View Full Version : Help! How to Wire a switch panel
In upgrading the poly im fitting a switch panel.
The Panel i have has 4 toggles.
Behind the panel on the positive connections they are looped together in pairs there is 1 fuse for each side of the panel. Im guessing i need to supply positive power to each of these to give power to all 4 toggles.
Do i need to run 4 individual negative wires from the battery or can i gang up the negatives as the positives are? ie run 2 negs not 4.
Im also guessing that i put a 2 way clip on the end of one of the positives and run 2 wires from this?
I need to run my bilge, nav and anchor lights from the panel and later im going to fit some lights around the console and then use the forth toggle.
I hope you can decipher some of the info i need and point me in the right direction.
The old wiring is dodgy as. I have removed most of it tonight and it was a nightmare of cable running everywhere.
The boat did have 2 switches that pull up fitted. one for the bilge and the other for nav lights. I have fitted the anchor light.
HELP :(:confused::confused:
Pirate Pete
02-12-2009, 21:52
Rayzor posted up a top drawing of how to do the wiring in a boat.
but as the old forums data base was corupted some how that pic doesnt show up. Hopefully he will log on here soon & post it up again.
Bit of a bigger about the other forum. I was trying to do some further research today and found that alot of the images dont work anymore.:(
Pirate Pete
02-12-2009, 22:05
Here is Razors drawing.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee312/Polyboatowner/scan-5.jpg
If you click on reply you will get in the lower part of the screen where the old posts are a blue link to the image. Click on it & download it to your puter & then you can see it.
mmm Nabbed not sure if you got it all confused or I am just not reading it right.
See the picture (yep its bad) below.
Take positive (usually red wire) from battery to one side of switch. Then take red wire from other side of switch to the item you want to power (such as bilge pump) then take earth wire from pump to battery.
Dont take an earth from battery to switch... nasty flash, bang, smoke, fire, burned fingers!
You need to put a fuse in the link on the positive side usually between the power and the switch.
All the switch does is interrupt the power going to the unit.
In the case of the switch panels, you can run one power lead to it and then split the power between each switch. Then run 4 leads off to each item you want to power. This is ok to do, however if you are running something that draws a lot of power such as spot lights, its a good idea to run a separate wire to a switch. This stops the wire from heating up too much and reducing the power to all items.
Hope thats not being too simple for you...?? :rolleyes:
mmm Nabbed not sure if you got it all confused or I am just not reading it right.
See the picture (yep its bad) below.
Take positive (usually red wire) from battery to one side of switch. Then take red wire from other side of switch to the item you want to power (such as bilge pump) then take earth wire from pump to battery.
Dont take an earth from battery to switch... nasty flash, bang, smoke, fire, burned fingers!
You need to put a fuse in the link on the positive side usually between the power and the switch.
All the switch does is interrupt the power going to the unit.
In the case of the switch panels, you can run one power lead to it and then split the power between each switch. Then run 4 leads off to each item you want to power. This is ok to do, however if you are running something that draws a lot of power such as spot lights, its a good idea to run a separate wire to a switch. This stops the wire from heating up too much and reducing the power to all items.
Hope thats not being too simple for you...?? :rolleyes:
As a fitter i make a hopeless sparky.
your drawing is good but doesnt match the wording ot\r is it me not interpreting correctly.
I run the positive to switch then you say other side of switch.
Does this mean run to switch then piggyback off this wire to the item? therefore having 1 positive to switch then run to item?
Thanks Dave your spot on, I think i understand how to wire my switches.
Run positive to the fuse side of the switch then run positive of item to other side of the switch.
Run the negative to the battery from item.
can I fit a buzz bar for the negative as not to run 4 wires to the battery.
I will run 2 seperate wires to the 2 sides of the switch.
Is me understanding correctly?????????
Pretty much got it mate
(When I say pump in the text below, it means any item you may want to run such as lights or radio etc)
To run a pump you need to run a positive to the pump and a negative back to the battery
The switch goes between the battery and the pump. It breaks the power supply to the pump. You also fit a fuse in this line between the battery and the switch.
You can certainly use a bus bar. I have fitted one to my boat under the console near where the switch panel is. That way all electrics are close to each other for fault finding. Make sure you run at least a 6mm wire to the bus bar and then 3-4mm from the bus bar to the pump. One of the biggest problems with electrics especially 12 volt is a thin earth wire.
