lights wiring

[breton26]

I have a switch for my lights that is off/on/on. What wires get hooked to the back? I know one is ground and one is power but what is the third for? Thanks

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: lights wiring

I know that a off-on-on lighting switch should have 1 hot lead--- 1 lead to bow red&green light--- and 1 lead to the white stern light socket.

 

[breton26]

Re: lights wiring

Which lights come on when? Is it Off/Stern/bow-stern

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: lights wiring

Do not hook up a ground wire to that switch or as soon as you turn it on it will blow the fuse (assuming you have one) It's been so long since I had one of those kind of switches, I think first position turns on only the stern light and the second position turns both on.

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: lights wiring

Unles times have changed. R&G are running and White is at anchor. With todays Cigarrettes racing at night with NO lights to see where they are going, I put all the lights on for the drunks at + 60 mph in the dark. As if they gave a crap about anybody but themselves.

 

[Peter J Fraser]

Re: lights wiring

You need to check the operation of the switch.<br />It may be centre OFF also.<br />Nav lights on in one direction and Anchor only (360 deg)in the other direction.<br />Your NAV lights are Port (Red) and Stbd (Green) and you may or may not need a Stern Light (White 135 deg).<br />Your boat can display a 360 degree white light on the masthead along with your Nav lights when you are making way.<br />When you are stationary Anchor light ONLY is displayed.<br /><br />Peter

 

[Perfidiajoe]

Re: lights wiring

Your switch off- on- on should be wired so first position on is your anchoring light, (sometimes also the stern light) the second on should be all running lights, bow & stern. These switches are used when you have the same light for anchoring , & stern. Joe

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: lights wiring

Bow red and green, should be on with the white stern light in the 3rd poosition. I run all the time in that light combo. It gives others the most lights to make out the shape and direction of where you are anchored or the direction you are traveling to.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: lights wiring

cyclops2...you shouldn't really have all lights on while anchored. Should have an all round white light hence the term "Anchor light". Only have all on while running hence the term "Running lights".

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: lights wiring

Originally posted by Boatin Bob:<br /> cyclops2...you shouldn't really have all lights on while anchored. Should have an all round white light hence the term "Anchor light". Only have all on while running hence the term "Running lights".

What you say is exactly correct, but I'm not sure of the harm in having all running lights on. Is there a down-side to it?

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: lights wiring

Probably not except when I see a red or green with a stern light I assume the boat is moving and I can tell which direction from the color I see so I would adjust my course accordingly. As far as the regs go I'm not sure if it's even legal to have all running lights on while anchored?

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: lights wiring

It is not a fineable offense. How good are you at judging distance in a pitch black night with only the white lite on? NO one has any ability to judge the distance then with only 1 reference point. STUPID laws by a person who never rides in pitch black darkness.

 

[ScottG76]

Re: lights wiring

Don't mean to hijack the thread, however since your talking about nav lights I was wondering how many amps the switch should be rated at and what size fuse to use?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: lights wiring

Those lights take about a 1A or less each so a 5A fuse is fine.