340DA ACCY 1 Switch Use

[Hampton]

I was going to ask you guys where this one ends, but this is what I found out in only 2 1/2 hours of reading, digging, volt-metering...

Under the helm, DC panel, Wire 532, Red with Violet stripe (Red/Vio), 5A breaker, comes out stbd end of panel. Panel is labeled incorrectly internally. Must reference panel cover. The wire continues in a bundle to the cabin, I think.

I spliced into it (nothing else on the circuit). I cut my blue wire leading into my Clarion Remote at the helm. I spliced these two together (blue to remote and 532). Now, in order to see what's on the stereo (remote back lighting), I turn on the ACCY 1 switch on the stbd side of the dash, just below the stereo on/off switch instead of turning on the Nav lights. MUCH BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next comes the cabin lighting. I found the wiring to the two salon lights over the bulkhead above the mid-cabin berth (the ones that can't be turned off individually unless you have a large tv there). They, like other lighting wires, are blue and black. I'm going to add a switch there. For anyone still reading, where do I get a standard ('05 340) light switch?

 

[carterchapman]

As in our PMs last week, I'm right there with you on those two mid-cabin lights...I've asked MM if Sea Ray has a factory "fix" for the lack of switch on our "non-Mid-Cabin TV" models...

 

[carterchapman]

Yea I know Scott - rub it in: "If I had the mid-cabin TV, I'd have the switch"!! LoL

I'm up to my @ss the next couple of weeks in work, so I'm going to try to solve this then - If John H. doesn't beat me to it...

How's the hip coming? Better, I hope!

Thanks,

Carter

 

[Hampton]

I was telling my wife about that conversation tonight at dinner. I was asking her what she thought about putting all four of those lights on one switch. She left it up to me. I'm not sure yet.

 

[carterchapman]

That's my plan - then the mid-cabin lights are all on one switch - like the Galley lights (well 2 switches there - 120v and 12v).

 

[Hampton]

Seems to me I saw one at my sea ray dealer, I'll check tomorrow after I check the boat.

If you get the switch to work, please forward the instructions to carterchapman, (also a pilot), as he is in the same boat, literally and figuratively.

By the way, the wires for the back two lights run within 2 feet of the switch for the other two. No big deal. Take the blue ones (2 - One for each light, I believe, unless the other one goes somewhere else. I'll have to pull the lights out to be sure) and cut them. Take 2' of blue wire of slightly heavier gauge and splice it onto the top end of the wires (runs up to the lights) - just splice them together. I can't imagine why they're separate. Connect that to the "switched" side of the switch. Secure the other end (it will be hot with 12V DC when the main cabin light switch is turned on) - just cap it and tape it up real well (electrician inputs?).

The grounding wires should be fine as all of the cabin lights run off of the same switch near the door.

The 2 back lights will now come on when the salon lights are turned on. Obviously, make sure that you are not overloading the circuit or switch by adding 2 little 12V light bulbs to it.

 

[Hampton]

On another note. You can remove the light switch as you enter the cabin, remove the switch in the head, and remove the over-head light in the head that is nearest the middle of the head. Feed a blue wire into the light hole toward the switch at the cabin door. Feed the other end down to the head light switch. Wire the end near the cabin door to the hot side of the switch. Replace the "hot" wire at the head light switch with the other end (not really hot - switched by the main light switch at cabin door). You have just by-passed the need for the cabin door light switch to be on in order for the head light to be on. Don't leave it on when you leave the boat.

 

[carterchapman]

Thanks John,

I'm tied up in Recurrent Training this week and next with a trip the week after.

This is great news - take pics if you can and I'll start on this the last week of April...

Carter

 

[Hampton]

By the way, the mid-cabin overhead lights (the 2 in question) are fed by wires that are behind the upper 1/2 (DC) of the electrical panel. Turn off electricity at the sources - AC off on shore, all 3 battery switches off (genny, stbd, port). Remove 6 screws from top 1/2 of electrical panel, just below stereo.

Lean panel out while supporting bottom edge on towel, just above one of the AC switches. Lean inside and look aft and up, or use a mirror. The lone blue/black wires go up and port to the 2 lights in question. Very easy access. The switch in question is just forward of the electrical panel, though I haven't tried to access it. I think the back is probably exposed to the inside of the electrical compartment.

 

[carterchapman]

By the way, the mid-cabin overhead lights (the 2 in question) are fed by wires that are behind the upper 1/2 (DC) of the electrical panel. Turn off electricity at the sources - AC off on shore, all 3 battery switches off (genny, stbd, port). Remove 6 screws from top 1/2 of electrical panel, just below stereo.

Lean panel out while supporting bottom edge on towel, just above one of the AC switches. Lean inside and look aft and up, or use a mirror. The lone blue/black wires go up and port to the 2 lights in question. Very easy access. The switch in question is just forward of the electrical panel, though I haven't tried to access it. I think the back is probably exposed to the inside of the electrical compartment.

You 'da MAN John!

Thanks,

Carter

 

[Novation]

I had the dealer install a switch on the same ceiling panel as the lights above the aft cabin, but close to the wall (similar to the location a switch would have been if I had a tv there). I also had them re-wire the reading lights in the front berth so I didn't have to turn on the lights above the forward lockers to use the reading lights. I kept the switch by the cabin door as a main kill switch for all the lights.