FIY, I spoke with Tech Support at ETA and these illuminated baton thermal overcurrent circuit breakers are no longer available, they haven't produced them for almost 10 years now. They do however have a series of rocker actuated breakers, can be illuminated and are also IP66 rated for splash protection.

You can not buy directly from ETA but need to go through a distributor and most are not stock items but have a 8-10 week lead time. See link for data sheet for the 3131 Series.

http://www.e-t-a.com.au/fileadmin/us...3131-A_ENG.pdf

Did you ask them "if you have not made them in 10 years, then WTF do they still show them on their web pages and spec sheets?"
Few things are more irritating than to either get a manufacturer that is clueless on what their web site shows as available products, or a sales rep that has no idea what they are talking about.
Last time I talked to ETA they sent me to a distributor. They would not sell direct to me.
The distributor was more knowledgable about the products than ETA.
SO
For what it's worth, maybe someone on OSO has a distributor that has old stock and can help a brother out.

For what it's worth, the breakers themselves almost never go bad; it's the plastic housing that becomes brittle and falls apart. It may be possible to retrofit a new housing/toggle onto the existing breaker. On the spec sheet from ETA, the size of the housing is listed. Maybe there's another toggle out there that could give up its switching guts for the thermal breaker?

Just an idea...

An alternative...

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...rcuitbrkr2.php

Hi
i am wondering if you would still have some of those switches, I have been looking to replace some on my 1988 Formula F-26 PC

thank you

I don't think I have any left. I would look at alternatives listed above in post 42, 44, and 45. Great Lakes Skipper is a salvage marine parts company. Find them on the internet or Ebay. They have some of these but what is left is low amperage an NOT illuminated, with black toggles. Maybe can be used for parts as post #44 described.

I can't believe it is impossible to find a suitable replacement.

I need 1 switch check that the switch itself is fine I just need the red toggle. If anyone has a low amp switch they want to part with so I can't just use the parts I need I would truly appreciate it.

I have search and search and have come up empty. I really don't want to replace them all that's an awful lot of work for 1 switch, any help would be much appreciated.

https://s20.postimg.org/69uumc94d/IMG_5499.jpghttps://s20.postimg.org/440jru5nx/IMG_5500.jpg

PM your address and I will send what you need.

Thanks

Following up on this toggle switch thread.
 

Hi, I also have 1987 242ls and I’m having the same toggle switch issue discussed. My breakers are good, but all red buttons broken and no longer work. Was there a resolution found? Would be much appreciated! Thanks.

I eventually wound up replacing them with a lighted version (clear when off, lights red when on) toggle switch and just added an in-line fuse holder. The new switch was screw terminal, and to remedy that I just used a spade to ring terminal available from McMaster.

Toggle switches
 

In line fuse holder, yes, good one. I saw the comments about the ETA’s being breakers and the dangers of not replacing with protection. Are they Carlings you went for? My breakers all seem to be good, aleast for the moment! Thanks...

I have the same issue with my 1990 Formula 26PC where the switches have deteriorated. I found this switch part # on eBay ETA 25 AMP CIRCUIT BEAKER SWITCH 41-10-P10 MARINE BOAT. Any thoughts? I would post a picture or a URL but the website will not allow me since I am new.

ETA toggles
 

Adam,
That is the correct configuration for our older Formula boats. It will work BUT it is not a lighted toggle. When you replace it there will be an extra wire (for lighting) that has nowhere to go. You might be able to use the casing of the Ebay switch to repair your old switch but usually even the guts of old switches are damaged or brittle. I haven't seen a good solution for this yet, aside from rewiring with separate switches and circuit breakers.

Alj,

I appreciate the feedback. Finding these switches have been a pain. I also have an email out to Formula but I will more than likely go with these.

Any switch solution/resolution?

I was able to locate the non-lighted ones on eBay under the search of ETA 25 AMP CIRCUIT BEAKER SWITCH 41-10-P10 MARINE BOAT. They are still there but the forum does not allow URL's to be posted.

I hope that helps.

That for sure helps!!!
Thank you!

Is this the correct switch?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ETA-25-AMP-...cAAOSwoBtW2ooP

That MAY help, THANKS!

My 2 cents; my 1988 sr1 272 had factory non breaker style red lighted toggles. I just replaced all of them with new blue lighted stainless. The blue matched my courtesy and led mood lights in the cockpit.

Here is a photo
 

They work greatphttps://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...290abfff16.jpg

I like

I replaced all mine on my 86 357 SR-1 with carling part number LTILA51-6S-BL-RC-NBL-12V they were direct fit replacements.

Here is another photo (1988 272 sr1)
 

In off positionhttps://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...3652c8303d.jpg

Those look really nice, but where is the circuit protection?

I have wiring diagrams for the my old 242 as well as my 311, and both show the factory using circuit breakers at the switch locations.

