ANC OFF NAV switch wiring

san dimas

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Hello everyone. My navigation switch (on, off,on), only has 3 terminal connections. How do I hook this up so that the navigation lights work as the should. Thanks.
 

san dimas

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I found a schematic off an earlier post from 2eagles. Thank you very much 2eagles!
 

san dimas

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One more thing. When the switch is in the off position the anchor light is lit. The switch tests fine using an ohm meter so I don't know how this light can be on. Any ideas?
 

NYBo

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Best guess: The diode is hooked up incorrectly. Post a picture or diagram of how the switch is wired.
 

UncleWillie

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Is what you're really saying is the Anchor light is on in ALL positions?
Is the Diode between the Upper and Lower Terminals?
... NOT the Center and Upper!
 
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san dimas

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The anchor light is on when the switch is in the off and anchor positions. When the switch is in the NAV position I have only the bow light on. The diode was connected from the top terminal to the bottom terminal. The center terminal is power only. Unfortunately I removed the diode before I saw which direction it was installed. I was a little ignorant of diodes until now. The good news is , I'm learning a lot!
 

UncleWillie

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What you have now is Bow-Anc-Anc, Never Both?

What you have going on, seems impossible on the surface, but it is happening anyways. Something is not wired the way you intended.

Reversing the Diode would produce Bow-Off-Both, instead of Both-Off-Anc. A minor error.

Let's assume Nothing.... With the Diode removed .... Does NAV=Bow Light and ANC=Stern Light Only?
In the OFF Position... All OFF? ... and with a Meter, confirm 12v power is truly on the CENTER Terminal. No Swapped Wires?
 

san dimas

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That's correct, bow- anchor- anchor never both. I'll check out the other things you mentioned. Thanks.
 

san dimas

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I'm back. I worked on my Nav. lights yesterday and still have a problem I can't solve. When I switch to nav. I get the bow light only. When I switch to anchor I get the stern light only. I took the diode out and jumpered with a wire from the top terminal to the bottom terminal. When the switch is set to Nav. the bow light goes out and the stern light comes on. The middle position everything is off. So my next plan is to hook both lights up directly and see if they will both come on at the same time. If they do can I assume I have a bad switch?
 

san dimas

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I forgot something. When the anchor light is on the gauge lights are on as well. Are they supposed to be?
 

gm280

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Okay here is a little pictorial diagram as to how you need to wire your light for them to work properly... Nav-Anc Light wiring.gif
 
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san dimas

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Thanks gm280. That's exactly how it's wired. The only difference is my diode is a 1N5400. Also, it seems to me if the gauge lights are on in conjunction with the Nav lights, it should be when I'm moving not when anchored.
 

san dimas

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I have a feeling some else is going on other than this simple schematic. Maybe something else has spliced into the wiring. It just shouldn't be this complicated. The front of the boat has switches for the outboard motor tilt, baitwell pumps, and the trolling motor. The only other thing up there is the bow light.
 
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UncleWillie

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I'm back. I worked on my Nav. lights yesterday and still have a problem I can't solve. When I switch to nav. I get the bow light only. When I switch to anchor I get the stern light only. I took the diode out and jumpered with a wire from the top terminal to the bottom terminal. When the switch is set to Nav. the bow light goes out and the stern light comes on. The middle position everything is off. So my next plan is to hook both lights up directly and see if they will both come on at the same time. If they do can I assume I have a bad switch?

Based on the symptoms, a defective switch is highly unlikely.
The Panel lamps will commonly be wire to the NAV Lights, it can be assumed you will be underway. Off when ANChored.

If, with the Diode OUT; NAV= Bow Only, and ANC= Stern Only, and OFF = All Off ....
Adding a jumper from Top to Bottom should have produced Both-Off-Both ... IF... IF! ...
IF the Center Terminal is Truly, and Always, 12v Power, in ALL Positions. Was this Confirmed? (Post #7)


Assume Nothing until confirmed!
 

gm280

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Thanks gm280. That's exactly how it's wired. The only difference is my diode is a 1N5400. Also, it seems to me if the gauge lights are on in conjunction with the Nav lights, it should be when I'm moving not when anchored.

Not to worry about the diode. A 1N5400 series diode is merely a 3 amp version instead of 1 amp like the 1N4000 series. So that isn't the problem either. I would suggest you actually trace the wires to each location to verify there is nothing else attached like you alluded too... Post back with results... :thumb:
 

san dimas

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I took 2 jumper wires and went directly from battery + to the wires at the switch, no lights came on. I took one of the jumpers and went to battery -, both lights came on. Does this mean I have a bad ground? Also the anchor light socket has 2 wires, the Nav. light has 3 but one wire does nothing. I've become very confused! I'm thinking that I should start from scratch and use my ohm meter and volt meter to make sure I have power and ground to both lights. It's a simple system now that I understand it. I just hope I don't run into other problems along the way. I know where my + buss bar is but I'm not sure where the - one is. Can you guys tell me where it might be and what it looks likes. What color should the main ground wire from the ground buss to the battery be? Thanks for all your help.
 

Silvertip

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If you have the switch and lights wired "exactly" as pictured, then the lights will work. If they don't, you do not have the wiring "exactly" as shown. Stop with the jumpering and get down to basics.
1) Double check the wiring -- accurately!
2) Using a meter, verify that you have +12 volts on the center post of the switch (doesn't matter if the switch is on or off). POS probe on the switch, NEG probe on a known good ground. Yes = good. No = fix it.
3) The ground wire from the bow and stern lights connect to the negative bus or to the negative battery terminal.
4) To find the negative bus, follow the wire from the negative terminal of the battery to wherever it takes you. That would be the negative bus and all of the grounds should be there. Depending on who wired or rewired the boat, there may not even be a negative bus since all of the ground wires could be tired together with one going to the negative terminal of the battery. Not a nice way to do it but electrically it would work.

As you said -- it's a simple system. You are just making it far more complex than it is.
 

gm280

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I don't know how much more clearer Silvertip can make it then what he states... This isn't rocket surgery. All the light need is a good positive voltage and a good ground back to the battery and they will light all day long if they are not burnt out...period! With a good positive voltage on the CENTER terminal of either SPDT or DPDT switch, and a diode like I previously shown you and the other wires run exactly like the picture shows, you should have zero problems with that setup... If you do, try another diode because something is wrong...
 

Outsider

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Double pole, double throw switch is all that's required ...

NavSwitchWiring%20Medium%20Small_zpsohmv56hv.jpg
 
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