Wiring/lightng question- 110volt to 12volt AC... is this Hatteras Normal?

[Hat4Shay]

Hey guys,

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but you can't search the forum and after looking thru 10 pages (and getting really distracted) I don't see a post about this.

I have a 1981 61' MY model (now 70') and I am trying to swap everything to LED and the craziest thing... I have 110 volt switches but the power in the fixtures are 12volt AC (not DC) and I talked to another 61' CPMY owner and they said theirs is like that too.

I really want to change out these HOT halogens for LED, but I can't find a 12v AC bulb.

And, nothing in the hatteras owners manual about the fact they step down like that. So, is this normal Hatt design or did someone do something cockamamy on the boat?

Shay

 

[Captain Ralph]

You have transformers scattered thru the boat.
The switches and dimmers supply power to the step down transformers that provide the 12 (24v?) to the light outlets.
This is normal.

 

[Pascal]

I ve replaced about 300 halogens with these in the 116. They’re pretty good and work with our dimmers as well as Lutron

https://a.co/d/awPmR4h

 

[rwaldrop13]

I ve replaced about 300 halogens with these in the 116. They’re pretty good and work with our dimmers as well as Lutron

https://a.co/d/awPmR4h

Thanks for posting - I wondered about these. We had separate 120v AC, and 24v DC light fixtures on separate circuits on Pau Hana. We had the flat "12-32V LED" flower looking push-ins, and 2 of them exploded in our 24V fixtures (we inherited them from PO). I swapped back to hot halogens, because I couldn't find anything I trusted. At the same time, a Marlowe in our marina had the same ones we had, and they actually had a fire start in their overhead from them. Consensus between myself, the Marlowe owner, the marina dockmaster and the vendor is that "multiple voltage rated" means "how soon do you want it to catch fire". Knowing these are trustworthy is helpful...

 

[Hat4Shay]

I bought those exact lights... and they didn't light up... I think the issue is my fixtures are only getting 7 volts in the fixtures. Not sure how the 12v halogens are lighting up on that, either though lol

Ed and Flo tried some and they blew up on them. Not sure what brand they were.

I guess I'll live with what I've got until I replace the headliner and all the fixtures.

Thanks, Ralph, for the reply. Were those transformers put in by Hatteras or the old owner?

Shay

 

[Captain Ralph]

I bought those exact lights... and they didn't light up... I think the issue is my fixtures are only getting 7 volts in the fixtures. Not sure how the 12v halogens are lighting up on that, either though lol

Ed and Flo tried some and they blew up on them. Not sure what brand they were.

I guess I'll live with what I've got until I replace the headliner and all the fixtures.

Thanks, Ralph, for the reply. Were those transformers put in by Hatteras or the old owner?

Shay

Factory transformers scattered everywhere.
Hopefully you have the print-sets for your boat that will describe the locations.
On your boat, start under the dinette seats to get a look at a few of them to understand what they look like.

7v ?? Dimmers on??
Some AC/DCv LEDs don't dimm. If they do, they may overheat.
The most correct way to do this is replace the transformers with LED power supplies.
Tap on https://www.drsa.com/

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Some of the 90's boats had relay boards for the lights. On a 65MY I was on, we found one behind the pilothouse seat. It showed on the prints. But that didn't tell us where it was located.

 

[SeaEric]

Bear in mind that some LED bulbs are polarity specific.

 

[rwaldrop13]

It occurred to me that we may misunderstand the real question regarding the light switches. Our light switches for both the 110/120V AC lights, and the 24V DC lights were off-the-shelf light switches from Lowes or Home Depot. I never noticed any issues with the lights as far as switches went. Should I have been looking for a different light switch? We looked at several boats before Pau Hana and all of them had conventional switches regardless of which system the lights were on.

 

[cww]

I know this isn't what you asked, but there have been a lot of boat fires from those ceiling-mounted halogen lights, especially if you have a padded headliner. They sure do look pretty when they're lit up, but I wouldn't be real comfortable leaving them unattended for very long. They get very hot.

 

[rwaldrop13]

I know this isn't what you asked, but there have been a lot of boat fires from those ceiling-mounted halogen lights, especially if you have a padded headliner. They sure do look pretty when they're lit up, but I wouldn't be real comfortable leaving them unattended for very long. They get very hot.

I've seen that in other forums, but I also had the issue with the G4 LED lights "detonating" as well as the Marlowe in our marina having the same issue. My halogens got hot, but never seemed to get hot enough to combust. Would I be out of line in suggesting that instead of inserting LED "will-fits" maybe replace the actual light fixture instead? More work and more $$ but more peace of mind at the same time. It was on my to-do forecast (instead of a to-do list, it was more like a weather forecast - It will happen but maybe not as planned).

 

[Hat4Shay]

Hey guys! Sorry for the delay... got side tracked with the NIGHTMARE of replacing washer and dryer lolol Had to remove my beautiful art glass off the stairs and it was a 2 hour hair raising process!!!

