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$3 quick fix for dinette spots

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/30/2014 : 19:52:23

The starboard spot over my dinette has been suffering from an intermittently balky switch, and I had been very nervous about it. I get very nervous with malfunctioning switches. I know that a faulty contact can cause electrical resistance that leads to heat buildup. And while this issue is not as serious for 12VDC as it is for 120VAC, a malfunctioning switch can get as hot as the 10W bulb in the spot, which is hot enough to burn your hand or even melt the plastic in the switch. And aside from the safety concerns, you could run down the battery by thinking the spot is off when the switch is actually on, and after you leave the boat the spot turns itself on again.

I know that many of you don't like these head-banging lights, but I kind of like them, largely because all my other lights have been converted to LED, and these incandescent lights give the best color fidelity for reading charts and other color prints. I use them sparingly when on battery, but I use them much frequently when charging on shore power. So I wanted to fix them rather than replace them.

First, I used a multimeter to confirm that the problem was actually the switch, and not other wiring issues with the lights. The switch had gotten a "mushy" feeling, and sure enough, flipping it to "on" with the multimeter led to an unreliable closed circuit. I searched Amazon very thoroughly for the right replacement. There are many available that look like they would fit, but when I read the descriptions, I realized that the sizes vary greatly. Some would fit, but are only available in lots of 10 or 20. Finally, I found one that was within 1mm of the dimensions of the originals, and [url="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CXAC1ZW/"]sold in pairs for $2.86[/url].

It's a little tricky removing the original switches. You basically have to compress the flexible ends with pliers and gently ease it out. The replacements go in very snugly, and work perfectly.

Note that these are kitchen-grade switches. They are not marine grade, but kitchens get a lot of moisture too, so I expect them to work fine. Note in the pics below that the contacts for the original were unplated brass, but the contacts on the new ones are tinned. So I think that bodes well for the quality of the new ones vs. the originals.

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Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.