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mcbean7 View Drop Down
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    Posted: June-04-2008 at 2:04pm
I want to change my switches that control the bilge pump, lights, and blower to a low profile rocker switch. Currently, I have the toggle switches that stick out about an inch. I'm always bumping bilge/blower/lights on by accident whenever getting out of the driver's seat. Also, the boat is 20 years old and the connections look kinda nasty. I'd like to put on new connections as well.
I went to Radio Shack last night and picked up some rocker switches with illuminated lights.
First question-should these switches be waterproof? If not, will it just cause the unit not to work if the switch gets wet or would it short out other components?
I also noticed the old toggle switches does not have a light on them but there's a light above the switch on the dash indicating when the unit is on. The back of the old toggle switch as two prongs while the back of the new rocker switch has three.
Now, the current wiring goes as follows-there's a wire that goes from the fuse box to one prong in the toggle switch, then there's a two wires linked together that goes from the second prong on the toggle switch (one wire goes to the wiring harness to the unit (blower) the other wire goes to the light on the dash. The indicator light on the dash also has another wire that goes to a junction of wires from all the indicator lights on the dash then one wire going to the voltmeter.
Now, using the new rocker switch, I was able to take the wire from the fuse box and plugged it into the center prong, then I plugged the wire from the harness into another prong. I am able to turn the blower on but cannot get the indicator light to turn on at the same time. When I take the wires from the harness and plugged it into the other prong, the indicator light comes on but the blower does not. Now...there's that one extra wire from the old indicator light from the voltmeter...I took that and tried to plug it into the third prong on the rocker switch. I got electricuted and blew a fuse. I stopped playing around at this point.
Sorry if this is long winded and confusing. I am not good at wiring.
Question-can i use a three prong switch to turn the blower on and have the indicator light on at the same time? How?
If not, I'll go back to a two prong switch and forget about the indicator light. If I go this route, what about the third wire from the old indicator light leading to the voltmeter. Can I just discard this?
Thanks in advance.
Dazed and Confused.
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79nautique View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 79nautique Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 2:20pm
run the third prong to a ground and the light will work on the rocker switch and it really should be marine grade with tinned terminals
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mcbean7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 2:29pm
79-dang...thanks for the quick response. Where can I get rocker switches that's weatherproof? I looked on overtons...they only have weatherproof toggle switches.
Also, what about the third wire from the old indicator light to the voltmeter? Can I just discard this if I take the third prong from the new switch to ground? Also, where's a good place to ground?
Thank you!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8122pbrainard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 2:59pm
Take the Radio Shack switches back!

marine switches at Go2marine

All the old indicator lights in your dash will have a daisy-chained ground running to them. It should be a black wire.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mcbean7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 3:16pm
8122-there is a bundle of black wires from all the indicator lights joined together, then from this bundle there's one wire going to the voltmeter. Is this ground?
Thanks for the link to Go2marine. I'll check them out.
RadioShack switches will be returned.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8122pbrainard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 3:25pm
Yes, all the blacks will be your grounds and one side of the volt meter will be a ground. Now, if you want to be honest with Radio Shack, don't return the one that you popped the fuse on!! Sounds like you connected a hot and a ground to the switch contact. It may have damaged it! There should be markings on the terminals on the back side of the switches. When you get the new ones, post the markings and Chris or I can ID them for you.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mcbean7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 3:51pm
Ok. I don't think I'll bother returning them then. They were just a few bucks. Now, on the Go2marine website, I don't see any rocker switches that's weatherproof. Can I use anyone of them since it's coming from a marine place? I'm thinking about using item #16512.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 79nautique Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 4:08pm
I would leave the old wire to the old indicator light the way it is and just run a new ground for the light function of the switch, it gets it's power from other wires which should be in series with the pos feed. one side of the wiring will always be hot and might be that way all of the time depending whether or not it is keyed to the ignition, blowers, lights and most other items are not keyed to the ignition switch.

if you want both lights to work then you will need the wire from the old indicator to be connected with the wiring harness side of the switch.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mcbean7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 4:33pm
The blower/bilge/lights/horn is not wired to the ignition. I can activate all these units without the ignition key in. If I can get an illuminated switch I do not want the old indicator light hooked up.
In this case-can I unhook the existing bundle of grounds from the existing indicators to the voltmeter and run new grounds from new switches to new bundle to voltmeter for ground?
I just spoke to Greg at Go2marine. He's recommending I use Contura switches for my application. Item #113-221. These are $10.96/switch...ouch. Is this overkill or can I get away with item #16512 ($4.39/switch). Greg said item #16512 is weatherproof also.
What do you guys think?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8122pbrainard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 9:04pm
John, You really shouldn't have asked me which switch to use. I'm very noted for keeping things original so I would have kept the original toggles!! The choice on the rockers really comes down to your budget.

Have you looked at some of the dash wiring diagrams in our ref. section to see if your's is in there? Take a look.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mcbean7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 9:43pm
Pete,
I looked in the reference section but no luck with the dash wiring diagrams. I'm going to do some more research on switches...but may end up putting the original ones back on. I just need to come up with a way to prevent me bumping it on accidentally when getting out of driver's seat.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mcbean7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June-04-2008 at 9:56pm
Hey! I see that I've been promoted to "Groupie" status...cool! lol
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