DA320 Cabin light must be on for Head Light to work.

[hack4alivin]

Not too long ago there was a post about the lights in the Head of the 320’s not coming on unless the cabin lights were on. Sorry I could not find it so I started this thread. My boat was like that, and very annoying when getting up in the middle of the night to use the head, you had to turn the cabin lights on.

Well I just took care of that on mine and it is very easy. There are two switches in the head, one for the lights and the other for the blower. As long as you have the blower circuit breaker turned on, the blower has a hot wire supplying it which is on all the time. All you have to do is to splice into this wire and use it as the hot for the light switch right next to it. The hot wire is on the middle post of each switch. I also turned the physical location of the light switch 180 degrees so that the “On” position of both the lights and the blower are the same. It took all of ten minutes to fix. Now the lights will come on with this switch without having the cabin lights turned on.

 

[barryg]

thanks for the tip.. I might just have to try it this weekend...

Barry

 

[topgun1185]

Nice I had searay install another switch but i like your idea better!!!

 

[saltshaker]

Hey Bill thanks for the tip I am going to try your suggestion. Hopefull my 2003 is wired the same.

 

[tawcat]

Hmmmm, not sure what cabin light switch everyone is talking about. But I just hit my switch on the control panel, shut off my cabin lights switch by the cabin door and my head works fine.

 

[jimdavi]

Great mod! This is a problem on my boat. Will look to modify soon. Did you tie back the old power wire from the cabin switch?

 

[hack4alivin]

Great mod! This is a problem on my boat. Will look to modify soon. Did you tie back the old power wire from the cabin switch?

I used the following parts from RadioShack:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3060975

This one is for the new wire to the light switch, remove the existing wire from the center post of the light switch and tape it off. Use the connector below with a 4” piece of 14 gauge THMW wire for the center post of the light switch.

Then use this connector:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104093

for an easy way to tap into the power wire supplying the on the center post of the blower switch.

 

[Hampton]

Great idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chris R]

Definitely a PITA at night when you have to have a flashlight at night in the head to see (so as not to wake up the entire crew). Just one of those things that makes you go hmmmm when they were building the lighting situation on these boats.

 

[tawcat]

Guys, I do not know what the problem here is? Honest I'm not trying to be a smarta$$.

On the main panel I toggle "cabin lighting" turn off the cabin light switch by the hatch. And my head light works without any problem.

 

[boatmailster]

Guys, I do not know what the problem here is? Honest I'm trying to be a smarta$$.

On the main panel I toggle "cabin lighting" turn off the cabin light switch by the hatch. And my head light works without any problem.

On some newer boats sea ray tries to cut the cost and started using cheaper switches (less connectors on back of the switch) and that causes those "stupid" switch problems on some models.

 

[saltshaker]

This sound's like this is a QC/or design issue wth Sea Ray. I know my Head light is wired liked Bill's. It has been a major PITA.