12V switch panel

[Sailing Poodles]

None of the switch indicating the lights on the DC side of the switch panels do not work. When I switch on "panel lights" the AC side works but not the DC. I don't mean the light on the actual switch, but the title lights with the names of the switch.

Any ideas.

 

[Sailing Poodles]

Sorry, Hunter 41 DS

 

[kito]

So your dc switches work but just the little light the shows the switch name doesn't? If all are not working, it's most likely a wire is off or corroded on the bus that powers the lights. Can you get behind it and see?

 

[Benny17441]

Its, either a bulb or fouled wiring connection. Get to the back of the panel but first disconnect (not just shut off) the shorepower cable.

 

[Sailing Poodles]

Yes, that was what I assumed but it appears the DC side and the AC side are connected by the same wire. I had a look last night and all the connections look sound. Will have another go today.

 

[Benny17441]

It is likely that the panel lights on both the ac and dc sides are 12V powered as you would likely need them when underway or at anchor. It makes sense to have the light bulbs connected to the same circuit and since one side is working it points to a faulty bulb in the other side.

 

[Sailing Poodles]

So one bulb for all the switches or are they in series like Christmas tree lights and I have to check them all until I find the faulty one?

 

[kito]

So one bulb for all the switches or are they in series like Christmas tree lights and I have to check them all until I find the faulty one?

That's what I was thinking. It's not just one bulb but each switch has it's own LED or bulb correct? Sounds like a bad connection common to all the bulbs to me.

 

[Sailing Poodles]

OK,thanks I'll take the cover off again and look at each panel beside each switch.
Thanks again

 

[Benny17441]

I believe you are talking about backlit illumination lights for the panel titles. Don't know what year your panel is but newer panels are backlighted by a series of LED bulbs embedded in a printed circuit board which is replaced as a single unit. In the past different configurations of incandescent or LED bulbs were used. No sense in continuing to speculate what may or may not be until you get to the backside of the panel.

 

[Sailing Poodles]

Removed panel and amongst the spaghetti behind discovered the lights are on a printed circuit board and it looks a real problem to remove. My electrician having looked at the problem suggested a torch given the cost of removal and replacement plus the probability of messing up other connections, wasn't worth it. So that's what I am going to do.