LED's

[Joseignacio]

I just installed three LEDs lamp on my boat's deck. The lights go on very low as soon as the battery switch is turned. They become bright when the switch for them is turned on. Are LEDs supposed to stay a bit on even when the switch is off??

 

[Toxarch]

Re: LED's

There's a problem with the wiring or the switch. The LEDs should be off when the switch for them is off.

 

[Point man]

Re: LED's

did you buy LED lights? or build them yourself? Are the lights run in parrallel or series?Also, are you sure that switch is designed for DC?

 

[Joseignacio]

Re: LED's

OK, Thanks.

It should be the switch. I have a positive straight from the fuse box to the switch and from the switch to the lights. Still there is a small amount of electricity going by when off.

 

[Joseignacio]

Re: LED's

I bought them at a marine store. They are wired in series. The switch was bought at Bass Pro Shops on their boating accessories area.

 

[PolishPrince]

Re: LED's

Wired in series ? Really? I think it would be better to wire them in parallel.
Do you have a ground wire to them, or are you using the metal of the boat (if it's metal) as a ground source?

 

[Joseignacio]

Re: LED's

I have a ground wire from the fuse box running through them. Not metal boat ground.

 

[Splat]

Re: LED's

Something here is wired incorrectly and your back feeding.

The positives from each light should run back the the accessory lug on the switch. The negatives of each light will run to your ground block.

The positive lug on the switch will run to a 12vdc power source,

if your using a lighted switch there will be also be a ground terminal on the switch. This terminal will run to the ground location as well, not to the ground on the lights.

are you wired like this?

Bill

 

[Joseignacio]

Re: LED's

There are three LED lamps. Each lamp has a black and a red wire. I extended the black wire from lamp to lamp until it reached the ground (-) on the fuse box. A positive wire goes straight from the fuse box to one of the two switch connector. I also extended the red wire on each lamp from one to the other until it reached the other connector on the switch.

 

[Splat]

Re: LED's

Ok. Those are wired in paralelle.

Wired in series would be positive to negative to positive to nagative ect.....

Assuming you don't have a chafed wire feeding the lights the next culprit to check is the switch.
Two ways you can do this:
Connect to a different switch and see if the problem goes away. If it does then your switch has a bad terminal inside and is not properly opening the circuit.

The better way is if you have a multi meter. One probe on each terminal. Turn switch on, meter should read 0. Turn the switch off the meter should read infinity or open, on a digital meter this will normally look like a 1 .

Bill

 

[Joseignacio]

Re: LED's

I will try and let you know.

Thanks.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: LED's

If your meter reads continuity (possible has a speaker picture) then it should beep when the switch is closed (on) and do nothing at all when the switch is open (off)

 

[bruceb58]

Re: LED's

did you buy LED lights? or build them yourself? Are the lights run in parrallel or series?Also, are you sure that switch is designed for DC?

There is no difference between a DC switch and an AC switch.

 

[Joseignacio]

Re: LED's

I don't have a meter but the switch was changed and the problem persists.....

 

[j_martin]

Re: LED's

There is leakage across the switch. It sounds like you have a switch with an incadescent (filament) lamp indicator in it, and some current is getting through that, slightly lighting the LED's. If it's wired right, that shouldn't happen, but this whole thread has been to find out which wire is wrong.

If that's not the case, perhaps a little salty dirt is allowing some current to get by the "off" switch. It only takes a few thousanths of an amp to make an LED glow dimly.

hope it helps
John

 

[Joseignacio]

Re: LED's

The lamps are new (3) and the wiring is new also. This started happening right after completing the installation. I tried another brand new switch and still happening.....

 

[Splat]

Re: LED's

Ok, assuming that your switch is wired correctly. Your backfeeding through the negative/ground block. A incorrectly wired illuminated switch can cause a problem like this.

You'll nedd to place a meter on the VDC setting and one lead on the ground block, the other on the negative battery terminal to confirm this. If veltage is present then you'll know for sure.

Better yet pull positive wire going to the leds off the back of the switch from the accessory terminal and see if the Led's still light with the battery switch on.

I would start pullinf battery connections and cleaning them at this point. Could be as siple as that.

Bill

 

[Joseignacio]

Re: LED's

I will try today.

Thanks

 

[Joseignacio]

Re: LED's

Well, I believe we have finished this issue......
After trying the 3rd switch........it worked !!
All these other switches were new and were also letting electricity go through.
Thank you for working with my to fix this issue !!!

 

[Splat]

Re: LED's

I was pretty sure it was a switch issue, but its wierd to have 2 bad ones in a row.

Glad we could help get it resolved.

Let us know if anything else pops up

Bill