I am looking for more "breaker style" lighted toggle switches (1988 F311 SR-1)...mine are fragile and I have exhausted my supply. If there is a more modern toggle/fuse/circuit breaker combo that fits...I'd be interested.
Thanks,
Tom

Formula ETA breaker switches
 

Hey Tom,

Those breakers listed on Ebay are the correct breakers. The Ebay seller is the source that I used previously (many years ago now) to obtain the correct switches. They are local to me. Last time I was at the store, the 25 amp units without lighting were all he had left. The Ebay listed ones are NOT lighted. You could use those and add an additional indicator light above or below each switch. Without going into a total rant as I did a few years back on this thread, I would be very suspect of the claim by Oconnor Marine that his boat did not have the ETA breaker/switch units in his boat when new. Both My F206LS and My F311SR1 have breaker panels under the dash and under the back seat as he claims. NONE of the breakers in those panels specifically protects any of the circuits for the accessories controlled by the dash switches. If Oconnor wants to post pictures of his breaker panels showing that his breakers protect those circuits, I would hope he can post those pictures and put this debate to rest. If he is the original owner he might be correct but it is much more likely that the originals were completely replaced at some point by the much cheaper and plentiful red lighted rocker switches. I think I posted a picture of the two types side by side in this thread before.

Tom, I think one of the best solutions is to do what Oconnor did and then add an additional breaker panel under the dash that has a breaker for each of the dash switches. I did something similar to this on my F402SR1 to replace all the glass fuse panels. It really isn't that big of a job and actually will make the dash switch panels much easier to service. Ask anyone who has tried to get those crowded panels out of the dashboard. That Ebay seller is actually a fantastic source for this kind of thing. No need to go to west marine and buy all the components new and separately. That guy has complete used and surplus panels already loaded with breakers indicator lights and in many cases pre-wired. Its where I bought everything to update my F402 electrical system. He also carries the original panel breakers (I'm not talking about the dash breaker/switches) that Formula used in the underdash and back seat panels. If you wanted to go nuts, find someone who can etch black plastic panels to duplicate the Formula breaker panels but customize them to say Horn, Bilge pump, Dash lights, Navigation lights, etc. I had a panel made locally that replaced the trim and tabs indicator panel inside the glass panel of my indicator to correctly reflect the position and direction that my Kaama drives move (up/down ... not in/out). I have to say that I really like the way those switches look in Oconnor's boat but until my switch/breakers take a crap, I'm not going to make the complete changeover. I'm also never going to take a chance of burning my boat down!

Regards ,, Al J

Mine is all Carling with a ATO panel under the dash. Simple and clean. I wouldn’t want to do anything with the originals. They’re dated and break too easily.

This site was recommended to me for the switches. I have not ordered any yet so I cannot comment on quality or service.
https://www.alliedelec.com/product/s...78-2/71361091/

Yep, Tom You are dead on and have done it right! I just reviewed this entire thread and I'm not the only one speaking from experience. Everyone should read this entire thread. I got off lucky with my F402. Opie... well not so much but he saved the boat and didn't get hurt! I don't understand why anyone wouldn't heed the wrong advice. Even more important ... why would someone spread information that could end up hurting someone. End of rant!
:cool:

Whoa........ Glenamy!!!!!! WE HAVE A WINNER! That is a breaker switch!!!! Now, do they make it lighted? Do they make it in different amperages? HOORAYY!:evilb:

Glenamy hit the jackpot!!! If you click on his link you can see what that distributor has, which is an unlighted Breaker/switch. on that page there is a link to "datasheet". Click that and you get the Airpax catalog for that switch range. They make plain switches, two pole, Breaker/switches of a couple types and the can be specified as LIGHTED! They appear to be smaller physically than our ETA breaker/switches which will be very welcome. I need to look more closely at the specs but Glenamy, you are our new hero.

We should consider a group buy if these truly do work! From my experience, usually the electronics manufacturers and these distributors will only sell in quantity of each item requested. (it won't be mix and match) They supply OEM's like Formula. So they will want a minimum (think 50 or 100) of a "two pole - lighted - red light - 20amp - breaker switch. Another quantity of (50 or 100) two pole - lighted - red light -10amp - breaker switch. And so on. But buying in those quantities, the per unit price will be cheap.
Food for thought

Man, I need a life!!:chill-pill:

I'm way too excited. Must be the sheltering in place.

my 1988 sr1 272 with factory merc racing 320 efis was a special order. I have all the build sheets on my boat and the switches from the factory were NOT breaker types. Thats a fact. I do have button breakers for all under the dash and under the rear bench from the factory.

I too am enthusiastic about this find. The distributor shows the unlit for ~$18 with single unit purchasing. :-)

I also have a 272 with the factory "Merc Racing 320 EFI" engines and my boat does in fact have the factory breaker switches on the dash . It is very unlikely that Formula would modify the main cockpit/cabin wiring much at all between the different engine packages unless where necessary. Like others have said, it is much more likely that a previous owner has already swapped the switches to something different prior to you owning the boat.

Pics of Oconnor's breaker panels under the helm and back seat????? That will put this to rest.