Illuminated Rocker Switch

[promocop]

On my 2005 390DDA i have factory installed U/W lights. The switch does not illuminate when on. I replaced the switch thinking the bulb was burnt out...NOT. I am not getting 12v to the switch. (meterered it) I checked this by putting 12v across the switch and it lights. The reason I want it to illuminate while on is I once left it on my mistake and almost burned up the batteries. Any thoughts?

 

[Nehalennia]

On my 2005 390DDA i have factory installed U/W lights. The switch does not illuminate when on. I replaced the switch thinking the bulb was burnt out...NOT. I am not getting 12v to the switch. (meterered it) I checked this by putting 12v across the switch and it lights. The reason I want it to illuminate while on is I once left it on my mistake and almost burned up the batteries. Any thoughts?

Are you saying the switch is working except for the the backlight?

 

[promocop]

YES no illuminaion to indication

 

[fc3]

Should be three wires on the switch. Source, load, and ground. If source and load are connected, then the lights work. Ground is only there to light the switch's indicator lamp. Check for a bad negative wire or connection.

Best regards,
Frank

 

[promocop]

did that. Not getting 12v from any of the three leads to the switch therfore it wont light! Driving me nuts!!!

 

[fc3]

Breaker tripped under the helm?

 

[promocop]

NO. The U/W lights work. The ilumminated rocker switch does not

 

[fc3]

did that. Not getting 12v from any of the three leads to the switch therfore it wont light! Driving me nuts!!!

NO. The U/W lights work. The ilumminated rocker switch does not

You're not getting B+ but the underwater lights work? I'm getting a headache. Chalk it up to bad juju and call it a day.

From the B+ lead to the engine block there must be +12VDC. B+ to load must illuminate the underwater lights. Ground wire to engine block must read near zero ohms. Switch must illuminate when connected to 12 VDC. Note, if the indicator light in the switch is an LED, polarity counts! Reversed connections will not illuminate an LED. It is, after all, a diode.

Best regards,
Frank

 

[promocop]

are you suggesting reversing the spade connectors?

 

[douglee25]

Yes, try that. Good call Frank. It didn't even cross my mind that the light could be an LED.

Doug

 

[promocop]

except I'm not sure it's and LED.! It looks like might be a 'wheat'? bulb. I'l try it anyway. Thanks

 

[douglee25]

except I'm not sure it's and LED.! It looks like might be a 'wheat'? bulb. I'l try it anyway. Thanks

I'm still perplexed by it not having 12v though? Where is the power coming from?

You further said when you applied 12v, the switch lit up. Could you go into further detail?

I'm still somewhat lost.

Doug

 

[promocop]

I removed the switch and attached it to a emergency 12v battery. It lit up. When I put a meter on the three wire leads, the voltage varies bewteen 4.5 and 6 volts. Not enough to illuminate the bulb (LED?) inside the rocker switch cover.

 

[Uplate]

I removed the switch and attached it to a emergency 12v battery. It lit up. When I put a meter on the three wire leads, the voltage varies bewteen 4.5 and 6 volts. Not enough to illuminate the bulb (LED?) inside the rocker switch cover.

The bulbs that illuminate my switches are certainly not LED, and are wheat type bulbs as you mention.

My question is, can the bulb be replaced stand alone, or do you need to buy a whole new switch?

 

[douglee25]

I removed the switch and attached it to a emergency 12v battery. It lit up. When I put a meter on the three wire leads, the voltage varies bewteen 4.5 and 6 volts. Not enough to illuminate the bulb (LED?) inside the rocker switch cover.

Sounds to me like your problem is with the wiring then. Maybe a bad connection or partially broken/corroded wire causing low voltage.

Doug

 

[promocop]

I bought a new switch, same outcome. I guess I have to trace back the ground wire if that in fact is what is used to illuminate the light switch!

 

[bmac]

Are your other switches illuminated when on? Do you have the Sea Ray System monitor?

 

[promocop]

Yes and Yes Why?

 

[fc3]

I removed the switch and attached it to a emergency 12v battery. It lit up. When I put a meter on the three wire leads, the voltage varies bewteen 4.5 and 6 volts. Not enough to illuminate the bulb (LED?) inside the rocker switch cover.

4.5 to 6v when measuring between B+ and load? What about between B+ and the negative lead? Resistance on the negative lead to ground?

The bulbs that illuminate my switches are certainly not LED, and are wheat type bulbs as you mention.

My question is, can the bulb be replaced stand alone, or do you need to buy a whole new switch?

Yes, it's quite trivial to disassemble the switch and replace the bulb. The switch simply snaps together. Be very careful when you unsnap and separate the components. The toggle contains a very small spring that's escape happy. I've replaced the bulb a couple of times until I got tired of doing so. It's only slightly more work to substitute an LED for the lamp. (You need to solder a current limiting resistor to the LED.)

I bought a new switch, same outcome. I guess I have to trace back the ground wire if that in fact is what is used to illuminate the light switch!

Probably.

Best regards,
Frank

 

[bmac]

Yes and Yes Why?

Well....I actually meant to ask if you had the Smartcraft (it's only been two months since I ran the boat but I'm already losing my memory at the helm) but I'll bet you do, however that's irrelevant since you said your other rocker switches are illuminating. The dimmer control for the dash and instrument lights and, I thought maybe the rockers, is controlled in the Smartcraft setup....which took me quite awhile to figure out one dark night without my instruments illuminated. Thought I'd take a shot. :huh: