how to install nav lights?

[Sheizer]

Hi everyone, i want to put nav lights on my jon boat. i want to install a base for bow and stern so i can just drop the lights into the base. do i need to have a toggle switch or just dropping the light into the base will turn it on when i need it? how do i wire the lights to my battery? do i need a fuse or does the bulb act as a fuse?
im a rookie , so thanks for any info you can help me with. this forum is great! ive already learned so much from here! hopefully one day ill be able to help someone out!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: how to install nav lights?

Yes you need a fuse and no - bulbs are not fuses.
Yes you need a switch and it needs to be an ON-OFF-ON (three position) type. Nav lights operate as follows: in the NAV position both the bow and stern lights are on. When you are at anchor only the stern light must be on. That's so oncoming boaters know you are not moving. If you are moving the bow light must be on as it's the red and green that tells other boaters which direction you are going and who has the right of way. Those are regulations. What type of boat do you have? Does it have a fuse panel? Here is a diagram showing how to wire three terminal and six terminal switches. +12 volts comes from the positive terminal of the battery, through a fuse, to the switch, then to the lights. Ground from each light goes to -- well -- ground which is wherever you find it but ultimately that is the negative terminal of the battery.

 

[Don S]

Re: how to install nav lights?

A lot depends on how your jon boat is set up. Do you have a fuse panel, or a switch panel or a helm, or maybe no engine, or you just set a battery in and go. If they are plug in lights, You don't really need a fancy switch setup. I you anchor, you could just un plug the red/green light until you start moving again.

 

[Sheizer]

Re: how to install nav lights?

i have a 1448 grizzly tracker. no fuse panel. ive had to customize everything, and am going to have to customize the nav lights also. what size wire and fuse do i need?

 

[Sheizer]

Re: how to install nav lights?

A lot depends on how your jon boat is set up. Do you have a fuse panel, or a switch panel or a helm, or maybe no engine, or you just set a battery in and go. If they are plug in lights, You don't really need a fancy switch setup. I you anchor, you could just un plug the red/green light until you start moving again.

i have a battery for my fish finder and 2005 johnson 15 hp electric start motor which charges the battery. i have no panel , fish finder- just my wiring to battery with an inline fuse.
thats what i was thinking, plug and unplug the lights as i need them. not sure what kind of wires i need or fuses, or switch.

 

[Don S]

Re: how to install nav lights?

Is this what you have? are those compartements in the back open for use?

 

[Don S]

Re: how to install nav lights?

Personally, I would mount a regular red & green bow light on that flat spot on the bow, and a removable pole white stern light mounted in the starboard box. Even if it had foam in it, just dig a little out for the pole light fitting to set in. Mount a rectangular outdoor electrical box on the side of the box and put a switch in it with a 10A fuse inside the electrical box in a water proof fuse holder. With a flat cover drilled for a switch as in Silvertips drawing, and wires out of the box going to the battery.

 

[Sheizer]

Re: how to install nav lights?

yep, thats my ship!
i have nothing going on with those two areas. your talking about the left and right areas between the bench and transom right?

 

[Don S]

Re: how to install nav lights?

yep, thats my ship!
i have nothing going on with those two areas. your talking about the left and right areas between the bench and transom right?

Yes, if they are empty, put your wiring and fuse inside and just cover them so they don't get damaged.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: how to install nav lights?

Everything you need is available right here on IBoats. 16 gauge wire is fine. Any three or six terminal ON-OFF-ON switch will do.

 

[Sheizer]

Re: how to install nav lights?

Everything you need is available right here on IBoats. 16 gauge wire is fine. Any three or six terminal ON-OFF-ON switch will do.

Thanks!
do i still need a breaker or is there one in the terminal?

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: how to install nav lights?

I know that this isn't the right legal way.

I'm just throwing it out there for you to consider.

If you hook it up so instead of turning the bow light off in the one position and having the stern on (the correct anchor lighting), make it so you can turn your stern light off instead.

This allows you to turn the blinding stern light off when you want and still have the bow light lit.

No it is not the legal way, but I know quite a few people that have it this way and I like it.

You could always just use two switches also.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: how to install nav lights?

We always encourage "illegal" use of safety equipment. Do it right and use it correctly.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: how to install nav lights?

Thanks!
do i still need a breaker or is there one in the terminal?

A switch is a switch -- it is not a circuit breaker or fuse. You use a fuse or circuit breaker -- you don't need both. 7.5 or 10 amp is fine.
Be aware that if you use a three terminal switch you also need the diode (radio shack) shown in the diagram I posted.

 

[Sheizer]

Re: how to install nav lights?

A switch is a switch -- it is not a circuit breaker or fuse. You use a fuse or circuit breaker -- you don't need both. 7.5 or 10 amp is fine.
Be aware that if you use a three terminal switch you also need the diode (radio shack) shown in the diagram I posted.

cool thanks! thats the info i was looking for!

 

[Sheizer]

Re: how to install nav lights?

ok so please forgive me for being a dummy! im not very good with wiring or even electrical, and i think ive got it but just want to make sure.if i use this control panel with built in breakers or fuses with only use for bow nav light and stern light, i mount the lights and run wires to panel and then seperate wires from panel to battery and thats it? some forums guys were talking about a busbar. am i good with the set up i said? i see if i do that on off on switch i need the diode, but the control panel with fuse or breaker looks easy if i have it right.
are fuses or a breaker better than the other in this panel?
again please forgive me for being such a novice

 

[Silvertip]

Re: how to install nav lights?

The problem with panels that include circuit breakers is that they ae generally the wrong size. Fuses can be replaced with the exact required rating. Remember, NAV lights need a special switch if you want to operate them both with one switch so make sure the panel you are thinking about has that switch. If it doesn't you need to use two standard ON-OFF switches (one for the NAV light and one for the ANCHOR light.). Buy a separate fuse panel that includes both a positive and negative buss and you don't need separate buss bars. You can then use whatever switch panel you want and it won't need to have fuses or circuit breakers.

Here is what a typical circuit looks like -- just pretend the light is any device you want it to be. Can't make it any simpler than this

 

[Sheizer]

Re: how to install nav lights?

thanks Silvertip!!