How to wire a boat switch panel
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- Boat switch panel with marine-grade rocker switches and rubber seal-cap to keep it water-tight. 2 USB ports are sufficient to meet charge demand.
Digital voltage display helps to monitor vehicle’s electrical safety.
Universal fits for both 12V and 24V vehicle.
*Fuses - I will fit a master fuse between switch and battery.
www.ebay.co.uk...
part 2
• How to wire a boat swi...
![How to Wire MULTIPLE 12V LED Rocker Switches [Simple Guide and Wiring Explanation]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2_XHqBgyiZg/mqdefault.jpg)
FINALLY!!!! Someone who just kept it simple and you used a battery where most people start in middle of the wiring,thank you Mark 👏👏👊👍
What about fuses then surely should of added a fuse box not just an inline from battery none of his circuits are fused unless I’m mistaken ?
@@Pooooooyuou you just run the fuse between the power line from battery to the power on the switch. You may want a fuse box if you have components that require more or less current depending on their tolerance.
This video gives you a brief explanation for using the fuse box for these switches. Some switches will be more simple.th-cam.com/video/cXDSVSAwjLQ/w-d-xo.html
@@patrickt1087 thank you Patrick
I have the same panel box, got intimidated & DIDN'T KNOW where to start! Found your video and confidence restored! Thanks!
Wow!!! Mark you have a teacher mentality . Thank you...very clear. I plan to have a power on and off switch in between the battery and the panel. This will keep anything from draining the battery.
Glad to help
Thank you Mark, in virtually a few minutes I understood how the wiring system via the panel worked because of your plain and simple explanation. I just subscribed. Bless you my man!
You are welcome thanks for watching and sub ATB
Nice video. For those that read the comments, wire your panel lighting, and the voltmeter to a separate switch, can be a small round switch or something. Reason is, unless you unplug the switch panel every time you stop running the boat, the panel will drain the battery with the constant draw from the pilot lights and the voltmeter.
Interesting, I never thought about that. I will have mine connected to a 12 V fuse panel, plus it’s a solar array, so this should not draw enough power to affect it.
@@susancrocker5851 or, install an in-line toggle on/off switch.
Or wire it so all one of the switches is your "on/off" for the rest...
Im gona run min to à 12v swiched when i turn my key off every thing go OFF
@@GMTPF800
Bingo.
That's how 99% of boat manufacturers rigg anyway, except for the nav lights and bilge pumps.
Finally a video that shows what and how to wire my lights for my kayak! Omg you’re a Godsend! Thanks for keeping it simple and knowledgeable! Excellent video for someone like me who is NOT an electrician.
Out of all the bloody videos i have watched, This one was the mpst helpful and kept so simple for someone like me. Thanks mate.
Thanks you explained that perfectly,I too have watched many of these videos,,and left as dumb as I started ,,,most are showing how to run the wires but not actually explaining the concept ,, of actually making the rocker panel work ,,thanks again Mark
This is the most basic explained wiring video.. it's like wiring for dummies!! Love it.. thanks from aust mate appreciated
You're welcome! nathan thanks for watching
@@MrMeltedwellies no worries mate, I'm using this set up in the rear of my 4x4 and I think a lot of other people watching would be either using it in a boat or 4x4 also.. but I bought a cheap 4 way switch and a couple of the wires connecting at the back have broke so I'll have to spend a bit more and get better quality.. thanks again 👍🏼
The negatives all going back to the battery was my problem! Thank you so much Sir! Huge help and much appreciated!
I plan to use a small 12 volt fusebox instead of going back to the battery, as the panel and accessories are in the cabin, and the batteries are in a small shed outside.
Thank you Sir! You made this very easy to understand. Now I think I can complete my project.
You are most welcome
I award you the best boat electrician 2020 plus a kiss from my 60 years old sister!
ill take both lol thanks for watching Jo
Brilliant....... I watched your how to wire an RV, took me 2 minutes to find the exact same switch panel on Ebay, $28 Australian and 5 days it was on my door step.
