Navigation lights

[Walleyeguy28]

Hi i have a 14 foot aluminum boat with a sc in it it has a switch for nav lights and im trying to hook them up its a pull switch the stern light Base has two black wires on it and the wires have three going to the battery two black one white?

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome aboard.

Does the pull switch have two or three positions? Off/On or Off /On/On.

 

[Walleyeguy28]

It has three screws or tabs on the back of it yes so im guessing its a on off on off

 

[GA_Boater]

Push the switch in and count how many times it clicks pulling it all the way out.

 

[Walleyeguy28]

It clicks twice

 

[GA_Boater]

So it's Off in and On pulled out. All you will have is Nav lights, which are the bow light and the stern light. Does the switch have any wires connected?

Gonna start with the stern light first. Bear in mind I can't see what you have. One of the stern light wires should be connected to the negative battery post. The other wire should go up toward the switch. See if you have something like that before we go on.

 

[Walleyeguy28]

The switch has wires conntected to it .the wires did not cone connected to it

 

[Walleyeguy28]

The wires that are coming from the switch there is two black one white and two black wires coming frome the base for the stern light.

 

[GA_Boater]

What about the wires for the stern light?

 

[Walleyeguy28]

Theres two on the base that come with it when you buy the base

 

[Scott Danforth]

your over complicating it. your bow light has 2 wires, your stern light has 2 wires. your switch has 3 wires.

all marine lighting comes with both leads. chassis ground is a no no in marine wiring. it will dissolve your aluminum boat in a matter of months (electrolysis)

your switch has 3 positions, off, stern light only, and stern light AND bow light. your switch is only switching the 12 volt side (not the ground)

from your battery, 2-wires of adequate size for your lights (16 gauge should be fine) to a fuse and terminal strip (12 volt is fused, ground goes to common terminal strip)
from the fuse, a wire to the common terminal on the switch
from the switch, one remaining wire to the bow light, one remaining wire to the stern light
the extra wires on each the bow and stern return to the ground terminal switch.

since your light switch has 3 wires, and one wire is a different color, that wire will be the common (goes to the fuse)

simply google navigation light wiring if you are still confused.

 

[Walleyeguy28]

Ive tryed googling nav light wiring nothing helped

 

[Scott Danforth]

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...agrams-how-to-s-and-other-helpful-information

https://www.google.com/search?q=2-p...osition+push+pull+light+switch+wiring+diagram

 

[Scott Danforth]

you have to be specific about a google search. are you searching "navigation light wiring" or "2-position push pull navigation wiring diagram"

if you have the manufaturer of the switch, google that, you will find the specific diagram for the switch. my guess is that since it has leads on it, and if it has been dipped in epoxy, it would be a cole hersee switch.

 

[Walleyeguy28]

I thought it would have been easy for someone on this site to help me out i guess not!

 

[StingrayMike]

After reading the thread, I am abit confused.
Do you have a sternlight base with 2wires and a sternlight with 3?
if so, more likely the sternlight has 2 bulbs. It would not be a stern light, but a combo for nav/anchor.
each black for a bulb, then a common for both.
pics would really help out to see what your are dealing with.

 

[Walleyeguy28]

It has has bulb the base has to wires and then three wires coming from the counsil

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,.... At the switch, one wire will be power from the battery,....

One wire will be powered at the 1st click, that goes to one of the wires on the stern light base, the other wire on the stern light base is run to ground,...

The 3rd wire on the switch goes to one of the wires on the bow light, then other wire on the bow light goes to ground,...

The switch carries Power, not any grounds,....

 

[GA_Boater]

I thought it would have been easy for someone on this site to help me out i guess not!

It is very easy when those trying to help know what is trying to accomplished. Information flow is a two way street.

Do you have any working Nav lights right now?

Are you replacing an existing anchor light with a new one or adding an anchor light for the first time. The reason for this is you have existing wiring or you will be adding wiring.

Here is a diagram which I think matches your switch. It is missing one thing - The positive feed to the switch needs a fuse. Also the wire colors don't match BIA standards - Red is +12 volts and Black is negative in the diagram.

If you have a single bow light, only one wire will be used instead of separate wires as in the diagram.

You're welcome!

 

[Walleyeguy28]

I have existing lights and wireing on the boat but im repkacing the stern light putting in a new base .