Flickering cabin light when turning on item from switch panel.

[demarko210]

I am installing my switch panel that I removed over the winter to replace some switches and breakers. What I notice as I was connecting items one by one and powering them on with the cabin light switched (also a item on the switch panel) to the on position is a flickering every time I turn on a circuit. The flicker is only when you turn on a new item on the switch panel. The switch panel is using a daisy chain pattern with one main red wire feeding the panel. I would say the gauge of the red wire is about 14/16# and I have 10 switches on this panel. Would a larger gauge wire fix this running to a distribution post or do i need to run independent wires to the breaker/battery?

This was happening before i removed the switch panel.

 

[dingbat]

I would say the gauge of the red wire is about 14/16# and I have 10 switches on this panel. Would a larger gauge wire fix this running to a distribution post or do i need to run independent wires to the breaker/battery?

This was happening before i removed the switch panel.

The problem with tapping off existing services is you have no idea what it’s supplying or how it’s routed.

I ran 14 awg duplex from the fuse panel directly to the battery when I installed a dedicate fuse panel for my electronics.

What size is you ground wire? Needs to be the same size or larger than feed.

Put a voltmeter on a circuit other than the light being feed from the panel. Flip a switch and see what happens.

A monetary voltage drop would confirm a wiring problem in your distribution panel. If the voltage doesn’t drop, you have an issue in the light circuit.

Don’t rule out ground issues.

 

[demarko210]

What size is you ground wire? Needs to be the same size or larger than feed.

Put a voltmeter on a circuit other than the light being feed from the panel. Flip a switch and see what happens.

A monetary voltage drop would confirm a wiring problem in your distribution panel. If the voltage doesn’t drop, you have an issue in the light circuit.

Don’t rule out ground issues.

I am not sure what size the ground wire is. I have not really looked for the ground wire as it hidden some place. I will locate it.

I ran over to the boat this morning after reading your message. What I found when i connect the volt meter. The light on then turning on another circuit the volts went from 11.7 to 12.9 then back to 11.7. This battery i know the volts are low. Its not my running battery, just a battery i use with my inverter to power some tools and lights while working on the boat. I also had the inverter running at the time of the test.

 

[demarko210]

Also the item that i turned on was the fresh water washdown pump. The flicker is only when the new circuit is switched.