I just finished yesterday wiring my boat from scratch - Nav Lights, Anchor Light, Interior Lights and Bilge Pump. You made it so simple to watch and understand even a complete electrical novice like me had no problems wiring it up.... outstanding !!! Going to wire driving lights to my car now
How did you wire it? Does the panel shut off when you turn your key on? I need to re wire mine so just curious
Awesome explanation. Inherited a boat dad had taken apart to rewire, working on my license rn.
You are the best teacher. I watched a couple other videos about wiring my boat and our is the simplest and easy to follow. Thank you so much.
Omg thank you so much…… you saved me quite a lot of effort and money!
Because I was quite confused what to do with the other pole ( negative ) of each function!
I watched this video 3 days ago...orderd the same product from amazon installed it this evening!
Thank you, this was so helpful. The visual effect really helped me grasp the idea so much better. Quite simple honestly after watching your video. Thank you!
Thank you sir, my switch panel came with zero instructions and you saved the day.
Yes ditto. Thanks Mark. Great explanation.
Thank you so much for this video, Mark. Yes, the included instructions have much to be desired. But, with your perfect video it filling in the huge gaps. Wired just as you did with 4 gang. Grounding to a second solar power battery was the answer. It has to be grounded to the battery. Thank you!!!
Fantastic! Bought this exact one awhile back and finally have a place to install it. After my first search on wiring this, your video came up, and will be the only one I’ll need. Thank you for the informative and simple to follow tutorial! 👍🏻
Sean, where can I purchase this? Thanks
Tom MacMillian eBay.
Is this necessary if you use a battery on/off switch?
You are the only other person that I could find on wiring this in this way very helpful thanks
No problem 👍 Ethan
Thank you for the video. I just picked up the same rocker panel on Amazon today and was greatly confused
The BEST tutorial ever created about this switchboard!👍👍👍👍👍
Glad it was helpful thank you Catherine
I just installed the same panel on my boat. Even though there’s a large fuse at the battery you should also wire in a fuse panel between the switch panel and the lamp or components being switched. Get a fuse panel that has spade terminals on either side of each fuse. Or use inline fuses. Each circuit has to be separate from each other. You can’t use a fuse panel with just one main input terminal.
HEY! I just installed my switch panel to my tracker grizzly boat. Same switch panel as this one, I ran the negative wire to a negative terminal bar and ran the 3 accessories i have to the negative terminal bar. Can i run an inline fuse on the positive wire and run in through my ON/OFF cut off switch to the positive term on battery. The positive wires from my accessories can i put an inline fuse on each of those in between switch panel and accessorie? Most of my accessories are super low amp LED lights. Only big one is Light Bar which is 10amp and that came with its own wiring harness with relay installed. Any help is super appreciated just want to make sure i dont mess anything up before i take out boat for first time. BTW the 12v battery is just for my electronics i have my motor running off its own battery for the electric start.
Yes Nicholas sounds like you’re on the right track. Ideally the fuse should be between the battery and the switch so the whole circuit is protected in case your switch shorts out but this can’t be done with this setup. That’s why there’s a circuit breaker at the positive battery cable. Next best thing is an in-line fuse after each switch. It’s very unlikely that an accessory will short out. Usually it’s a wire that rubs on something metal then when you power up that circuit the fuse will overheat and blow shutting off the power. If it weren’t for the fuse the wire would get hot and start a big fire.
@@JohnVH-diy AWESOME thanks for the reply. with each positive wire having an inline fuse. How do i know which size fuse to use on the main positive from the switch panel to the battery
nicholas stidham. Most led accessories are less than 10 amps some are 5 amps. Count up the amps and that’s your main breaker at your battery. I have a 40 amp breaker which is ideal for most applications. Your in-line fuses should match more closely to your accessories such as 5 amp for usb, 10 amps for a couple of small lights and 20 amps for a cigarette lighter style plug so you can plug in a hand held spotlights etc. If you’re connecting something like a big light bar that’s 30 amps or more you’ll need a relay. A relay is just a electro magnetic switch that uses a low amp circuit to turn on a high amp accessory.
