Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

[FishinInMizzou]

I have an 87 20' Lowe Pontoon - it was wired by the mad-wirer. There's more spaghetti under the console than you can shake a stick at. I am starting with the basics - getting the lights working. I will do my best as a new wire-guy to explain where I am at.
I have good wire into the console - I touch a hot in the fusebox and the light works. I have pulled the factory double throw switch out of the top of the console - it has 3 males on each side - with the middle on the right having a double male in the middle for two wires; on the left side the top two males have double prongs for two wires - this is all from the perspective of looking at the switch installed. Currently, there are wires on both doubles on the left and one wire on the top and middle on the right. If I put the test light on a hot wire, in the up position, the top two prongs on the right side light. In the down position, the top two on the left light the light. But when I hook my test light to a ground, NONE of them light up. Written on the panel above where the switch installs it says "..... Nav. lights" on the bottom side it says "Anc".

Nothing works, so I can't unhook something to figure out what is what. Do I have to start unplugging and plugging and testing (it is a real bear to get at the back of the switchs), or does someone know what these prongs on the switch are - it seems to me that if I ground the light, one of the prongs should light the test light as the hot when the circuit is completed. I could sure use some input here.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

Hard to decifer your descriptions. The light switch is a single-pole double-throw switch. You should have voltage on the common and on the stern light side when the switch is on ANC or NAV. There will be a diode between the the two poles so you should have voltage on the NAV pole only when in the NAV pole.

Hope this helps.

 

[FishinInMizzou]

Re: Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

That's a start - three poles on each side - with the light wire connected to the switch - no lights. When I put the switch in the up position - nav lights - and put my test light on the hot in the fuse box, the top two poles light the light in the tester. When pushed down to anchor, the top two poles on the left side work.

I am trying to decide which is the hot - hooking the test light to the ground and touch the hot on the switch should light up test light shouldn't it? None of the five wires going into the switch light up when I do this.

I know I have to do this one step at a time. Is there a book that explains how these on/off/on switches work? I know the three toggles are original equipment. I am tackling one at a time.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

A diode is not needed on that style of switch. Here is a typical Nav/Anchor switch wiring diagram.

 

[FishinInMizzou]

Re: Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

S.M. - thanks for the diagram - some of us need the pictures. My switch is the flat rather than standard toggle - same function I'm sure. Mine has a double post on the two top prongs on each side (giving four places to plug wires on the two prongs) - on my boat, the one on the left has 2 wires doubled on the left top prong and a wire on the middle prong. On the right side there is one on each of the top two prongs. Based on the diagram, I should be able to connect my light to a ground and if the hot is good, it would light the test light on the middle prong, correct?


Ken

/////
Catching is better than fishing
/////

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

S.M. - thanks for the diagram - some of us need the pictures. My switch is the flat rather than standard toggle - same function I'm sure. Mine has a double post on the two top prongs on each side (giving four places to plug wires on the two prongs) - on my boat, the one on the left has 2 wires doubled on the left top prong and a wire on the middle prong. On the right side there is one on each of the top two prongs. Based on the diagram, I should be able to connect my light to a ground and if the hot is good, it would light the test light on the middle prong, correct?


After rereading your original post, it is obvious that you have the same switch that SilverTip diagramed.

The ground wire on your test light should always remain on a known good ground wire.

I can think of only two reasons to have double plugs on the switch. On the middle common side of the switch, someone may have picked up a hot wire to run something else.

Dash lights are always connected to the Nav light wire.

Good luck

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

You are not using the test light in a logical manner. Determine first "what" you want to verify. If all you want to verify is that 12 volts is getting TO the switch, then yes, connect the test light to ground and touch either of the two center terminals (assuming they are tied together as shown in the diagram). If the test light lights, 12 volts is present AT the switch. Now then -- this diagram is just one way of wiring NAV/ANC lights. It is not the ONLY way.
Now that you have determined 12 volts is present at the switch, set the switch to the ANC or NAV position. Now test the appropriate terminals to see if +12 volts is going THROUGH the switch. If it is, move to the light itself. Remove the bulb and check at the socket. If the light has a removable mast, pull it and check the mast socket. If you have power through the switch but not at the light or mast socket, the problem is with the wire between the two, or the ground. Troubleshooting electrical issues is far simpler if you start at the head end of the circuit and follow the current until you lose it. That's where the problem is. You can also start at the end of the circuit and work backwards until you find power.

 

[FishinInMizzou]

Re: Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

Thanks everyone for their input. I knew the line from the light to the console and lines from the bow were good. I got hot to the switch - set it up with aft light on both sides of the switch and running lights on the top of the toggle. Now the next questions.............

 

[justme1959]

Re: Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

S.M. - thanks for the diagram - some of us need the pictures. My switch is the flat rather than standard toggle - same function I'm sure. Mine has a double post on the two top prongs on each side (giving four places to plug wires on the two prongs) - on my boat, the one on the left has 2 wires doubled on the left top prong and a wire on the middle prong. On the right side there is one on each of the top two prongs. Based on the diagram, I should be able to connect my light to a ground and if the hot is good, it would light the test light on the middle prong, correct?


Ken

/////
Catching is better than fishing
/////

I would love to have a copy of that diagram!

 

[jamoke]

Re: Help with Wiring - 87 Suntracker Pontoon

I would love to have a copy of that diagram!

Not sure what the original posted diagram looked like, but this might help:

Nav-Stern Light Switch Diagram