Red\White cabin light tripple switch

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Apr 19, 2011
456
Hunter 31 Seattle
I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly how this is wired. Most of the time when I try to turn it to red or white it doesn't turn on. Sometimes it turns on if other lights are on though. I just replaced it thinking that the switch itself was broken but that's clearly not the case. Anyone know how this thing is wired?

Thanks!
-Jared
 
Jan 4, 2007
406
Hunter 30 Centerport
The cabin lights on my H-30 are wired in parallel, The positive wire from the breaker panel and the negative from the negative block next to the breaker panel go to one fixture and then the next and the next and so on. There are two criimp fittings (one for the negative and one for the positive wires) under each light fixture. Each crimp fitting has a wire coming from the last fixture a wire to the current fixture and a wire to the next fixture.

I would bet that the connections in the fixture are bad or the wires under the crimp fittings are corroded. I had this problem on my boat. I took the fixture down, cut off the crimp fittings, stripped the ends of the wires and put on new crimp fittings. While I was at it I replaced all the light fixtures with new LED fixtures.

If you remove the old fixture (on or two screws into the headliner) you can jiggle the crimp fittings and if the light goes on an off you probably have corroded wires in the crimp fittings. If the connection to the first light is bad the lights further down the line wont work either......
 
Apr 19, 2011
456
Hunter 31 Seattle
ahh, ok. That makes sense. Guess I'll start removing the lights checking connections.

Thanks!
-Jared
 
Jun 3, 2004
71
Hunter 290 Tampa, FL
Wired in series?

Based on the original post -- The light in question doesn't come on unless some other light somewhere on the boat is turned on -- it sounds like someone tried to wire the lights in parallel, but managed to wire them up in series instead...
 
Apr 19, 2011
456
Hunter 31 Seattle
Found the problem!

When I replaced the old unit with the new one I reversed the polarity. doh!

I think the old unit had a bad switch and if moved just right would make the connection...
 
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