I own a 1991 Boston Whaler SL 16 boat. There are four electrical panel switches on the dashboard below the steering wheel.
What do these four switches control?
Is ON up or down?
Some of the switches appear to have three positions. Up, down, and middle stop. Thanks for any help
[Moderator's note: this thread has been moved to SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL for discussion.]
Dashboard Switches on 16-foot Boston Whaler
Re: SL 16 panel switches
Describe the switches. Are they bat-handle toggle switches? Are they rocker switches?
If the switches are bat-handle toggle switches, they are usually oriented vertically and the usual convention is to have the ON position occur when the toggle is pointing upwards. If the switches are rocker switches, they are usually orineted vertically, and the usual convention is to have the ON position to occur when the upper half of the rocker is pushed inward.
The typical functions for electrical switches on a small boat are:
--control of the NAVIGATION lamps; the controlling switch is often a three-position switch; the positions are usually OFF/All-round Light/All-round light and sidelights. This corresponds to vessel operations as NOT UNDERWAY and NOT AT ANCHOR / AT ANCHOR / UNDERWAY.
--an ACCESSORY (ACCY) circuit, left for the boater to use as he pleases
--a second ACCESSORY circuit; see above
--a COMPASS or instrument illumination circuit
--a SUMP or BILGE pump control; this is also often a three-position switch; the position are usually ON / OFF / AUTO (control by float switch); usually the ON position will be a momentary contact; this prevents the operator from leaving the sump pump running for long periods unintentionally.
Many small boat dashboard are re-wired by the boat's owner once the boat leaves the factory, so there is no telling what wiring exists in a boat that is now 24-years old like a 1991 Boston Whaler SL 16. The most fortunate thing for anyone owning a small boat, and this certainly applies to a 16-foot boat, is that there cannot be any mystery to the electrical system as all the wires must be clearly visible and cannot run more than a few feet from the dashboard switch panel to their loads. A few moments of careful visual inspection should resolve any ambiguities about the electrical function of the switches and what loads they control. In the case of lamp loads, test the switches during darkness; it will be easier to see the illumination of the lamps that are controlled by the switches. In the case of pumps, test in a quiet environment; it will be easier to hear the pump motor become operative.
Boston Whaler electrical systems, even on their small boats, generally follow the accepted practices for the color-coding of the wire insulation, and one can often deduce the function of a conductor in an electrical circuit by the color of its insulation. To find the color code used by Boston Whaler, see the REFERENCE section. An extensive list of electrical wire insulation color codes is available there for various manufacturers of boats and outboard engines:
Marine Wiring Color Codes
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... rCode.html
My experience with Boston Whaler boats from c.1990 has found some paired two-conductor wiring which may resemble what might be called by a homeowner as lampcord. This wire usually does follow the color coding, although at a casual glance it might appear to just be black wire. Look for the presence of a color stripe on one of the conductors.
If the switches are bat-handle toggle switches, they are usually oriented vertically and the usual convention is to have the ON position occur when the toggle is pointing upwards. If the switches are rocker switches, they are usually orineted vertically, and the usual convention is to have the ON position to occur when the upper half of the rocker is pushed inward.
The typical functions for electrical switches on a small boat are:
--control of the NAVIGATION lamps; the controlling switch is often a three-position switch; the positions are usually OFF/All-round Light/All-round light and sidelights. This corresponds to vessel operations as NOT UNDERWAY and NOT AT ANCHOR / AT ANCHOR / UNDERWAY.
--an ACCESSORY (ACCY) circuit, left for the boater to use as he pleases
--a second ACCESSORY circuit; see above
--a COMPASS or instrument illumination circuit
--a SUMP or BILGE pump control; this is also often a three-position switch; the position are usually ON / OFF / AUTO (control by float switch); usually the ON position will be a momentary contact; this prevents the operator from leaving the sump pump running for long periods unintentionally.
Many small boat dashboard are re-wired by the boat's owner once the boat leaves the factory, so there is no telling what wiring exists in a boat that is now 24-years old like a 1991 Boston Whaler SL 16. The most fortunate thing for anyone owning a small boat, and this certainly applies to a 16-foot boat, is that there cannot be any mystery to the electrical system as all the wires must be clearly visible and cannot run more than a few feet from the dashboard switch panel to their loads. A few moments of careful visual inspection should resolve any ambiguities about the electrical function of the switches and what loads they control. In the case of lamp loads, test the switches during darkness; it will be easier to see the illumination of the lamps that are controlled by the switches. In the case of pumps, test in a quiet environment; it will be easier to hear the pump motor become operative.
Boston Whaler electrical systems, even on their small boats, generally follow the accepted practices for the color-coding of the wire insulation, and one can often deduce the function of a conductor in an electrical circuit by the color of its insulation. To find the color code used by Boston Whaler, see the REFERENCE section. An extensive list of electrical wire insulation color codes is available there for various manufacturers of boats and outboard engines:
Marine Wiring Color Codes
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... rCode.html
My experience with Boston Whaler boats from c.1990 has found some paired two-conductor wiring which may resemble what might be called by a homeowner as lampcord. This wire usually does follow the color coding, although at a casual glance it might appear to just be black wire. Look for the presence of a color stripe on one of the conductors.
Re: SL 16 panel switches
Your comments were very helpful. These are rocker type switches. One is ON and running down the battery. There is no bilge pump and nav lights are not ON. No other accessories that I know of. My next step is to use a battery tester and see if any drain on battery while the individual switches are ON. Thanks again.
Re: Dashboard Switches on 16-foot Boston Whaler
It is possible your boat electrical system could have a stray load on the boat battery even when all four dashboard switches are in the OFF position. There is no guarantee that someone hasn't wired an electrical load directly to the battery.
I recommend you make a detailed sketch of the electrical wiring, noting any wire insulation color or other identifying marks. Boston Whaler also tends to apply wire numbers to the electrical conductors. This will aid in keeping track of the wiring and identifying what goes where.
I recommend you make a detailed sketch of the electrical wiring, noting any wire insulation color or other identifying marks. Boston Whaler also tends to apply wire numbers to the electrical conductors. This will aid in keeping track of the wiring and identifying what goes where.
Re: Dashboard Switches on 16-foot Boston Whaler
Based on a drawing contained in the owner's manual on the folio marked Page 10-4, the four switches on the dashboard of a Boston Whaler SL 16 boat were for
--Navigation lamps
--Instrument illumination lamps
--Bilge pump
--Accessory circuit
Those four switch functions are the same as my earlier speculation. See my reply earlier in the thread.
--Navigation lamps
--Instrument illumination lamps
--Bilge pump
--Accessory circuit
Those four switch functions are the same as my earlier speculation. See my reply earlier in the thread.