Adding a second 12v off/on switch to power the domestic water pump

[CapnDirk]

if you have a volt meter you would get some resistance between two lugs (the light)  and checking two others would give you zero, and full resistance (the switched lugs) when the switch was thrown on and off.  you might have to play with the order of where to put the incoming 12v lug to insure proper light function.


The important thing is figure out that ground lug.  The other two will be the switched line in and out, BUT you may need to reverse the 12v positive lines (in, and out to the pump) to ensure the light comes on when the switch is thrown, instead of all the time.

[legomybago]

I wont be messing with this until after the holiday, but I did by-pass the bathroom switch already and had the same fuse blowing results when I touched the positive lead to the load lead. I may have somehow grounded one of the hot wires?? I have no idea how I could of done that, but strange things happen sometimes...I'll update this thread when I figure it out. Thanks

[Rickf1985]

Did you take ALL of the wires off of the bathroom switch and it is still blowing fuses? Or just the power wire. I see a couple things that could cause an issues but I pointed them out before and was over ridden by many other people. Eliminate that switch altogether, all of the wires.

[legomybago]

I will for sure.

[stanDman111]

never hurts to try a different approach != my opinion

[legomybago]

Well I guess I should close this thread....FIXED. It turned out to be one of the illuminated rocker switches was bad. Nothing wrong with my wiring job!! I found the problem by unplugging the wires to the water pump switch in the kitchen, I then could use the bathroom water pump switch with no issues! I hooked one wire up at a time to the kitchen switch and the last wire was the "ground" to illuminate the switch, guess what, it blows the fuse when I hook it up. What was weird, was the fact that the kitchen switch worked fine by itself, but when you add the second switch to the system, it couldn't handle it. It looks like a switch I paid 3$ for, made in China, with no brass ground terminal. I put a new (better quality) switch in it's place and all is good!! You can even trouble shoot the bad switch on the bench with a battery charger, and/or a meter and the switch tests good? Through me for a loop this one....

[Rickf1985]

I don't quite understand why you need a ground terminal on a switch that is feeding power to a grounded circuit? All you are doing is tying into a hot wire, power in one side and power out the other side. The ground on a lighted switch is usually a fine wire from a diode that would not generally blow a breaker. If it did you just disconnect the ground.

[legomybago]

If the ground is disconnected the switch won't illuminate. The whole purpose of me installing these switches is having the ease of glancing at the switch and knowing it is on/or off by the light...Maybe I don't understand where your coming from Rick i?? Or maybe Im just confusing people with how I sometimes write Hm? lol

[Rickf1985]

So basically what you are saying is it worked fine but IF you hooked up the ground then it blew the fuse? shorting to ground at the light. China's best.

[legomybago]

Yes, but only if the 2nd switch was in the system also. China's VERY best....