On my Tri I thought I had a flat battery and used a brand new one. Wouldnt go so got a sparkie to come out and he discovered there was a thin earth wire from motor back to battery. Once I replaced it, no problems.
For wire, go for tinned and try somewhere like battery world.
The wire from supercheap is ok but will fail over time and you cant get the decent 6mm wire. Battery World is a bit expensive but it will pay off. There is no Road Service out on the water.
Here is Razors drawing.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee312/Polyboatowner/scan-5.jpg
If you click on reply you will get in the lower part of the screen where the old posts are a blue link to the image. Click on it & download it to your puter & then you can see it.
For those who are NOT electricians I am happy to help with any wiring concerns. My drawing is for a dual battery 1,2 or both and off switch . I recommend this type as is said no road service where we are going. My wiring goes to a +ve BUS-BAR...... through a fuse....... to a switch...... through the power consuming device.......... and the a black wire ......- veBUS-bar. for small applications you might not have a BUSBAR system so came off the isolator ( always Recommended) directly of the battery through the circuit as above and return to the battery. I hope this helps,Rayzor
if you need a hand in brissie I can knock up a sketch and explain it all. I am an ex sparky and no longer practicing and there is no way you will ever convince me to help you wire it up!!!
My boat needs rewiring at the moment, any takers?
"I am an ex sparky and no longer practicing"
C'mon, Andy, only doctors and lawyers "practice" - sparkies are supposed to know their stuff.
"I am an ex sparky and no longer practicing"
C'mon, Andy, only doctors and lawyers "practice" - sparkies are supposed to know their stuff.
You clearly dont know much about sparkies!! :D
In upgrading the poly im fitting a switch panel.
The Panel i have has 4 toggles.
Behind the panel on the positive connections they are looped together in pairs there is 1 fuse for each side of the panel. Im guessing i need to supply positive power to each of these to give power to all 4 toggles.
Do i need to run 4 individual negative wires from the battery or can i gang up the negatives as the positives are? ie run 2 negs not 4.
Im also guessing that i put a 2 way clip on the end of one of the positives and run 2 wires from this?
I need to run my bilge, nav and anchor lights from the panel and later im going to fit some lights around the console and then use the forth toggle.
I hope you can decipher some of the info i need and point me in the right direction.
The old wiring is dodgy as. I have removed most of it tonight and it was a nightmare of cable running everywhere.
The boat did have 2 switches that pull up fitted. one for the bilge and the other for nav lights. I have fitted the anchor light.
HELP :(:confused::confused:
Nabbed I have done up a schematic for you . Hopefully its pretty straight forward enough. You can probably print it off nad laminate it might help later on.18
Top Stuff Razor printed and saved.
Thanks guys for your help.
Ive wired uhf, sounder, nav lights and anchor lights. They were easy (thanks to good advice)
Now i got scared when i got to the bilge pump/s. The boat has an auto bilge fitted im not sure weather there are 2 or i manually override the auto pump.
there are 5 wires to the original switch. (still in use)
2 are looped together. Neutral im guessing
the switch has 3 positions with the remaining wires to each position.
Any schematic for this one.
:):)
Nabbed sounds like your 3 position switch may be an Auto/manual/off that would probably explain the -Ve being looped. I have a think and see if I can work out the wiring for five wires. A picture would help of the wires and the connections on the switch, but I will do up a schematic for you . Do you hve any more switchs other than this and the four gang plate?
Nabbed after re reading your reply you indicate you may have 2 pumps is that he case running previously off this 3 position switch?
Nabbed I have done up a few schematics that might help you and other PBO's
this is a full auto system found generally in large boats. it has a full auto when the battery isolator is on, both pumps are in auto ,then in the next positions you can select pump1 or pump 2 manually
Pirate Pete
19-12-2009, 08:33
Nabbed I have done up a few schematics that might help you and other PBO's
this is a full auto system found generally in large boats. it has a full auto when the battery isolator is on, both pumps are in auto ,then in the next positions you can select pump1 or pump 2 manually
This is how the pumps in my 5.3 are setup from the factory.
People this is great setup particularly if you camp and moor your boat.Great peace of mind just leave the isolator on and if it rains or leaks everthings OK. Got a call to a mates 8.7 Cougar Cat not set up this way. We got 125 mm of rain and put about 1000litres into the boat. Buit a concern because he also had flat batteries
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