Thread: Bow Light Issue

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  1. #1
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    Question Bow Light Issue

    Ok! fellow Z-9 owners. Need a little help.
    This past weekend Ia camera/media boat at the Elite event on the Sabine and had a little oops with my bow light. After I launched my boat I nosed in next to the pier and set my Talons down. No problem but the front of my boat shifted a little left resulting in the bow easing under the pier a bit and it caught my bow light and I heard a slight crack. When I looked at it it was still working so I didn't think much of it and made the day fine. Of course at the end of the day I removed my lights and stored them. The next morning when I put the bow light in I noticed it wasn't going in all the way so I looked in the receiver and noticed the pins were out of alignment and it appeared the bottom of the light/horn assembly was cracked. Never could get the bow light in to work so I taped my emergency backup battery powered light to the light standard and went with it.
    Yesterday I picked up some LED bow lights to put on the rub rail. When I pulled the front panel and reached in to the wires I noticed that they had came out of the cracked receiver and were loose. I used a multi-tester and found that I was not getting any juice to the wires and also the navigation button indicator light was not coming on for the bow. The stern light indicator was fine and the stern light works great. I checked the fuse box and could not find any blown fuses. I stuck the pegs in the bow light and still nothing.

    Now for the BIG QUESTION! Is there an inline fuse under the console I need to look for? I would hate to have to install a separate on/off switch just for bow lights.
    Looking for some helpful info of what to look for this evening when I get back at it.
    2009 NITRO Z-9
    2009 MERCURY 250 PRO XS
    LAKESIDE BOAT REPAIR FISHING TEAM

  2. Nitro Boats Moderator BMCD's Avatar
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    #2
    I do believe there is a fuse under the dash. But u said u already checked.
    Bryan McDonough
    2023 Nitro Z21 XL
    Nitro Team

  3. Member
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    #3
    Quote Originally Posted by BMCD View Post
    I do believe there is a fuse under the dash. But u said u already checked.
    Actually did a double check yesterday Bryan and found that there is not a fuse on the fuse block that goes to the lights(???). Even spent time looking at every wire under the console trying to find an inline fuse and there are none. My only assumption is that when the bow light prongs came loose they touched each other and did something to the board because (both) the dash indicator light and the bow dash indicator light are not lighting up. The lower stern (anchor) indicator light is showing and the stern light works from both buttons. I decided I will just get an on/off switch and mount it on the bow dash to operate the new LED lights I installed. In all my years of owning boats I have never ran across this. Just wish the boat had individual switches for each component like the old days instead of these dang micro pads. They suck when they go out because there is no way to bypass it.
    2009 NITRO Z-9
    2009 MERCURY 250 PRO XS
    LAKESIDE BOAT REPAIR FISHING TEAM

  4. Member
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    #4
    Take the positive wire off your starter battery for a minute and then put it back on. That should reset your indicator light.

  5. Member
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie B View Post
    Take the positive wire off your starter battery for a minute and then put it back on. That should reset your indicator light.
    Thanks for info. Will have to try that tomorrow.
    Ended up just hooking up an on/off switch n bow plate to turn on LED lights. That dang bow light/horn receiver is expensive and the dang horn doesn't work half the time. Not going to replace it.
    2009 NITRO Z-9
    2009 MERCURY 250 PRO XS
    LAKESIDE BOAT REPAIR FISHING TEAM

  6. Member
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by NitroZ-9 View Post
    Ok! fellow Z-9 owners. Need a little help.
    This past weekend Ia camera/media boat at the Elite event on the Sabine and had a little oops with my bow light. After I launched my boat I nosed in next to the pier and set my Talons down. No problem but the front of my boat shifted a little left resulting in the bow easing under the pier a bit and it caught my bow light and I heard a slight crack. When I looked at it it was still working so I didn't think much of it and made the day fine. Of course at the end of the day I removed my lights and stored them. The next morning when I put the bow light in I noticed it wasn't going in all the way so I looked in the receiver and noticed the pins were out of alignment and it appeared the bottom of the light/horn assembly was cracked. Never could get the bow light in to work so I taped my emergency backup battery powered light to the light standard and went with it.
    Yesterday I picked up some LED bow lights to put on the rub rail. When I pulled the front panel and reached in to the wires I noticed that they had came out of the cracked receiver and were loose. I used a multi-tester and found that I was not getting any juice to the wires and also the navigation button indicator light was not coming on for the bow. The stern light indicator was fine and the stern light works great. I checked the fuse box and could not find any blown fuses. I stuck the pegs in the bow light and still nothing.

    Now for the BIG QUESTION! Is there an inline fuse under the console I need to look for? I would hate to have to install a separate on/off switch just for bow lights.
    Looking for some helpful info of what to look for this evening when I get back at it.
    If you dig up under the bow, you should find an inline fuse for the lights. My Z8 does, and it was wire tied up to the right of the opening.

  7. Member
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Billn View Post
    If you dig up under the bow, you should find an inline fuse for the lights. My Z8 does, and it was wire tied up to the right of the opening.
    Looked all up in there also and only fuse I have up there goes to the Lowrance. I thought it was kinda weird there not being a fuse.
    Still want to try the disconnect on the battery to see if it resets the panel. Just haven't had the time to do it.
    For my fix I just installed LED bow lights and hooked up a switch on bow panel.
    2009 NITRO Z-9
    2009 MERCURY 250 PRO XS
    LAKESIDE BOAT REPAIR FISHING TEAM

  8. Moderator
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    #8
    The PME has built in circuit protection...."Built in fuses"
    Press and hold the affected button for 10 seconds it should reset the "fuse" in the PME...
    If that fails unhook battery cable that will reboot the PME...