Thanks! Off I go to build a negative bus bar with a fuse panel to bring the negative back to the battery. Easy peazy
I have the same exact panel, thanks for explaining how to wire it up. This is very helpful. Also, good job on your audio and video quality and narration, well done. Cheers.
can i just tap the ground into the negative wire thats going INTO the panel? or i have to run all back to the battery or buss bar or distribution panel?
@@RoyalStifler That's a good question, maybe one of our electrician friends here can answer that best.
Thanks for your tutorial. Very clear and not patronising. Credit to boating.
Thank you Mark só Simple finally someone keep ir Simple....
Thank you again from Portugal 😊
You are so welcome hi from the uk
Excellent video, just bought one of these panels for my boat and was confused and wondering how to wire it up till I came across your video 👍
I appreciate you! Wired these up a few times but still come up with questions sometimes.
Glad to help
Good video. I see that I'm going to want to remove those jumpers because I don't want this to act as a distro box. I want my fuse box to do that. I can pull the jumpers and run power and grounds straight from my fuse box to isolate each circuit. Thanks for the video. It clears up how I'm going to do this for my boat.
When you turned the light off and said that's cool isn't it I said out loud hell yea it's cool and I couldn't buy one fast enough for my jhon boat. Thank you for the very informative video
I love it nice one thanks for watching
Very nicely explained. Mine has 3 reds which go to the lighter, USB and meter and then one to 2 switchs each. His just had 1 wired to all switches and the 3 items on top. I will use a wire nut to connect all 3 to the red from the battery but otherwise exactly the same.
Glad it helpe Bill
Great post! One thing I didn’t really follow was how to turn off the secondary lights on the panel (the light that stays on all the time) but still get the light to turn on when you press the button. I just don’t want to draw any unnecessary power
@Mark Archer thanks for the reply Mark. I’m not really following. I’m looking to only have LED’s on when the switch is flicked, not the little leds on all the time. I’m assuming I unplug one of the wires on the back of the box? I also gave thought to wire it into the NAVI lights so they would only remain lit when those are on. Might be too much for me to figure out though, not sure which wire would be connected to NAVI
fit a isolation switch 😀🍷🍻
Thanks for that awesome tutorial, now everything makes sense , I’m not a electrician but everything seems to be working well . Thanks man for the class.
I dont suppose you could explain how to use one of the switches on the board to turn it all off rather than using a separate switch at all? You seem to have the simplest way of making it all make sense!! 😁👍 Brilliant explanation!! Thanks for posting this video!! 👌
leave it with me ill have a go today Calum
@@MrMeltedwellies do t worry mate. Iv just ordered a switch to give me an extra terminal. Thanks though! amazing videos all the same mate! must help millions of people!! 👌
Hi Mark, you don't need to run the negative back to the battery, just tap them into the black negative that goes to the panel, (which is from the battery).
Thought same thing which ever is closer also goes for cars
I was just wondering that
FINALLY SOMEONE EXPLAINED THIS!!! THANK YOU MARK!!!
best explanation I've seem so easy to understand. cheers thanks for the help
Really Terrific content, Thank You !
My dilemma is for Protecting the SWITCH from passing full (rated) amperage vs adding a Relay to ease the amperage on the Switch, and pass the Load through the relay.
Next dilemma is where the Fusing is employed ? Before or After switch ? Seems a lot of amps hitting the panel, straight from the Battery feed.
Again, I genuinely Appreciate you !
Very helpful thank you. Just finished wiring mine and your video made installation much easier
Thank you for the excellent tutorial, it's been incredibly informative and addressed most of my queries. One point I'm still uncertain about, can I install a 5-volt fuse box connector on each positive lead, or does this unit already include built-in overload circuit protection? Your clarification would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again.
