Is my accessory switch likely controlling anything??

[trayson]

So, I was looking at my switches. On the far right, I have an accessory that will power something on in the up position and something else on in the down position.

I didn't get out my test light and I didn't start chasing wires. But I figured I'd ask here in case anyone knows. What if anything is likely to be wired up to this? I have a separate switch for "stereo" and my 12v outlets are wired hot. So is it likely that I have a free switch that I could use for adding stuff to my boat? (Like LED accent lighting?)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JDoYDD92s3o/VCmU_26ilgI/AAAAAAAAUZQ/_GT0cUYfluQ/s800/20140927_082003.jpg

[Sinjun]

Sounds just like the accessory switch in my outback, I assumed it was for ballast pumps and that is what I used it for, up is fill and down is empty.

[trayson]

I already have a bank of 3 switches for my Gravity III ballast system that came from the factory. It's below the throttle and you can kind of make it out in this pic.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bBBFEGDsVHk/VA3Txi2GOmI/AAAAAAAAULI/R7j5QomIQps/s800/VP3333681_7_large_resized_zpsfcaaaab8.jpg

[brain_rinse]

My bet is that it's just powered up so the lights on the front work but the switch doesn't control anything. I used it for the heater (up = high, down = low.)

[cornrickey]

The only double throw switch I think I have is for my heater

[kaneboats]

It's not your courtesy lights is it? The tiny ones that barely light up the floor and you can't even see in the daytime.

[jstenger]

It is for the heater if you had one. All the switches are powered from the factory even if they are not used.

[tater]

There is a extra switch there,I hooked my LED accent lighting to it.

[jmvotto]

There is a extra switch there,I hooked my LED accent lighting to it.

Same here, I also attached my under water LEDs to it.

[bergermaister]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JDoYDD92s3o/VCmU_26ilgI/AAAAAAAAUZQ/_GT0cUYfluQ/s800/20140927_082003.jpg


What's that funny looking thing in your mirror? Oh, nevermind....


Agree with de others - nice spot for LEDs to tie in.

[kriley]

I as well hooked my leds to this switch. Nothing was currently hooked to it! I put another switch in for the heater l/m/h switch.

[trayson]

It's not your courtesy lights is it? The tiny ones that barely light up the floor and you can't even see in the daytime.

No, the court lights have their separate switch.


It is for the heater if you had one. All the switches are powered from the factory even if they are not used.

Interesting. No, I don't have a heater so maybe that's it.


I as well hooked my leds to this switch. Nothing was currently hooked to it! I put another switch in for the heater l/m/h switch.

Interesting. My heatercraft system that I bought came with a switch that's got low/med/high/off. But it's a round switch that wouldn't match up with the rest of mine. Did you find a low/med/high/off rocker switch that looked like the rest of the switches? I'd be curious to see it.

[jstenger]

From the 2008 owners manual.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd382/Joestenger/Screenshot_2015-02-16-23-07-39.png (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/Joestenger/media/Screenshot_2015-02-16-23-07-39.png.html)

[trayson]

There is a extra switch there,I hooked my LED accent lighting to it.


Same here, I also attached my under water LEDs to it.

Would it be possible to hook LED accent lighting AND LED transom lighting to the switch and do it in a way that's like the anchor/nav light switch? so that if the switch was in the upper "on" position it'd be just the LED accent lighting but if the switch was in the lower "on" position it'd be both the accent lighting AND the transom lighting? That would be cool!

I would think it'd be possible considering that my Nav/Anchor light switch has the tower white light and the bow nav lights illuminated in the "Nav" ON position, and ONLY the tower anchor light illuminated in the "anchor" ON position.


EDIT, looks like I'd have to make sure my switch is a DPDT switch and I'd wire hot to the middle in basically the same way described here for the nav/anchor lights. That might be the ticket for my "extra" switch.


You can do it with a double-pole, double-throw, center-off
switch.

The switch will have six terminals. Two at the top, two
in the middle, two at the bottom. When you flip the switch
up, the middle terminals are connected to the corresponding
top terminal. When you flip the switch down, the middle
terminals are connected to the corresponding bottom terminal.

The usual setup is to have red green and white on when the
switch is up, just the all round light when the switch is
down.

Wire +12V to the two middle terminals. Wire the white all
round light to both top and bottom on one side. Wire the
the red green nav lights to the top terminal on the other
side. If the switch has a pilot light, there will be a
seventh terminal for ground, and you should wire the white
light on the side that the pilot light is wired to.

[trayson]

From the 2008 owners manual.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd382/Joestenger/Screenshot_2015-02-16-23-07-39.png (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/Joestenger/media/Screenshot_2015-02-16-23-07-39.png.html)

Cool, thanks. Nice that there's extra switches. I have some good ideas for how to utilize them in the long run. Lots of fun additions, like LED Accent lights, Transom lights... I'll also be installing a heater, so I'll have to figure out where to put that one, since it's a 4 position switch.

[jstenger]

Would it be possible to hook LED accent lighting AND LED transom lighting to the switch and do it in a way that's like the anchor/nav light switch? so that if the switch was in the upper "on" position it'd be just the LED accent lighting but if the switch was in the lower "on" position it'd be both the accent lighting AND the transom lighting? That would be cool!

I would think it'd be possible considering that my Nav/Anchor light switch has the tower white light and the bow nav lights illuminated in the "Nav" ON position, and ONLY the tower anchor light illuminated in the "anchor" ON position.


EDIT, looks like I'd have to make sure my switch is a DPDT switch and I'd wire hot to the middle in basically the same way described here for the nav/anchor lights. That might be the ticket for my "extra" switch.
To use the ACC switch like the NAV/ANC switch, you will have to add a diode to the switch. Take a close at the back of the NAV/ANC switch and you will see it. The diode only allows voltage to pass in one direction. You should be able to get a matching one from Radio Shack or any small electronics store. The direction of the diode will let you choose if you want 1 or 2 things on when the top of the switch is pushed in and vice versa for when the bottom of the switch is pushed in. You may have to rewire the switch lights so that they follow suit.

[jstenger]

Below is a pic from my 2010 OBV.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd382/Joestenger/2013-05-22205643.jpg (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/Joestenger/media/2013-05-22205643.jpg.html)

You can see the diode inside the clear tubing connecting the two red wires on the right side switch. Mine will look a little different then yours. I needed extra switches, so I combined a few things. I hooked my tower lights to the top post (on when ANC is pushed), and I hooked my navigation, anchor, gauge, and interior lights to the bottom post (on when NAV or ANC is pushed).

[jstenger]

I may have given more info than needed. Not sure what you wanted to do with the switches.

[kriley]

Trayson, I mounted the round dial switch below the charger adapter inlet on the drivers side. I would be happy to send you a pic. If you would like.

[trayson]

I may have given more info than needed. Not sure what you wanted to do with the switches.

I appreciate it. Not only does it give me options and ideas, but it's always fun to learn about what others have done.


Trayson, I mounted the round dial switch below the charger adapter inlet on the drivers side. I would be happy to send you a pic. If you would like.

Sure, if it's not too much trouble.