URGENT: Need Pix or Wiring Diagram of Com-Pac 16/III Switchery

[Bilgemaster]

So, I finally got around to dropping a battery into the Foundling to check her electrics.  The good news is that there was already a great little platform and strap installed forward for this purpose, and I had a nice enough battery which came with my "towbeast" Durango, though she was really a bit too small for the Durango's big V8.  Still, she's just the right size for the Foundling, so into a Group 24 marine battery box she went, and into the boat with a good full charge.

Now the not-so-good news: The Foundling's factory electrical panel and its wiring seem tip-top, with no corrosion to speak of and no obviously blown fuses. It all seems to be pretty much just the way it left Clearwater.  Still, although the single cabin light and the added bulkhead compass' interior lighting work fine, neither the mast light nor the bow and stern navigation lighting seem to function.  I pulled the stern light off and apart, and again everything looks tip-top.  So, before I dive in there with a multimeter, I am hoping someone might be able to provide me with either a detailed wiring diagram of how she came from the factory or a just couple of detailed photos of your own 16's switchpanel's wiring. 

Matt at Hutchins/Com-Pac Yachts was kind enough to send me a wiring diagram of the larger boat and its lighting, but not one with any detail of the actual wiring schematics of the switchplate. 

For the possible ready reference of future electrical gremlin hunters, below is a shot of the type of switchplate in question with the "general wiring diagram" in the background.  A far higher resolution shot suitable for printing and framing can be found here, with a couple of additional PDFs of the unwired back of such a switchplate found here and just the "general wiring diagram" found here.

In the meantime, PLEASE!...If you have a 16 and can reach your phone around that bulkhead thing and grab a couple-few semi-decent snaps of your own switchery's wiring, please post them here ASAP!

[Duckie]

I just pulled out my factory owners manual and found the very same chart as the one in your foto.  It looks pretty straight forward and I would doubt that you would have much else to deal with.  In my 16/3 there have been some "enhancements" that have muddied the waters, but it is still pretty straight forward.  As far as your stern nav light, I would suspect a break somewhere along the wire run to the stern.  My stern light has been entirely taken out, so I use a battery powered light on the rare occasion that I use the boat at night.  I have found that the wire runs as well as the joints and splices are the culprit most of the time.  I bet you will have to test each of these individually, but if you aren't figuring on navigating at night any time soon, take your time.  Check the plug for the mast lights where it comes through the cabin top.  Mine was a bit of a mess.  If it is in good shape, make sure that it is sealed or it will let water into the cabin and wreck your paneling.

Keep up the good work.  I am particularly interested in your progress insofar as I have the same boat.  I am looking forward to your report on how she sails.

Al

[Bilgemaster]

Thanks for the tips! Even with its "enhancements" by a previous owner, I'd still love to see a shot of your switchplate wiring.  Thing is, if it were just the mast OR the the stern OR the bow navigation light out, or even two out of three, I might first suspect a break in the wire run, a dodgy connection or a shot bulb, but all three lights?

As for her sailing, I did get her out for a maiden swim last month, her first in well over a decade.  Although I'm perhaps no good judge of the matter, being a bit of a noob to sailing, she struck me as being remarkably stable and surefooted.  I had been expecting something a little more "canoe-like" and "tippier", but that little stub keel really does it's job, yeah?  The four little scupper flapper drain things on the stern were clearly shot and merrily leaking, but have since been replaced.  Still, all in all she's a little miracle, and we had a fine time.  Even her little bulkhead-mounted knotmeter perked back to life, though I'll definitely have to pull her off for a good cleaning.

Here is a shot of her having just returned from her three hour tour, during which she acquitted herself like a real lady:



Lest we forget, here was the lamentable state in which she was found:



Anyhow, thanks again!

[mikew]

Hello, well I have a Cp-16 Mark 1 and made my own switch / fuse panel up similar to yours. Looking at the print provided the main plus terminal from the battery (red) should connect to the top of all
three fuses. Then the bottom of each fuse  would supply fused power to the top of each switch. The bottom of each switch would provide switched power out to each device. With the DVM black lead on the  neg terminal of battery check for power at the main red buss, after each fuse and after each switch ,in ON position. The print shows junction points for positive and negative wiring. Locate these and check for green corrosion, this is where your problem may be. If still not working set DVM in ohms setting and check for a good circuit on all ground legs, from Battery neg to each device ground side.

You might want to add a main fuse,  near the battery , in line with the main red feed wire to the fuse panel to protect the battery wiring. Not sure of main fuse size based on your  current draw and main wiring size.
Mike

[brackish]

Lot of detail about the panel hot/fuse/switch side, but how is the negative side handled?  Do you have a negative multi terminal buss close to the panel or does the negative tap in all over the place then one lead to the battery.  Could all three devices that don't work have a common negative and it is bad.  Wiring diagram does not really show how it is handled just the required circuits.

[Salty19]

Lot of detail about the panel hot/fuse/switch side, but how is the negative side handled?  Do you have a negative multi terminal buss close to the panel or does the negative tap in all over the place then one lead to the battery.  Could all three devices that don't work have a common negative and it is bad.  Wiring diagram does not really show how it is handled just the required circuits.

What he said.... 

$5 says it's the ground wire splice point or break along the run to the negative battery terminal.

Continuity test them and you'll find it. Or if you don't have a tester and are too cheap to buy one, run a new test wire from one light ground to the battery negative then test.

My boat has a little crimp connector on the ground wires, which I do not like, albeit everything has worked so far. I will rewire it more professionally at some point--probably when I start having issues!

Remember to use good marine grade (Ancor brand comes to mind) wire that is tinned. It does cost more but considering how much a pain rewiring can be, it can pay off to use better materials.

[Bilgemaster]

Thanks again for all the tips.  A few investigatory swaps of the lead to the working cabin light onto the other switches revealed that they are all working just fine.  So, it is probably the wire run(s) as some have guessed, or possibly just the bulb in the case of the masthead light, since I seem to have good power at that deck-mounted plug-in fixture.