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Message
Electrical Engineers of the OT: Rocker switch to control LED lights question
Posted on 1/24/17 at 1:53 pm
Posted on 1/24/17 at 1:53 pm
I'm putting LED strip lights on my boat. One set of LED's on the deck for night fishing. The other set of LED's in my storage compartments. I purchased a rocker switch that is labeled ON-OFF-ON. It has 6 prongs (the switch doesn't light up).
I would like to wire the lights so:
-Position ON UP lights up the decks lights only
-Position OFF, obviously all lights are OFF
-Position ON DOWN, both sets of lights are on.
Is it possible with the switch I purchased? (It was the only one that matched the other rocker switches on my boat).
I would like to wire the lights so:
-Position ON UP lights up the decks lights only
-Position OFF, obviously all lights are OFF
-Position ON DOWN, both sets of lights are on.
Is it possible with the switch I purchased? (It was the only one that matched the other rocker switches on my boat).
5
Posted on 1/24/17 at 2:55 pm to BayouNation
Can you run the lights that you want always on to both the top and bottom positions, and the one you only want on sometimes to just one of the positions?
This post was edited on 1/24/17 at 2:57 pm
Posted on 1/24/17 at 3:25 pm to BayouNation
search the outdoor board, someone just had a question on led lights. and yes you can wire it the way you want. you may have to have some sort of jumper wire from the top position to the bottom position so they all come on at once.
Posted on 1/24/17 at 3:46 pm to lsuCJ5
quote:
you may have to have some sort of jumper wire from the top position to the bottom position so they all come on at once.
That's what I'm trying to figure out.
Posted on 1/24/17 at 4:13 pm to BayouNation
If you run a jumper from top position to bottom, you will energize the jumper when you switch to either side. It will energize both no matter the position.
Posted on 1/24/17 at 4:25 pm to SaintEB
quote:
If you run a jumper from top position to bottom, you will energize the jumper when you switch to either side. It will energize both no matter the position.
Wouldn't that turn on both sets of lights in either ON position?
Posted on 1/24/17 at 4:37 pm to BayouNation
Yes. I don't think you can do what you want without 2 switches.
This post was edited on 1/24/17 at 4:37 pm
Posted on 1/24/17 at 4:51 pm to BayouNation
Looks like you need to incorporate a diode into the wiring. Something like this, but not sure if it is the correct direction.
LINK
LINK
Posted on 1/24/17 at 6:20 pm to CubsFanBudMan
nvm
This post was edited on 1/24/17 at 6:50 pm
Posted on 1/24/17 at 8:30 pm to BayouNation
See below
This post was edited on 1/25/17 at 6:53 am
Posted on 1/24/17 at 10:50 pm to PurpleGoldTiger
See drawing below
Don't follow the drawing above. It's wrong
Don't follow the drawing above. It's wrong
This post was edited on 1/24/17 at 11:16 pm
Posted on 1/24/17 at 11:13 pm to CP3
5 amp fuse can probably work as well depending on how many strips you run. Figure a 4-5amp draw per 15ft of LED strip
This post was edited on 1/24/17 at 11:22 pm
Posted on 1/25/17 at 7:40 am to CP3
Trust cp3. He knows this stuff. It's within the scope of what he does for a living.
Posted on 1/25/17 at 8:21 am to mdomingue
Now I need to figure out who you are
Posted on 1/25/17 at 10:46 am to CP3
We had this discussion on here some time back. We both do work in the control system realm, if I recall correctly. Don't think we know each other IRL, though.
I've been doing PLCs and industrial controls, mostly oilfield, since the early 90s. I've always felt like I ended up in a profession that was tailor made for me. If I recall correctly, you feel the same and have a similar timeline, though I don't know if it is oilfield or something else.
Every one of your posts I've seen regarding this type of stuff have been spot on.
I've been doing PLCs and industrial controls, mostly oilfield, since the early 90s. I've always felt like I ended up in a profession that was tailor made for me. If I recall correctly, you feel the same and have a similar timeline, though I don't know if it is oilfield or something else.
Every one of your posts I've seen regarding this type of stuff have been spot on.
Posted on 1/25/17 at 10:59 am to CP3
CP3's diagram is spot on! He's a freaking genius!
Posted on 1/25/17 at 11:06 am to CP3
Admittedly, I wasn't familiar with the internal wiring of the switch. My ignorance. So I looked it up. Not that he needs it, but I agree with CP3's diagram. That's your wiring.
Posted on 1/25/17 at 11:47 am to BayouNation
Did the switch come with a circuit diagram? I can see that it might be possible if the switch is configured to allow it.
Maybe a brand and part number?
Maybe a brand and part number?
Posted on 1/25/17 at 1:40 pm to mdomingue
Different timeline. I graduated LSU in 2014.
This profession is definitely a good fit for me though. I love every second of it.
This post was edited on 1/25/17 at 2:00 pm
Posted on 1/25/17 at 4:06 pm to CP3
OK, when you're old like I am, you confuse things like timelines 
What did you graduate in? EE?
I'm actually an ME grad from USL (my first year was at LSU) back when they offered a Computer Aided Design/ Computer Aided Manufacturing option. I ended up working for an engineering company in 1990 that did controls for offshore platforms and surge control for turbine compressors. Always felt natural and was incredibly interesting. Been bumping around doing that ever since for a few different companies.
Good luck to you
What did you graduate in? EE?
I'm actually an ME grad from USL (my first year was at LSU) back when they offered a Computer Aided Design/ Computer Aided Manufacturing option. I ended up working for an engineering company in 1990 that did controls for offshore platforms and surge control for turbine compressors. Always felt natural and was incredibly interesting. Been bumping around doing that ever since for a few different companies.
Good luck to you
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