FROM AARON, CALLING SOME TRI CABIN OWNERS 12V/120V HELP!!

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:44 am

hi guys, i have a question regarding the electrical system, especially from those that have tri cabins of the 1979 to 1985 era, and maybe newer ones too. the other day i was locating a leak in the forward stateroom hanging locker and i discovered that the starboard running light needed to be rebedded big time. i removed the assembly and found that the bedding material was brittle and chalky. so, i cleaned everything off, let the pass through hole dry for a day and rebedded it, along with the port side too. while the tops of the lights were off, i removed the bulbs and replaced them with new ones. now i did not realize until i trouble shot this, but these running lights are wired in series and not parallel. unlike my old f-32, if one bulb goes, the other side will not work either. i believe this is called the christmas tree light syndrome. anyway, i was wondering why trojan would design something like this and if it's just a quirk of my boat. i do not have any wire diagrams so i am clueless and have to discover things through trial and error.
now, onto the 120 system. again, unlike my old f-32 where the electrical panel was split port and starboard, the panel, with all original breakers etc, is not split. the breakers control outlets all over the place with no rhyme or reason. if i turn off main breaker number 2, which on my old boat controlled the starboard side, i get lights going off in the salon and part of the forward cabin, but the lights and outlets are hot in the aft stateroom. again, is this normal?
so, if anyone has the 12/120 wire diagrams, i'd love to have them. this would assist in my getting to know the boat better. she is a 1982 tri cabin.
thanks guys.
aaron in baltimore.

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:09 am

Aaron - my '79 has the running lights in parallel. My starboard was out last year but port and white light was working just fine. The breakers on my 120VAC system is split port/starboard as you described for your F32 so I am not sure why your tri-cabin is otherwise.

I will have to check to make sure, but I am 99% certain that I have the diagrams for both AC and DC so will gladly scan them and email them to you as PDFs if you like.

Hope this helps and let me know.

risctaker · Post by **risctaker** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:14 am

I would really appreciate getting those wiring diagrams for my old Tri-Cabin "Basket Case' My e-mail is: "Risctaker@verizon.net" Thanks!

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:10 pm

Baskitcase your boat is a lot different

Aaron . I can assure you your front lights are not in series ,

Big D · Post by **Big D** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:58 pm

If running lights are in series, that would be a first in my books. If they indeed are, I suspect a change was made by a PO. Sounds like loads on the 120 AC have been changed around too. Does it look like a spider's nest of wires back there? May have all been disconnect and just guessed where to go back, or changed around to accomodate PO's load habbits (one leg loaded too much and kept popping breaker).

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 10:56 pm

I do have both AC & DC wiring diagrams for my '79 tri-cabin. Anyone who wants them let me know and I will scan them to a PDF file and email them to you.