Need to wire switches for water pumps

kerrbe

Cadet
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
7
We have built a compartment with a sink, storage and the batteries are inside also. I would like to put a switch like this 5 way panel switch.jpg

on the outside to run the water pumps and and have a plug in also. Would this be a good idea or should we just put inline switches from the pumps to the batteries?

Here is a picture of the sink/cabinet

sink (2).jpg

Any ideas would be helpful.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: Need to wire switches for water pumps

In-line is what switches are! You don't wire them any other way. +12 volts in one side of the switch, the other side goes to the pump (or whatever 12 volt device you are wiring). Ground on the pump goes to the ground buss wherever that is or the negative terminal on the battery. The switch doesn't care if it's mounted on a snazzy panel or as a stand-alone switch. +12 volt input to the switches should come from the fuse panel however.
 

kerrbe

Cadet
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
7
Re: Need to wire switches for water pumps

Ok so I havwe the switch and I understand where the positive wires go but what about the negative. Do I have to have a buss bar of can if just run the negative to the battery? This switch panel will only have a sink pump, a wash out pump and some lights wired to it and I want it set up independently of the wiring in the console I also have a bluesea battery switch do I wire to that?
 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: Need to wire switches for water pumps

Ok so I havwe the switch and I understand where the positive wires go but what about the negative. Do I have to have a buss bar of can if just run the negative to the battery? This switch panel will only have a sink pump, a wash out pump and some lights wired to it and I want it set up independently of the wiring in the console I also have a bluesea battery switch do I wire to that?

I'm just going to post these wiring diagrams. Perhaps it will show you how a boats electrical system should be wired.

View attachment GW Wiring Diagrams.pdf

In the example, you could take out any one or two of the lights and replace it with a pump of some kind. Wire sizes fuse sizes and color codes might change but they wire the same way.
 
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