lights flickering

[dearmstr]

The cabin lights run off of the battery. We are on shore power and the battery charger comes on when needed. My question is what would cause the cabin lights that run off the battery to flicker, dim and then return to a normal state.

[FamilyVan]

Maybe your bilge pump or fridge coming online?

Sent from my XP7700 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[dearmstr]

do not have a fridge and bilge pump is not running. We also do not have AC.

[azsailor12]

Yes, probably something else turning on and dropping the voltage. Do you have a battery monitor or at least volt and amp meters?

[dearmstr]

Yes we do and we will monitor them. Thanks for the suggestions.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by dearmstr

The cabin lights run off of the battery. We are on shore power and the battery charger comes on when needed. My question is what would cause the cabin lights that run off the battery to flicker, dim and then return to a normal state.

If there is nothing else that started and is running when this happens then I would suspect a corroded or loose ground wire or any of the other wires that might be connected to your lights. If you have very old wiring then it might be suspect. I hope you can find the culprit but first check out ground wires.

If they all flicker and dim at the same time then there is one common wire problem. If it is just one light or maybe just the lights in the galley or just the cabin then you can assume that a common wire to just that space is not connected correctly.

You did not mention what kind of lights you have. There are several different styles and what you have said so far is that they are 12volt. They could be flourescent, led, or halogen as well as just 12v auto style bulbs.

Good luck in your search.

[dearmstr]

The lights are LED. And at the time that it happened we only had one light on. All the fans that run off the battery were also running.

[StuM]

>"My question is what would cause the cabin lights that run off the battery
>to flicker, dim and then return to a normal state"

Originally Posted by dearmstr

The lights are LED. And at the time that it happened we only had one light on. All the fans that run off the battery were also running.

So just one LED light flickered on one occasion and that's it?

[dearmstr]

Yes. I failed to mention that the light in the shower stopped working a couple of weeks ago and I think that with that light there is a loose connection.

[SkiprJohn]

Can you make it do it again? Does it happen to all the lights that are on at the same time? Is the light in the shower on the same circuit? I know that's a lot of questions but it might help narrow it down. It really sounds as if you have a bad connection.