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Old 19 November 2003, 20:00   #1
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Advice needed on wiring up a 3 gang switch

Hi I need help !

I have been given a 3 gang marine fused switch panel unfortunately without any instructions which I would like to run 3 things off namely bilge pump, compass light and fishfinder. All the wires on the panel are black coloured so I'm not sure how to wire the panel up to the batery and the devices. There is 1 black wire with bare end coming off each of the switch blocks, each switch block is connected with 1 black wire to the fuse holder and 1 long metal bar connected across all 3 of the round fuse holders with a round flat loop on the end. Can anyone with some wiring knowledge tell me which wires connect to which. I can send a photo of the panel by email if required.

Many thanks,

Mark
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Old 19 November 2003, 20:04   #2
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send me a photo please and I'll tell you what to do

cheers
Stuart
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Old 19 November 2003, 20:16   #3
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Email sent

Hi,

I've just sent you an email.

Mark.
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Old 19 November 2003, 20:18   #4
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Connect metal bar that feeds all 3 fuse holders to positive supply via battery isolator, then connect the positive of each "service" to its own switch . The negative of each service needs to be connected to a common earth.

Ideally you should wire direct to the switches without using the short "black" wires to have minimum joins in the circuit.

If you wish to have the bilge pump working on a float switch for when the vessel is unattended, you will need a seperate feed to the float switch direct from the battery with it's own fuse!
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Old 19 November 2003, 20:19   #5
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Wiring

As a sparks I will attempt to answer this, run a negative - directly from your battery to each appliance be it pump, lights etc, you can loop the negative from one appliance or item to another item.

The switches /fuses are only going to handle positve or +
on the side of the fuse panel that has the copper strap connecting each of one side of the fuse run a positive or+ back to the battery, the positive goes across the bottom of the fuse panel now and tro each fuse and out each lead from the outgoing side of the fuse to the incoming side of the switch and simply from the outgoing side of each switch connect a live to each appliance or item. You now have 12 volts across each item once you close a switch hope this helps gavin
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Old 19 November 2003, 20:37   #6
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bilge pump

If i were to wire the bilge pump i would give a possative to the pump & switch negative that way giving less arching on the float switch
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Old 19 November 2003, 20:52   #7
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All the above advice is sound. looking at the switch you could de solder the short flyleads and then directly solder the devices to the switch terminal.

Also make sure you fuse the devices approriately. If you don't solder then use a crimp kit to join the cables and seal the connectors up with some silicone to stop moisture getting in
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Old 19 November 2003, 21:27   #8
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Re: bilge pump

Quote:
Originally posted by graham hope
If i were to wire the bilge pump i would give a possative to the pump & switch negative that way giving less arching on the float switch
Graham, I see from your profile your an "AA" man, well I can only assume that you don't get called out to many electrical problems!

Why do you think that there will be less of an arc if you switch the neg, do you think that all the volts are "tired" after they've spun the bilge pump.

Surely the purpose of a Forum is to ask, and then receive sound advice.

**AA, the fourth and last emergency service**
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Old 19 November 2003, 21:36   #9
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Do boats use the general metal work such as A frames as there negative like cars/bikes. and if not why not.
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Old 20 November 2003, 01:45   #10
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Boats like F/glass cars always use Neg return wires as the general 'chassis' is non conductive. you could in theory use a frame as a conductor but it not be as reliable as hard wiring, even more inportant in a marine application.
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Old 20 November 2003, 07:18   #11
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Quote:
Originally posted by thewavehumper
If you don't solder then use a crimp kit to join the cables and seal the connectors up with some silicone to stop moisture getting in
If you are going to use crimp connections, invest £20 in a decent ratchet type crimp tool and don't use the crappy crimp pliers that you get in most kits. It will make a lot of difference to the quality and longevity of your connections!

If you can't find one at your chandlers or car spares shop, Maplin have them, stock code JH19V

John
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Old 20 November 2003, 07:22   #12
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And don't use crap crimps either, for any connections that might encounter moisture, you should always use heat shrinkable connections!
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Old 20 November 2003, 10:12   #13
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And where you can Solder connections....Nag nag nag......
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Old 20 November 2003, 10:18   #14
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Quote:
Originally posted by Dirk Diggler
And don't use crap crimps either, for any connections that might encounter moisture, you should always use heat shrinkable connections!
what's a heat shrinkable connector, or did you mean heat shrink sleeving over the connector.

I am intrigued is there a nifty device out there I don't know about
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Old 20 November 2003, 11:27   #15
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you also have to be aware of electrolytic action causing corrosion in metal hulls and metalwork.
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Old 20 November 2003, 12:10   #16
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Hi wavelegover

have you seen the adhesive filled heat shrink sleeving? thats completley waterproof.
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Old 20 November 2003, 13:23   #17
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hey you listen you learn, No but it be interested in it as I am gonna be doing some rewiring soon.
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Old 20 November 2003, 14:59   #18
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Quote:
Originally posted by thewavehumper
what's a heat shrinkable connector, or did you mean heat shrink sleeving over the connector.
Heat shrinkable crimps are what they are, the insulation around them is the same as h/s sleeving, with adhesive inside. They are available from most good suppliers in all the normal sizes. Not cheap, around 25p each, but what price is perfection!!
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Old 20 November 2003, 17:59   #19
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wicked, no that's new to me but I can see the benefits in it. I'd better get the RS catalogue out
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Old 21 November 2003, 17:40   #20
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Electrics

This is a common problem when thinking about electrics
Quote:
Why do you think that there will be less of an arc if you switch the neg, do you think that all the volts are "tired" after they've spun the bilge pump.
The volts dont spin anything, the current or amps are what do the work here,
the volts or rather the difference between the two terminals on a battery are only a means for pushing the current along the wires and getting that current to do a job like turning a pump, you only get a current flow with a potential difference or "voltage", its just something you can measure across a pump but it dosent spin the pump the current does, float switches are designed to take load and switch loads providing you dont exceed there rated switching capabilities, arcs will happen in any switch if you switch it under load.What i dont believe in is leaving permanent feeds at float switches to run pumps like bilge pumps, you may as well not bother with battery isolator switches if you wire permanent feeds to float switches, as you can be guaranteed no matter how good the quality of the switch, when its in damp or wet environments it will leak electricially, causing stray currents only miliamnps but enough to drive electrolisis on the boat.
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