Simple (and/or daft) question re switch wiring

[Crazy Shakes]

I have a 2006 Maxum 2400SC3 and wish to wire a chartplotter to one of the two spare Accessory switches and an inverter to the other for a TV for the kids.

These switches have 3 connections on each and whilst they currently are spare each one has 2 red wires connected (one red wire to each of two of the three connections). I am unsure if the switches have lights in them. The other switches (anchor lights, nav lights, bilge, etc) do but I do not want to automatically assume the Accessory switches do also.

This is confusing me. I can understand one of the red wires being a feed from the fuse block but as the switches do nothing would anyone be able to tell me what would the second existing red wire on each switch is?

Many thanks.

Neil

 

[tommays]

Re: Simple (and/or daft) question re switch wiring

I dont no what the wires are BUT i would say it is a safe bet that the switch is NOT rated to power the inverter which is going to draw a LOT of amps


A 12 volt TV set is a much better way to use your power




Tommays

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Simple (and/or daft) question re switch wiring

If the switch has three terminals, one of two scenarios is possible.
1) If the switch is lighted, one of the terminals is ground for the light. NOTE: This terminal connects to the ground bus on the fuse panel -- it is not the ground connection for the inverter. One of the red wires is the 12V input to the switch. The other wire feeds whatever it is you wish to power.
2) If the switch is an on-off-on type, then the center terminal is the +12V input to the switch. The other two terminals feed two separate devices.

The key identifier here is what type of switch you have. ON-OFF or ON-OFF-ON. Work the switch to see.

 

[Crazy Shakes]

Re: Simple (and/or daft) question re switch wiring

Thanks both. The switches are simple ON-OFF types. I too thought maybe one of the two wires was a ground wire but confused why they are both red. I guess the old multimeter will tell me. Maybe they just ran out of black wire at the factory

Re the TV set, i too wanted a 12V TV but need one with inbuilt DVD player. For the amount of use it will get I felt an inverter was an easier option (agreed not necessarily better). Either that or open up the TV/DVD player (which I have already bought) and pull a lead direct from the 12v connections on the power board, if they exist.