Question on Wiring Multiple Lights to One Switch

[mrhookup]

Hey guys, I'm new to the board when it comes to posting but have been a reader for a while now. I'm in the process of planning out rewiring my boat (16' Grumman deep-v) which will include a fish finder, bilge, nav lights, underwater floods on transom, and some red interior LEDs. From searching previous posts on here I think I understand the basic concepts....leads from battery to fuse box and the grounded bus board, then positive and negative leads from the devices into the fuse box and bus board with switches on the positive lead between the fuse box and device. Use amperage and length of wires run for each device to determine the wire sizes and fuses to use. I think I've got that stuff down.

Now what I can't wrap my head around is when you want to have multiple lights on one switch, in my case this would be for the nav and interior LED lights. If you have just one light/device the positive and negative leads just run straight to the fuse box and bus board. But if you have two or more lights how would that work? Does each light go on it's own circuit back to the switch, thus having multiple positive wire between the switch and lights? Or would you run the positive lead from the switch to the first light, then the second, and so forth then bring it back to the switch to close the loop? I'm worried about making sure I get the maximum brightness out of the lights by doing the wiring correctly. I'm having trouble visualizing how this would work so if anyone has a picture that would help I'd surely appreciate it! Thanks!

 

[Bugpac]

To first light. Then second. And so on. Same with the ground. It goes to every light.

 

[mrhookup]

Does that technically put the lights in series then? Would that cause the "brightness" of the light to be less than if they were in parallel or does the correct wire size(s) make sure the lights get enough power?

 

[mrhookup]

Also, when you get to the last light does anything need to run back to the fuse box and bus board or does the wiring just end at the last light?

 

[Bugpac]

You get a hot and a ground to every light. Just as it was one light on the circuit. The light completes the circuit. Your not gonna get dim lights unless the wire is undersized.

 

[Bugpac]

Its is paralell. Your first lights will have a hot in, hot out to next light. And the light itself hooked together. 3 wires. Same with ground.

 

[kofkorn]

Here's a quick diagram to give you a visual. You can use one wire as the main line, but each light needs to be split off of it. Again, same with the ground wires. Nothing needs to go back to the switch, only back to the battery or ground somewhere on the boat.

Good luck!

 

[pjcalla]

For your navigation lights, you'll need a DPDT (double pole, double throw) switch. That way you can have both anchor and bow lights on while running and anchor only on when you're not. Just thought I'd throw that out there, since you included nav lights in your question, and it hadn't been addressed yet.

For wiring it, just do a search on here, and there will be multiple posts explaining and showing how to do it.

 

[mrhookup]

thanks guys! what I need to do now is clear as day, this forum is great.