Boat wiring - switch panels/fuse boxes/bus bar
Hello all,
I am in the process of installing an all round white light to my boat.
I currently have an 6 switch panel (with red light in each rocker) and a fuse strip with a row of spade fuses and what looks like a bus bar. My sounder, GPS and radio don't use a switch. As this boat was wired before, I'm trying to work out the method for this madness. When I get the new all round white light it is just simply going to have a + and - wire from it.
The switches currently serve:
1. nav lights
2. bilge pump
3. bait pump
4. accessory (cigarette adaptor)
5. anchor light
6. cabin light
I would like to connect it up to the nav lights so all 3 lights will come on with the flick of the switch as I have no more spare switches.
Any help would be appreciated
Chris
kempy
Posts: 810
Date Joined: 28/05/09
I would hook up the radios
I would hook up the radios etc to the accessory one and the white light to the cabin light because when your moored up you wont have your nav lights on.
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Rob H
Posts: 5807
Date Joined: 18/01/12
whats the difference between
whats the difference between your all round white light and anchor light?
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D_d_001
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 09/03/13
what kempy said is good,you
what kempy said is good,
you don't want to have the traveling lights on when moored and you also don't also want white lights on (always) when travelling.
Except :what I would do (if Im reading this right) is take off the accessory switch and run it straight through (if it doesn't have a fuse put one in)
the accessory (cigarette lighter) will just work when it is plugged in like every car out there. mine works like this.
then just put the lights on the spare switch.
Edit: think I read it wrong thought you were getting some sort of deck lights. but you are talking about anchor (all round whit lights yes?) so as rob indicates same.
kempy
Posts: 810
Date Joined: 28/05/09
I was thinking the all round
I was thinking the all round white light was one to light up the deck etc.
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Open 7 days except when we are fishn For all your auto electrical needs
Rob H
Posts: 5807
Date Joined: 18/01/12
yeah he may have meant a
yeah he may have meant a deck flood?
On most small boats the all round white light doubles as anchor light and masthead/stern with the nav (red/green) lights when underway, so long of course as it is higher than the nav lights which it normally would be.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
hornet42
Posts: 179
Date Joined: 24/07/12
Free up 2
I've put my Anchor and deck (led) lights on same switch if you don't do sleep overs and run accessorys with no switch. Over head cab light with it's own on off switch
PB Dhu 850 mm Pink 820mm
ctan1968
Posts: 142
Date Joined: 12/04/13
Nav Lights
Hi guys, I was under the impression that during travel, you needed an all round white light central to your red/green navs (probably at highest point of boat).
My boat came with a removeable rear starboard corner (600mm removeable) white light which is what I thought was an anchor light- as the name suggests, the light to be on during anchor at night. Surely that cannot be used as an all round white light during travel.
Paul H
Posts: 2104
Date Joined: 18/01/07
The all round white light at
The all round white light at the highest point is the anchor light. Some boats also have a secondary anchor light at the rear so boats travelling directly behind came see you and don't run up the back of you (sometimes the driver or other object may obscure the normal one from behind). Mine has the two - one high up and one on the rear of the boat. Wire them both to the same switch (anchor light).
Wire any deck lighting to a separate switch or your choice.
Cheers
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Rob H
Posts: 5807
Date Joined: 18/01/12
When underway using engines
When underway using engines there should be a white light visible in all directions.
On a survey vessel this is usually a sector light of 120deg (from memory) for a sternlight and a masthead (or steaming) light.
For all intents on a small vessel the all round light serves the same purpose. A red or green alone without a white visible forward shows a yacht under sail alone
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Paul H
Posts: 2104
Date Joined: 18/01/07
Good point Rob - Anchor
Good point Rob - Anchor light is probably not the best description as an all round white light must be on when at anchor but whilst underway you should have the "anchor" and red/green navigation lights operating.
See a lot of boats underway here in SA with just the port/starboard lights on at times. Hard to spot in amongst a number of red/green channel marker lights.
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scubafish
Posts: 962
Date Joined: 15/08/12
May help
http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/navigational_lights.asp
http://img.gg/BQ91Sys
ctan1968
Posts: 142
Date Joined: 12/04/13
Lights
Thanks for the input fellas.
Just bought an LED all round white light which will be mounted near the top of rocket launchers.
Thanks again
Chris