2013 257- Nav lights go out after a few minutes

gottagrady

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2013 GW257 Fiaherman

Hey all- my Nav lights always turn on just fine, but after a few minutes both turn off and/or flicker the go off. Sometimes together, sometimes separate.

If I leave them off for a minute, then toggle back on, they will work again briefly but the issue repeats.

Anchor light is never affected.

Thoughts?
 

seasick

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gottagrady said:
2013 GW257 Fiaherman

Hey all- my Nav lights always turn on just fine, but after a few minutes both turn off and/or flicker the go off. Sometimes together, sometimes separate.

If I leave them off for a minute, then toggle back on, they will work again briefly but the issue repeats.

Anchor light is never affected.

Thoughts?
If they all went off at the same time, I would suspect a breaker but since they don't it may be related to overheating. If the lamps are LED, I might suspect that as a possible issue but regardless, the first thing to do is inspect the lamp fixtures for contact corrosion, loose contacts or something else that may be heat related.
Another possibility if the lights go off while underway is something related to vibration, like weak connections. Unfortunately, your problem may be a bit tough to troubleshoot. If the light go out for good, it will be easier to trace.
Good luck
 

Fishtales

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Get a voltmeter on the circuit. Sounds like either a voltage issue, loose connection or bad switch.
 

drbatts

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check the connections.
 

grady23

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With most electrical problems are solved by working backwards from the grounding point. If these are the old-style double ended bullet shaped lights, use a pencil or a small diameter pointed object and some 320 sandpaper to clean the contacts. Place the sandpaper over the end and us it to clean the holes where the contacts are. If it was the breaker ALL the lights would fail at the same time.
 

ROBERTH

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Being that it is more than one doing it at same time, unlikely corrosion of a bulb or socket, but more on a wiring issue at ground or switch or even power connection. Check back of switch connections and where wires are crimped for corrosion or looseness.
I have also found sometimes there is a section in the wire run that might have received some damage due to a pinch/crush, or whatever that will swell up with corrosion and eventually break the strands.
 
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ROBERTH said:
Being that it is more than one doing it at same time, unlikely corrosion of a bulb or socket, but more on a wiring issue at ground or switch or even power connection. Check back of switch connections and where wires are crimped for corrosion or looseness.
I have also found sometimes there is a section in the wire run that might have received some damage due to a pinch/crush, or whatever that will swell up with corrosion and eventually break the strands.

Solid advice right here.