illuminated toggle switches

[sah440]

im Looking To Replace 11 Existing Tovgle Switches With Light Up Tip Switches. The Box Says 20A At 12V. Is This The Max Load The Contacts Can Handle At 12V?

I Dont Want To Unnecessarily Drain My Battery, Should I Be Concerned?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: illuminated toggle switches

im Looking To Replace 11 Existing Tovgle Switches With Light Up Tip Switches. The Box Says 20A At 12V. Is This The Max Load The Contacts Can Handle At 12V?

yes

I Dont Want To Unnecessarily Drain My Battery, Should I Be Concerned?

Not sure what that has to do with replacing switches.

 

[sah440]

Re: illuminated toggle switches

They Are Light Up Tip Switches, The switch Lights Are Continually IlluminateD Even If The Switch IS In The Off position

 

[NYBo]

Re: illuminated toggle switches

They Are Light Up Tip Switches, The switch Lights Are Continually IlluminateD Even If The Switch IS In The Off position

That's odd. Are they supposed to be that way or did you reverse the line and load connections?

 

[sah440]

Re: illuminated toggle switches

No They Are Wired Properly,Its A White Light In The Off Position And A Red Light In The On Position

 

[Don S]

Re: illuminated toggle switches

The light is an LED and uses almost no measurable amperage. It will kill your battery about as fast as your stereo memory when it's off.

If it's such a worry, then install a battery switch so you can shut the battery off when the boat is not in use.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: illuminated toggle switches

They Are Light Up Tip Switches, The switch Lights Are Continually IlluminateD Even If The Switch IS In The Off position

You have a link?

The only ones I have seen are clear in the off position(no light). I bet yours are the same.

You do not want a switch that is lit in the off position. each switch may not draw much current but if you have 11 of them, it will drain your battery in less than a week. Not all of these are LEDs but lets say the ones you have are. Each LED would take 25mA. Multiply that by 11 and you have 0.275A/hr or 6.6A/day. 7 days and you just discharged 46A out of your battery.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: illuminated toggle switches

If they do indeed stay lit all the time, the simple solution is to install a MASTER toggle switch at the helm that simply kills the power to the helm fuse panel. Many boats are wired with them these days. And don't use a lighted switch for that function.