Need Help With Switch Wiring
 

OK,

As an electrical engineer I can't believe I have to ask this question but my boat is in storage and I'm lazy.

I need to replace my anchor/nav light rocker and I need to decipher how they most likely wired it Here's the lowdown of the on-off-on switch:

on1 = Rear anchor light and dash/gauge illumination
on2 = rear anchor light, dash/guage illumination and front nav light

I'm assuming it's going to be a SPDT type switch (5 posts) with the dash/gauge illumination wired in parallel with the rear anchor light on one of each output. The nav light would be on one of the other outputs and then one would be left open?

Any input or should I just wait till the damn thing gets out of storage and look at it?

Re: Need Help With Switch Wiring
 

ussually they are 6 post

Re: Need Help With Switch Wiring
 

Get on that is water proof, or put a boot over it. BBB

Re: Need Help With Switch Wiring
 

6-post?

Re: Need Help With Switch Wiring
 

N/M

I had a Polish moment there for a second. Would have to be a DPDT with both inputs tied to +12V. Run one side of both switches to the anchor light in parallel with the illumination circuit and one side of one of the switches to the nav lights (bow light).

That should get me the desired result.

Re: Need Help With Switch Wiring
 

Taking what you said word for word:
on1 = Rear anchor light and dash/gauge illumination
on2 = rear anchor light, dash/guage illumination and front nav light

You can wire it just fine with a SPDT switch.....just take the anchor wire.....split it into a "Y" and throw a diode on the nav light wire side to keep the wire from back feeding the nav lights when you don't need them.

Now I'm not sure what kind of anchor light you have.....but on my 30' scarab the anchor light was two part....half shining forward and half shining backwards. When under way with nav lights on the front half of the anchor light was on, along with the transom light. Then when anchored all lights off except the anchor light and both half's on to illuminate 360* in this case the DPDT switch was used. One half of the switch terminals from top to bottom were wired with the top terminal hooked to nav lights and transom light....middle terminal wired to power...and bottom terminal wired to the rear light of the anchor light.
The other half of the switch had the top and bottom terminals wired to the front anchor light half and the middle terminal to power. Hope that helps :)

Re: Need Help With Switch Wiring
 

Gotcha, I was thinking about the diode when I was drawing the diagram at my desk. My anchor light is a full 360 power retract light.

I think I got this one figured out.

Now how about dimmers? My dimmer has crapped the bed as well. I can dim my dash/gauge and interior lights using a momentary on-off-on but have no idea what sort of "box" does the dimming.

Re: Need Help With Switch Wiring
 

That definitely sounds like a sweet set up :eureka: