How do I install LED lights

[SWINDLE]

]Hello, I would like to install a total of four LED lights in my boat (exterior lights ) two of the light will be placed towards the bow and the other two lights will be placed aft midship.

1. How do I connect all four lights together
2. Is their a way to turn the front and rear lights on seperate and then have all four on at once
3. Can I connect all four lights to one acc. rocker switch
4. What type of connectors should I use

Thanks for all your help

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: How do I install LED lights

]Hello, I would like to install a total of four LED lights in my boat (exterior lights ) two of the light will be placed towards the bow and the other two lights will be placed aft midship.

1. How do I connect all four lights together
2. Is their a way to turn the front and rear lights on seperate and then have all four on at once
3. Can I connect all four lights to one acc. rocker switch
4. What type of connectors should I use

Thanks for all your help

1. Wire all lights in parallel to connect them all together.
2. Separate light switching requires seperate switches, unless you want to use a double throw switch in which case its either front or rear...then all four. Its simpler to use separate switches.
3. Yes assuming you do not exceed the rating of the switch, but not if you want complete seperate control...if so see answer 3.
4. What voltage? If its 12 volts then use the proper wire sized connectors that fit your lights and switches.

To answer your question in more detail we need more information on connector type, LED power draw and voltage etc.

 

[jtexas]

Re: How do I install LED lights

Be advised, you need LED light fixtures that are already configured for 12 volt installation, or else you'll have to calculate resistor values and assemble your own.

Also, polarity matters with LED's (unlike regular light bulbs) -- your fixtures have (+) and a (-) posts that have to be connected to 12V and ground, respectively.

The connection for one rocker switch goes like this: from your fuse panel to one of the posts on the switch; from the other switch post a separate wire to each of the light fixture (+); from each of the light fixture (-) to any good ground (engine block or battery (-)).

If you don't have an empty slot on the fuse panel, go from the battery (+) using a ring terminal, add an inline fuse holder, and from there to the switch.

Use only stranded copper wiring, preferably marine grade tinned copper, with a large enough gauge to handle the load. Individual LED's generally draw very little current, but when combined into large fixtures the load could be considerable.

Connections should be crimped, or crimped and soldered, but not solder-only. You can seal 'em with heat-shrink if you are so inclined.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How do I install LED lights

Here is a very simple two light circuit. The arrows denote direction of current flow. Red is positive & black is ground. You can have one light, two, lights, three, four, or a dozen lights in parallel if you wish. One switch will control however many lights are on that circuit. Add more switches if you want to separate the lights. One per switch, two per switch, three per switch, etc. The glass fuse shown is for reference only -- since the feed in this example comes from the fuse panel you don't need another fuse.

 

[SWINDLE]

Re: How do I install LED lights

Thanks for the great diagram, but if my boat does not have a fuse panel could I just use the inline fuse as shown in the diagram

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How do I install LED lights

That's why it is shown. Yes - all circuits should be fused, either with in-line style fuses or via a fuse panel.