You, sir, have made my life so much easier!! Thank you!!
I have an aluminum boat..do I wire it the same way..the ground ? Great vid.
For any set up, would u have to put the negative back to the battery to work or that’s just for the lights ?
Great video. But the usb,12v & battery light stays on all the time. Can you use one of the panel switches to control the live feed coming in to turn off the panel so battery don't go dead? Mike.
Great video but how do I cut the power from the whole touch panel without having to disconnect from the battery
Video still helping people. Well done!
I have that same panel, I disconnected the bottom led lights so it won't be on while not in use and drain the battery down, and I also added another power supply after the 3rd switch because having 1 source supplying all 6 switches is too much of a load
Hello there Sir what cable size did you use to connect from battery to that panel and what do you call those connectors. Thanks! you did a very simple demonstration here good job.
10 amp wire
Combine this with a fusebox with bus bar to it and you are golden.
I have one with a built in waterproof 15a fuse on each switch but it doesn't have a trigger wire and my supply is constant. I guess I need a relay?
@@anglerandy5736 You don’t have a ground switch?
Thanks, Mark. Straight forward and easily understood.
Do you need to have a fuse box to wire one of these or can you just hook up the panel and connect the Bilge pump and lights and all to it ?
i just connected mine straight to it works fine
Mark Davies so you didn’t use any fuse box or what not? I just don’t wanna have short going around
My god that is an awesome unit!!..looks like a good buy for easy installation
Lots of Thanks you's in the comments mate
so I'm adding my'n.
Thank you
Much appreciated.
Cheers from Australia. :)
Nice explanation sir. I guess we need also a fuse for any light line or any other electronic equipment according its wattage.
That's what I'm searching the comments for. I was planning on using a fuse block then jumping to each connector, which I still might do.
Are those switches connected to a circuit breakers? Do you need to add in line fuse to the lights? Thanks. Great video
depends on what model you buy with or without fuses
thank you for the easy instructions. I just have 1 question, When you have the boat parked or turned off, wont the lights on the panel drain the battery?
i fitted a isolating switch
Very help full.and simply explained .thank you
For running the negatives back to the battery can you just have one negative wire coming off battery then hook them to that ?
What if I have an aluminum boat? Would I still need to run the negative back to the battery, or could I just ground it to the metal on the boat up under the dash?
You could get a multi connector and join negative to the negative on the switxh panel
How do I eliminate the rectangle lights at bottom of each rocker ? Or more to what I want is to only have them on when my boat lights come on . How ever I am using this panel for the light as well
I always putting small light on switch on positive of navigation light/anchor light.That means: you always start navi /anchor lights when is dark and then light on switch start . It is no use to run all time.
Also, can you post video of how you fused the panel?
Simple and straight forward! Great video!! Thank you sir!
Are there fuses built into the panel. Thanks for video.
Gret explanation. Where are the individual fuses for each switch kept?
So do you need to fuse the light positive wire going into switch ?
if there not one fitted then yes i would
hello looking for help on by center console rocker switches.
my bilge pump has a on/off/auto ,so it is a 3 position rocker switch.
bilge pump goes on on position on, off in position off, but nothing happens on position auto.auto also had a red led which is not lite up in standby, like it used to be.
all spade wires appear to be well connected.
are these rocker switches all on positive side to connect/disconnect positive voltage?
sorry for the lengthy questions wonder if i have a defective rocker switch.
thanks
john
Would a ground distribution terminal be suitable? Rather than having all the negatives run all the way from the dash to the battery at the stern?
Other videos I've watched recommend that. Or you can get a fuse block with the negative side also.