For now, I'm using a lamp lol The halogens are SO hot and even though I used them for months in blissful ignorance, now I'm afraid of them. No, 7volts with dimmers on high. Maybe it's the light switches not letting enough through? They are super old. Should I try replacing one and see if I get the full 12 volts? But, the new leds are dimmable, but they state they will not work under 12volts. https://amzn.to/3xtNuCc to see the exact ones I bought.

We did measure the voltage in the socket, but we figured it must be wrong and so we measured at the switch. Imagine my surprise when I finally found a bulb with writing I could read and it said 12volts lolol

For dc, I bought these, but haven't had a chance to try them yet. they only fit certain fixtures. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CGNV6DM?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
I have found PO did some 32 to 12v stepdowns, so some of my DC is now 12 not 32.

SOOOOO glad to hear that off the shelf switches are ok, especially on the 110ac lights... I just replaced all the cabins and pilot house with these and I LOVE them. https://amzn.to/3TZU3Fs Smart wifi dimmers I have set up on Alexa... so nice. They look slick and work great. I chose matte black because the ivory and white stick out like sore thumbs on the dark wood. lol

And I did all the above waist height receptacles (pilot house, salon bar) and cabins with these https://amzn.to/49hz4m4 and I love them, too.

I have been wondering about DC switches... can I use these for them? Non dimming- https://amzn.to/3xiNmWd

I don't know if I have any DC that dim. Have been going room to room and checking each one before replacing. I have been unsure of what I could use for DC, so I stick to my rule... if in doubt, don't!

Cheers
Shay
ps
another drivng lesson on Friday... beware student driver on the New River lol

 

[Hat4Shay]

When I redo headliner, I am replacing the light fixtures. I just wanted something to get my by for a few months. I'm not going back with fabric... I want to do something like the new boats do- solid panels that clip in so they won't ever sag or mildew again and easy access for future work. =-) But since I'm still finishing up systems, that's a few months off at least. =-)

I've seen that in other forums, but I also had the issue with the G4 LED lights "detonating" as well as the Marlowe in our marina having the same issue. My halogens got hot, but never seemed to get hot enough to combust. Would I be out of line in suggesting that instead of inserting LED "will-fits" maybe replace the actual light fixture instead? More work and more $$ but more peace of mind at the same time. It was on my to-do forecast (instead of a to-do list, it was more like a weather forecast - It will happen but maybe not as planned).

 

[Hat4Shay]

The ones I bought were different... I'm going to order some of these and see if the work. =-)

Thanks!

I ve replaced about 300 halogens with these in the 116. They’re pretty good and work with our dimmers as well as Lutron

https://a.co/d/awPmR4h

 

[Hat4Shay]

I think I do have the diagrams, so I'll look at those. Seems crazy to me that they dropped from 110ac to 12volt ac lol

Thanks for answering! Long time no chat, Capt Ralph!!!!

You have transformers scattered thru the boat.
The switches and dimmers supply power to the step down transformers that provide the 12 (24v?) to the light outlets.
This is normal.

 

[Pascal]

The ones I bought were different... I'm going to order some of these and see if the work. =-)

Thanks!

These cheap bulbs are often hit or miss. I be used others which didn’t last.

 

[Boatsb]

I've done a few...


Hundred replacement/upgrades for the ceiling lights.

I showed some ex hatteras factory guys how a week ago.

Cheap replacement bulbs get you cheap results. The old hatteras 120 volt converters are old enough to be replaced too.

I am in the middle of replacing about 130 lights in a motoryacht and adding new dimmers and switches. Send me an email or call and I can explain the right way to do this.

Boatsb@cfl.rr.com
407-739-5450

Scott

 

[Hat4Shay]

Update: I had the company that installed all these lights come out... they couldn't find the transformers.

I called Ed at Sam's, who referred me to an electrician who told me where to look, but they are not there. So, I shot him a picture of my diagram... I do not have factory installed transformers for the lights according to the diagram.

So, logically, the step down must be between the switch (which has 110 going in and out) and the fixture which is only getting the 7-8volts. So, I pulled down the first fixture closest to the switches and low and behold, two transformers (slightly different models) under the fixture. So, I pulled the cans down on the other circuit, no transformer. I'm guessingthe two under the light is one for port and one for starboard.

They are using 14 guage wire butt connected to the tiny wires of the fixtures. They are strung together 4 lights to a circuit/switch.

I am going to replace all these lights anyway with LED fixtures, can I get rid of these transformers and go straight 110?

 

[ESCAPE PLAN]

You should be able to. did you ever find your transformers? i sent you a text .

 

[Hat4Shay]

I got your text, but I didn't go down in genny room and look. However, I do remember seeing those down there, starboard side of the gennies. =-)

These are what I was looking for. =-) thanks for answering!

How is are the stairs working?

You should be able to. did you ever find your transformers? i sent you a text .