Carver Riviera - navigation/interior lights not working (?)

[MikeL77]

Hello:
I have a 1987 Carver Riviera and the navigation and interior lights are not working. There are separate circuits for each in the fuse panel. I do electrical work on my home, i.e. install sub-panels, circuit breakers, etc., but I am an utter novice with boats. Where do I even begin? Are there circuit breakers or fuses that may need replacing in the electrical panel itself? Shore power is working, and my receptacles all work, as well as most gauges on the operating console. A little hinky, but I am planning on cleaning up the ground points.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike L.

[waybomb]

Check for voltage in and out of the breaker and then in and out of the switch. Could be corroded ground as well.

[mjk1040]

All OEM lights on ur boat should be 12 volt. You have a breaker off or fuse blown.

[Viper]

Are all other 12 volt house systems working?

[MikeL77]

Other 12 volt systems are working. Where are the fuses? Behind the electrical panels? What kind of fuses are they?
I'll start taking things apart soon. Should I disconnect the grounds from the batteries before messing around?
Thanks!

[waybomb]

Or first boat was an 88 2807.
I do not remember any fuses installed by carver. Everything was on breakers.
You have a switch for panel lighting on your helm check for voltage at the back. Four little screws hold on that aluminum piece the switch is mounted on. You can pull that little panel and check. If no voltage pull the dc panel out and check for voltage on the back of the breaker.
You could have a bad breaker

[Viper]

Ya you have to start at one end of the circuit and work your way back. Funny that both circuits failed. Almost seems like they may share a common ground that has failed. Did both circuits fail at the same time?

[MikeL77]

Do not know when the lights failed. I bought the boat with the lights not functioning. I'll get my tester out, and start taking things apart. Will focus on grounds, and breakers.

[Viper]

Don't rule out the wall switches if applicable. I also ran into a small boat purchase with the same problem, no cabin lights worked so I figured it was a control or wiring issue common to all the lights. Went to the usual diagnostics, nothing. Lastly, I found every bulb was burnt out out. The owner contacted the previous owner and found out that he just never bothered replacing them as they failed! Typical pending sale way of thinking (don't spend any money fixing). Don't assume anything, start with the simple things first.

[Viper]

Mike, did you find the fault?