LED under seat lighting installation

[Blahhhster]

Ok, I have exhausted all of my research to no avail on this topic. I am confident the Pontoon community can help me!

Anyway, I have ordered four LED strip lights from Pontoonstuff.com. They are for under the seats. I understand the basics of wiring and how to connect them to the switch. However, I am not sure the best way to connect all of the wires together to run to the center console for the switch. I am hoping I do not have to run each wire separately. Is there a way to some how connect all the wires together under the seat, and then run one wire to the switch? I noticed in some of the stuff online there is mention of a "underdeck light harness" that is shaped like a "V". I don't have anything like that on my boat. I am thinking I need a junction box of some kind maybe??

Looking forward to hearing everyone's input. Pictures or video's are always nice too!

Thanks in advance my fellow Pontooners!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: LED under seat lighting installation

I homerun all the wires from each of my LED lights separately to under my dash and then connect them there with a terminal strip.

I use this to wire each of my LED strips
http://www.genuinedealz.com/16-2-aw...nned-copper-boat-cable-flat-blk-red-by-the-ft

I use terminal strips like these:
http://www.genuinedealz.com/terminal-block-wiring-strip-double-row-20-amp-4-position
and use these jumpers
http://www.genuinedealz.com/terminal-block-jumpers-enclosed-20-amp-5-pack

I then add a wire from the terminal strip to the switch. No soldering is needed except at the LED strip. I use crimp ring connectors at the terminal strip.

The advantage of doing it this way is that it's easier to add additional LED strip down the road.

 

[Blahhhster]

Re: LED under seat lighting installation

Thanks so much for all of the info Bruce! Very helpful.

Couple questions. How do you homerun the wires? Do you run the wires inside the seat, and then drill a hole down in the bottom of the boat, or some other way? It seems like a lot of extra wires underneath the boat. I wish there was some way to connect all the wires together under the seats, and run just one wire back to the dash.

I am thinking radio shack or Home Depot might have a terminal Block.

Anyway, thanks for the input and look forward to hearing what you think!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: LED under seat lighting installation

I run them all under the boat. Drill through the seat and then through the boat floor. I make sure they run behind a cross brace when they go across the boat so they don't get hit with water. They then run parallel with all the other wires back to the helm. I put sealant where the wires are going through the floor.

If you can't get them from a local electrical supply store, order them from the links above. Free shipping.

 

[BigDfromTN]

Re: LED under seat lighting installation

Thanks so much for all of the info Bruce! Very helpful.

Couple questions. How do you homerun the wires? Do you run the wires inside the seat, and then drill a hole down in the bottom of the boat, or some other way? It seems like a lot of extra wires underneath the boat. I wish there was some way to connect all the wires together under the seats, and run just one wire back to the dash.

I am thinking radio shack or Home Depot might have a terminal Block.

Anyway, thanks for the input and look forward to hearing what you think!

I guess you could put your terminal block under one of the seats and run wires to it then a single wire back to helm for switch. Just be sure to cover/protect it to avoid any shorting out of those terminals to any ground.

What has been suggested is a very clean and professional way to do it. You could also connect the wires under the deck and seal the connections with a single wire going to the switch. Much cleaner the first way and with that you can disconnect any one of them if the need were to arise.