question is:

A. Should the radar arch light be a MASTHEAD light, with an arc of 225 degrees to run steaming in conjunction with the transom light

OR

B. should the radar arch be a simple ALL ROUND light?

OR

Should it function as both A & B above as some are set up with two bulbs and a separation.

I found only 2 wires in the arch, leading me to believe the answer is B

Perhaps the question should be - HOW IS THE BOAT WIRED AND HOW DOES THE SWITCH WORK?

BEST !

RWS

Stee6043 · Jan 23, 2022

Maybe A Dancer said:
Yes - the wires are in the radar arch.

The switches are still covered up so the question is:

A. Should the radar arch light be a MASTHEAD light, with an arc of 225 degrees to run steaming in conjunction with the transom light

OR

B. should the radar arch be a simple ALL ROUND light?

OR

Should it function as both A & B above as some are set up with two bulbs and a separation.

I found only 2 wires in the arch, leading me to believe the answer is B

Perhaps the question should be - HOW IS THE BOAT WIRED AND HOW DOES THE SWITCH WORK?

BEST !

RWS

I feel like my post above, with a pic labeled “under power”, precisely answered your questions…already?

Maybe A Dancer · Jan 24, 2022

WE HAVE A WINNER !

Pulled the wires out this weekend.

Pulled them ALL the way out.

Lookee here:

sorry for the sideways image - unable to correct it

PO spliced the 2 hot wires together, so when steaming, he was in fact running an all round light AND the stern (trunk) light.

I'll get a new folding MASTHEAD two bulb light, with an arc of 225 forward to run when steaming, and an arc of 360 when anchored.

Confusion resolved

RWS

P.S. I also sealed that exposed balsa in the radar arch

Maybe A Dancer · Feb 17, 2022

Decided that 12" would be hidden from view by the radar.

Went with this one:

Amazon.com : Perko 1125DP4CHR 12V Plug-In Mount Combination Masthead/White All-Round Light - 35-7/8" Height : Boating Navigation Lights : Sports & Outdoors

Removable feature will work well for bridge clearance.

Is rated at 3 miles.

Will swap out bulbs with the brightest LED's I can find.

BEST !

RWS

Skybolt · Feb 17, 2022

@Maybe A Dancer Just to be clear and as mentioned above, the mast light needs to be the highest light and have a forward facing light and rear facing light powered by two different switches, a 3 position is typically used. While underway only the forward light and transom light along with the red/green lights should be on.

The light you show from amazon will have three wires, ground, fwd hot and rear hot. To control this is not straight forward. When at Anchor both the forward and rear lights need to be on at the same time. The same forward light that is on when the rear light is off while navigating. To accomplish this there needs to be some form of switching circuit, usually diodes are used. If the light has diodes installed, it can be checked by powering the lights independently. One wire should light both lights while the other should light the forward light only. If both lights, light independently then there are no diodes installed and needs t be handled at the switch.

I mention all of this because the two red wires you mentioned should not be tied together. That and your running lights/anchor switch is probably wired wrong as well and needs to be checked.

Maybe A Dancer · Feb 17, 2022

SKybolt said:
@Maybe A Dancer Just to be clear and as mentioned above, the mast light needs to be the highest light and have a forward facing light and rear facing light powered by two different switches, a 3 position is typically used. While underway only the forward light and transom light along with the red/green lights should be on.

The light you show from amazon will have three wires, ground, fwd hot and rear hot. To control this is not straight forward. When at Anchor both the forward and rear lights need to be on at the same time. The same forward light that is on when the rear light is off while navigating. To accomplish this there needs to be some form of switching circuit, usually diodes are used. If the light has diodes installed, it can be checked by powering the lights independently. One wire should light both lights while the other should light the forward light only. If both lights, light independently then there are no diodes installed and needs t be handled at the switch.

I mention all of this because the two red wires you mentioned should not be tied together. That and your running lights/anchor switch is probably wired wrong as well and needs to be checked.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Understood

Appears the factory dash switch and the factory wiring will accommodate the new 3 wire light with no problem, provided i separate the 2 wired together.

Stee6043 · Feb 17, 2022

SKybolt said:
@Maybe A Dancer Just to be clear and as mentioned above, the mast light needs to be the highest light and have a forward facing light and rear facing light powered by two different switches, a 3 position is typically used. While underway only the forward light and transom light along with the red/green lights should be on.

The light you show from amazon will have three wires, ground, fwd hot and rear hot. To control this is not straight forward. When at Anchor both the forward and rear lights need to be on at the same time. The same forward light that is on when the rear light is off while navigating. To accomplish this there needs to be some form of switching circuit, usually diodes are used. If the light has diodes installed, it can be checked by powering the lights independently. One wire should light both lights while the other should light the forward light only. If both lights, light independently then there are no diodes installed and needs t be handled at the switch.

I mention all of this because the two red wires you mentioned should not be tied together. That and your running lights/anchor switch is probably wired wrong as well and needs to be checked.

Isn't it how the switches are wired, not the light? I'd assume my "anchor light" switch simply has two hot's leading to the masthead light. My "navigation lights" switch has only one hot, the forward pin. I don't think it needs to be overly complicated?

Skybolt · Feb 17, 2022

Stee6043 said:
Isn't it how the switches are wired, not the light? I'd assume my "anchor light" switch simply has two hot's leading to the masthead light. My "navigation lights" switch has only one hot, the forward pin. I don't think it needs to be overly complicated?

So it can be done a number of ways, but to get two lights to light by one switch and only one light bay another takes three wires at the mast light. Depending on the year of the boat, it be handled by the ECM box that the switches are connected too. It may be done by the switch itself or old school as I described. No matter how it's done there needs to be three wires to the mast light, otherwise both lights will be on in all cases. And to your point yes it is usually done by the switches either with or without diodes as I mentioned.

fwebster · Feb 18, 2022

You have 2 switches on your panel…one is labled "running lights" and the other labeled "anchor light" and there should be 3 wires in the arch for the anchor light base….one is a ground, the other 2 are for anchor and for running lights. The original Perko light had 2 bulbs in it …..one for 360˚ all around light and the other for running lights.

Harris, do you have a wiring schematic for the '96 450DA? I have one I can copy fopr you if you don't have one.

Maybe A Dancer · Feb 18, 2022

fwebster said:
You have 2 switches on your panel…one is labled "running lights" and the other labeled "anchor light" and there should be 3 wires in the arch for the anchor light base….one is a ground, the other 2 are for anchor and for running lights. The original Perko light had 2 bulbs in it …..one for 360˚ all around light and the other for running lights.

Harris, do you have a wiring schematic for the '96 450DA? I have one I can copy fopr you if you don't have one.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hi Frank,

I believe I have all the wiring schematics available as downloaded from the Sea Ray website as included in the 1997 OWNERS MANUAL and PARTS BOOK.

It appears that all the factory wiring is intact and this will likely be a simple install for me.

BEST !

RWS

Masthead/Anchor/All Round light requirements

Maybe A Dancer

Stee6043

fwebster

Maybe A Dancer

Stee6043

Maybe A Dancer

Maybe A Dancer

Skybolt

Maybe A Dancer

Stee6043

Skybolt

fwebster

Maybe A Dancer

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