Anchor Light - broken: 2020 242 SE

[bobholthaus]

I broke my anchor light clean off this weekend going under an extremely low train bridge. The plastic base is all that’s left (with a single wire sticking out). If anyone can answer any of the following,I’d appreciate it:

1. Is the unit grounded on the Bimini cage? There’s no negative wire by the base of this broken light.

2. Does anyone knows of a folding LED replacement with the same bolt pattern?

3. When I go to Lake Michigan each summer, we’ve decided we don’t need the Bimini top at all, so next summer I will take it off (metal and all). So I need to add a second light to the top of my tower. Does anyone know the part number on the Deutsch connector for the wiring so that I can make my own second unit it for that vacation?

Thanks in advance. And the bridge was so low, we had the tower folded all the way down and the Bimini top released (and being held horizontally). It was scary, and the last time we do that (first time at Lake Springfield in Springfield, Illinois).

 

[bobholthaus]

This is the piece that was remaining; it doesn’t look like anything is actually sheared. Anyone know how the light connected to this?

 

[drewkaree]

This is the piece that was remaining; it doesn’t look View attachment 183464 like anything is actually sheared. Anyone know how the light connected to this?

I wish I had an answer, all I have is a guess. Looks like the screws held it to the bracket, or perhaps some ears slide down into the plastic sides, and friction fit plus the wiring keeps it in place.

I'd try to track down the service manual, the wiring diagram is in there, and you might be able to figure out a better light, or a better place to tap in and mount the vacation light, to make it easier for install/removal

 

[Julian]

Perhaps someone with that year boat can send you a photo of the light. I'd be surprised if the tower is the ground.

 

[bobholthaus]

I agree with the tower likely not being the ground. I wonder if the ground wire broke off inside the tower when the light was (what-I now-believe) popped off (since the base isn’t broken, I’m guessing the top piece must have cleanly snapped off at the screw heads).

After doing some due diligence on the forum, and measuring the plastic piece that was screwed on, this is what I ordered as a replacement.

Attwood LED All Around Fold-Down Light with LightArmor Bases - 5557-P12A7-1 12" Composite base Black Horizontal w Adaptor for $60.32 each (from BacktoBoating.Com)

Someone had posted the Attwood catalog and said that the original light was Atwood. Based on the spacing on the spec sheet, this base should match my holes perfectly.

This light comes in what they call a horizontal mount (like Oem, where the light pivots perpendicular to the width of the base), and then a “vertical” mount (I think they call it that) where the light pivots parallel to the width of the base, which is the base I’ll need to add a second one to my tower (as the center cross bar I’ll screw into runs front to back; the oem mount on the bimini cage runs port to starboard).

I’ll reply here once I figure it out. The Deutsch connector has 4 wires running out of it; (THIS IS AN EDIT: I think two are for the solar panel and two are for the anchor light.) As only one wire is hanging out of the hole, ill need to refish a new ground wire if the bimini cage isn’t the ground (and I’m leaning towards it not being the ground). Sadly they don’t show any wiring in any of the pics in the Attwood catalog, so I’ll have to figure it out when it comes in. I’ll post the link to the Attwood catalog when I’m back on my iPad. Thanks guys.

 

[bobholthaus]

I just dropped my boat at the dealer for something unrelated and we couldn’t find a wiring harness part number for the bimini. This is the Deutsch connector I will need for my second tower light.

 

[bobholthaus]

Great news, the part I ordered is a direct fit LED replacement for the factory light. The bad news is (for me) is that it appears I’ve lost the ground wire somewhere in the tubing, so I’ll have to fish a new one.

The other model of the same light, that pivots parallel to the base, is the perfect solution for my bimini-off setup I want to do for my vacation! So I’m ordering that second unit for that project.

And I may have found a deutsche connector kit on Amazon. So the week is looking up, ha!

 

[bobholthaus]

Update: that above light was perfect and is far superior to the oem non-LED version.

I took my bimini off for vacation next month and mounted the horizontal version of this same light on the wakeboard tower. Used a 4 pin Deutsch connector and it worked great.

PS: how do I rename This thread to include “LED replacement”?