I have 6 led's, can I put the negative of them all on the negative on the battery? Isn't it dangerous? I dont have any grounding
Does the bottom row of lights in the amp meter stay on will it way down your battery or it don’t draw that much let me know thank you
they stay on but i fitted a isolation switch
Ok Thank you I think I put a off/on switch in the line👌✅
Keep on the boating stuff about to 💥 boom
great vid, doing this panel today. love that little quick connect cable. been wanting something like that
Thanks Mark, simple and informative, love your work
Thanks for watching!
@@MrMeltedwellies where do i get the push connecters? i cant find them
Thank you! Bought the exact same panel! A++++
Don't you need to have fuses wired between the battery and the panel? Or are they preinstalled?
Best switch panel demo... EVER!!!! ♥♥♥ - Adonimus.
Hi Mark , great videos with plenty of simple information 👍.
Very well done mate. I was thinking with all those lights on all the time is a drain on the battery? Would it be better to leave the yellow and blue wires unconnected?
Also, if I heard you right, you said all earth wires must go back to the battery individually? Why cant you just connect all 6 earths to one heavier wire to take back to battery?
yep no problem good idea
Great video simple and to the point
Thank you so much. I'm about to rewire my boat and this thing just turned up in the post. I've spent the last half hour looking at it, trying to work it out 😂 I think I'll mount a separate switch on the wire that feeds those little running lights so I can turn them off when I'm not using the boat, otherwise, they will drain the battery :/
Glad it helped
They draw almost 0 power they will not drain the battery unless it is waning
Do you use a fuse box to connect all the negatives back to the battery? Is that what you met by terminal unit?
@Mark Davies just out of curiosity is the battery in the video still good holding a charge...I am trying to figure out how long they last..thanks.
On the back of my switch panel I only have a place to connect up the positive to each switch. What do I do with the negative coming out from my lights?
Just got a small panel similar to yours for a project, and this was a BIG help! Thank you!
I would question, two wires in one crimp on connector, I don.t believe they are rated for that.
depends what your powering led,s no problem thanks for watching Gary
Does it matter where you put your online fuse, should it be close to the battery or can it be down the line more
Nope just easy to get to thanks for watching
You could run all your negative wires parallel on the switches then one wire from the last switch to your battery. The negative from your devices gets put on the switch it designated to
So only one ground would have to be run to battery and and just tie in all other grounds to that single ground?
Nice I only got a four switch one for a RZR will probably post a video if it works
Trying to put this on my jeep Just a bit confused but Working it all out
I like this panel but quick question. I will need to mount mine vertical and would like to know if the volt meter can be rotated so when I mount vertical it reads normal. Thanks
Not sure Dan but i think so
I understand the comment of badly written diagram. I am using this switch in my Van instead of a boat. What confuses me is that the Yellow - Blue wires connect to the Lower Dash Lights...What are the "Lower Dash Lights".....This gives me the impression that I would be able to place an LED light on my dash which would indicate if any or none of the switches are activated individually. Unfortunately I can not place the switch where I can see it. Can you please provide me with some direction?
So you connect all the Negatives coming from the lights and extensions directly to the battery? There is no place on the switchboard to place them?
I added a block connector inside the mounting box so all the negatives went to that and one 30amp wire to the battery
please make a video on the choice of cables you used. thanks.
Will do!
Extremely helpful tutorial . Question? Where do I get the push in connectors ? I looked at Home Depot and couldn’t find it ?
ebay Bryan
Thanks Mark I figured it out .
One more question ??? The main red and black wires straight to the battery are what gauge? They need to be bigger then 14 awg ? Thanks again!
Eddie Gr.
1 second ago
can i just tap the ground into the negative wire thats going INTO the panel? or i have to run all back to the battery or buss bar or distribution panel?
You can ground it to any ground wire or any bolt or metal piece nearby as long as it’s grounded
Great video mate very well explained ,i am looking at putting one of these on my refurbished boat if i have what you say right if i ran a wire from a junction box /block back to the battery negative i could run all the negative wires from say nav lights ,anchor light , ect back to the block as long as i have a negative on each of the terminals similar to the way the gang switch is wired up is this correct