wiring issues

[Tanksmydog]

Hey! I am having a couple issues with my light and horn that is most likely a wiring problem. I am rewiring the boat due to the crappy job someone else did before. I hook the pos and neg to the correct battery terminals and both work great, BUT when I hook the switch and then add the power wire(and neg too) it works when the switch is in the off position but when I switch it on it sparks and smokes as though I was jumping a wire across the battery. I need help quickly, I have been working on the boat all summer and would like to take the boat out at least once this year.

A little info on the boat...It is a 14 ft fiberglass Duo(closed bow)...It has a 50 hp it.

Also does anyone have a jackplate for sale or that can be easily made that will hold up for several years? Thank you for looking and for all the help in advance!

 

[fdmsiv]

Re: wiring issues

Do you have fuse between the battery and the switch? If not, get one ASAP.

Where are the sparks and smoke coming from, the lights, horn, battery and switch?

Have you tried a switch that you know works 100%?

 

[Tanksmydog]

Re: wiring issues

No fuse between battery and switch but will put on in there right away...Switch is good...And the smoke/sparks are coming from where I touch the wire to the battery when I switch the switch on. THE SPARKS ARE NOT COMING FROM THE BATTERY FROM THE WIRE TO THE BATTERY. THere is nothing wrong with the switch, battery or horn/light. I am using the negative side of the battery but do I need an additional ground?

 

[springhead]

Re: wiring issues

Tanksmydog, you have the positive and negative hooked up to the switch.
no good, thats why when you turn it on it sparks.
try this


pos---> off position of switch,
on position of switch----> horn and or lights,
horn or lights-----> negative

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: wiring issues

i have built several jack plates, for $60. start a thread here.
http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=11

 

[Tanksmydog]

Re: wiring issues

Springhead I dont quite understand...could you please explain a little more indepth? Thanks

 

[Silvertip]

Re: wiring issues

Here is a basic circuit from the battery to the fuse panel (or individual fuse) to the switch, then to the device, and back to the battery. Negative wires are NEVER connected to a switch. A switch is like a water faucet -- to opens and closes the flow of current in the POSITIVE line to a device.

 

[Tanksmydog]

Re: wiring issues

Thank You!!!