3 position switch

[cddetelich]

Boat is a 1989 20' Hydrosport. On the console is a row of switches. Far right switch is labeled "Power" and when I flip it up all gauges work. Next switch is "Lights" and next is "Bilge Pump". These two are three position switches-down, middle, up.<br />What does each position do? I can't get lights to work-I may have goofed up wiring at battery. Also, even with battery switch in "Off" I can flip up "Power" switch and guages are on. Shouldn't these be inoperable if switch is off?

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: 3 position switch

They may have wired the boat so that the power switch has power all the time regardless of the position of the battery switch or they put the wire on the wrong terminal of the switch. The 2 3pos switches for lights and bilge usually work like this...light switch one position turns on nav lights (red/green on the bow, white on the stern) the other position just turns on the stern to indicate you are at anchor. The bilge switch....one position turns on the pump, the other puts it into automatic mode to work in conjuction with a float switch near the pump.

 

[cddetelich]

Re: 3 position switch

Bob,<br />Thanks for the info-<br />Shouldn't bilge on auto work even with power sitch off? So I don't have to have power to the gauges?<br />Charlie

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: 3 position switch

Yes normally you would always want power to the bilge pump switch even if the battery switch is turned off for obvious reasons but since this is a "previously enjoyed" boat you can't always rely on previous owners not doing some strange things. I'm not even really sure in your case what the purpose of the power switch on the dash is, I would think once you turn on the master battery switch you would want power to everything?