LED Lighting.

[Red-Eye]

I'm about to install LED light strips on my casting deck. but i cant figure out the best way to do it. They would be wired to my trolling motor battery. ( my TM is old so theres no plug just +/- clamps). Im looking to put a strip on each side of the deck. Also I would like to have an on off switch for them so i dont have to reconnect them everytime i want to turn them on/off. Here is the LED strip i want to get.
https://www.amazon.com/Shoreline-Marine-Light-26-9-Inch-White/dp/B00JGQL2PG/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1401337394&sr=1-4&keywords=shoreline+led+strip+light

Does anyone know of a ON/OFF control module i can hookup to these then to the battery? Or if I could even use these? Im not very good with electronics and wiring.

 

[huntinfool]

LED lights are power and ground. All you need is a switch. Interrupt the power lead and it will be fine. I would consider adding a fuse before the switch.

So take power from the battery to a fuse holder/fuse then to the switch then off the switch to the light. Ground the other wire on the light to the ground of the battery. You can connect both lights to the same switch. LED lights draw almost nothing for power. I'll be installing mine soon.

 

[Red-Eye]

Im not sure im followin ya. Like i said, im not to good with wiring and electronics.

 

[DrNip]

On/Off switch. Drill a round hole somewhere and set it.

https://www.basspro.com/Blue-Water-LED-On/Off-Mini-Rocker-Switch/product/13121809410119/

Rough sketch.



Looks like the light you are looking at will need a three way switch though. Two on positions and an off position.

 

[Red-Eye]

DrNip » 29 May 2014, 21:56[/url]"]On/Off switch. Drill a round hole somewhere and set it.

https://www.basspro.com/Blue-Water-LED-On/Off-Mini-Rocker-Switch/product/13121809410119/

Rough sketch.



Looks like the light you are looking at will need a three way switch though. Two on positions and an off position.

What type of fuse would i use? where is the ground on my battery?

 

[DrNip]

You just connect the black wire to the negative post on the battery. Don't know what size of fuse. Maybe a 3 amp??? You'll want a fuse like you have in your car. Instructions will tell you that. Purchase a fuse holder to put fuse in.

 

[huntinfool]

DrNip's drawing is correct. However you only need an on off switch. You can run as many lights off one switch as needed.
Do you have any other type of fuses on your boat? If so I'd go to the local auto parts store and get a fuse holder that is the same as the other fuses ( that way you only have one type of fuse to buy) and install it.

The ground on a battery is the - negative terminal.
The + positive is the power side.

 

[Red-Eye]

huntinfool » 30 May 2014, 07:43[/url]"]DrNip's drawing is correct. However you only need an on off switch. You can run as many lights off one switch as needed.
Do you have any other type of fuses on your boat? If so I'd go to the local auto parts store and get a fuse holder that is the same as the other fuses ( that way you only have one type of fuse to buy) and install it.

The ground on a battery is the - negative terminal.
The + positive is the power side.

So if i order the LED strip and the ON/OFF switch then i will just have to buy a fuse to connect them with the battery?

 

[BigTerp]

Red-Eye » 5 minutes ago[/url]"]

huntinfool » 30 May 2014, 07:43[/url]"]DrNip's drawing is correct. However you only need an on off switch. You can run as many lights off one switch as needed.
Do you have any other type of fuses on your boat? If so I'd go to the local auto parts store and get a fuse holder that is the same as the other fuses ( that way you only have one type of fuse to buy) and install it.

The ground on a battery is the - negative terminal.
The + positive is the power side.

So if i order the LED strip and the ON/OFF switch then i will just have to buy a fuse to connect them with the battery?

You'll also need an in-line fuse holder to mount the fuse into. Like huntinfool said, get the same type of fuse as others on your boat. Between my engine, accessories and switch panel my boat has 3 different types of fuses. I keep at least 2 of each type and size on hand in case of a blown one. Kind of a PITA, but not the end of the world.

 

[AKFF]

Looks like those will work nicely. As mentioned above, just about any switch in the positive leg from your TM battery will do. I'd check your local electronics store for a switch you like. No doubt, most of the switches you find will be designed to go into some sort of housing, but you may want one that goes directly in-line, saving the trouble of mounting it somewhere permanent. The old roller switches that were (probably still are) on desk lamps come to mind. Any on/off switch (non-momentary, which means you don't have to hold the button down to maintain current flow) will work. Feel free to LMK if you need any more info on the wiring, but it should be about as simple as wiring can be.

 

[huntinfool]

Yes, a fuse holder and a fuse.

 

[BigTerp]

I'd suggest a waterproof switch of some sort. Just any random switch will eventually get wet and/or corrode and fail.

 

[DrNip]

The lights are dual color is why I said he needed a 3 way switch. With just and on off switch he would run both colors at the same time. With the 3 way he can run either the blue light or green light individually. If I was the buyer, I would buy a one color light system and go with the on/off switch and wire it the way I showed. You can hook up several strands to the same switch as stated.

 

[JMichael]

Depending on your location, you might want to keep the insects in mind when you select which color to go with. Some colors attract bugs like a magnet while other colors seem to have little to no effect. I believe someone on the forum did some testing in that area and posted their findings in a thread here, so you may want to search for that info.

 

[BigTerp]

JMichael » May 30th, 2014, 10:57 pm[/url]"]Depending on your location, you might want to keep the insects in mind when you select which color to go with. Some colors attract bugs like a magnet while other colors seem to have little to no effect. I believe someone on the forum did some testing in that area and posted their findings in a thread here, so you may want to search for that info.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=34042