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Cockpit lighting questions....85 Formula 357

Old 04-05-2013, 08:41 PM
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Default Cockpit lighting questions....85 Formula 357

Looks like I am finally going to get my 5 ton lawn ornament into the water this year, but I am having some cockpit and nav lighting issues and was hoping to find some help.

As the title says, the boat is an 85 357. For some reason the previous owner redid most of the boat, but the cockpit and navigational lighting has apparently not been used since 1980 something. I have multiple issues as follows:

1) Most of the gauge lights work...looks like a couple of bulbs burned out but no biggie (doesn't appear to be wiring problem). The real problem is that you can barely tell they are on....I can't read the gauges in the dark at all. There is just a VERY faint ring of light if you bend down and look at the rings around the gauges. Did the instrument lighting in this boat just suck horribly leaving the factory, or is there something else that might be causing this? Might the gauge housing have hazed over or become dirty to the point where the light just can't get out to the gauges (the face of the gauge housing is in excellent shape...not so much as a scratch)? Also, can I replace the bulbs with red LED bulbs without changing out any of the wiring? If so, can someone point me in the direction of the type/model of red LED bulbs that would work for the stock wiring/gauge setup?

2) The courtesy lights on either side of the cockpit floor are not working. Assuming they are getting current (I am going to try to get this checked this weekend), the fixtures the ancient bayonet-type bulb fits into must have gone bad. I'd like to replace these with red LED lights as well...where can I get some that will hook right into the existing wiring with no issues plus either fit under the stock light covers or come with new ones that will cover the existing holes?

3) The stern navigation light behind the sun pad is also non-functional. I am assuming like the cockpit courtesy lights that the fixture is just shot (and that the wires are hopefully still getting power). I'd like to replace this with a bright white LED, and would like to know if there is somewhere I can find the appropriate part(s). Like the courtesy lights, I would prefer to use the stock light cover but if I can find a replacement the same size that would be fine.

4) The bow red/green navigation light is also non-functional. If I can find a replacement LED setup for that I would prefer to go that route rather than fiddling with the crappy light that is up there. Would like to just snip the wires and replace. Would like a recommendation on which one to purchase that I can wire right into the existing wiring...something that works well that somebody on here has actually used or seen in use would be great.

I don't need super expensive LED lighting....I need to redo the whole sound system before I worry about a killer light show. Less expensive but reliable would be my preference.

Thank God all the interior lighting works perfectly....I can worry about LEDs in there next year.....

Here is what the old bulbs look like that were in the courtesy lights and the stern navigation light....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15875632@N05/8622530903/

Last edited by mike_mds; 04-05-2013 at 08:51 PM.
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