Toggle switch

The toggle that works my hydraulic thruster keeps failing on PORT. Have replaced twice. Connection are clean and tight. Going for third better grade switch. Any suggestion on why only port Clutch is fine when switch is new. After using for a while, it becomes hhit or miss. Thanks Arthur Bricker/ Remedy

Arthur Bricker said:

The toggle that works my hydraulic thruster keeps failing on PORT. Have replaced twice. Connection are clean and tight. Going for third better grade switch. Any suggestion on why only port Clutch is fine when switch is new. After using for a while, it becomes hhit or miss. Thanks Arthur Bricker/ Remedy

Click to expand...

Have you measured the current draw for each direction. I suspect port is higher.
Edit: Brain fart on my end forgot about the solenoid. Panacea is spot on.

Check the amp draw with a clamp meter on the port circuit
It is going to be wired to a solenoid that runs the thruster
Solenoids only draw .5 to maybe 2 amps
A toggle switch will fail if drawing too much current.
Start by checking voltage from switch to solenoid while engaged, should not be much less the battery voltage. Then check amp draw at the switch.
Finally check voltage at the solenoid, if it is close to battery voltage and not engaging, suspect solenoid.
Solenoid windings can have shorted windings and still function, they will just draw more current.

Interested to see how this tuns out for you

Use a switch for marine use , not an auto switch.

Cole Hersey sells marine switches with ratings that will probably cover your amp draw.

Install a condenser from a car ignition to help the switch open the connection.

IF you can get a paper copy of their catalog its very informative.

It seems unlikely that a switch that is operating a solenoid would fail from too much current, but switches are generally cheap so upgrading to a higher capacity switch would be something to try.


Measuring the current through the switch is possible but there could be a momentary surge when the switch is closed that would be hard to measure, especially with a digital meter.


FF's suggestion of installing a condenser (capacitor) is interesting because a solenoid is actually a coil of wire and can produce a high voltage spike when connected or disconnected and the capacitor would route this spike to ground, but we would expect failure on both sides and failure of all installations of this system on other boats. That would seem more of a band-aide than a cure.

I don't have a clamp meter but will work with my multi-meter. Will follow your lead and let you know. Have order new Cole hersee toggle. HD. Thanks Archie Bricker/Remedy

Thanks again. Each leg drew .348 Amps. Not the solenoid. Put old switch in place and works fine. Waiting on new switch which is self-centering. Archie/Remedy

Arthur Bricker said:

Waiting on new switch which is self-centering. Archie/Remedy

Click to expand...

Yup, Self centering is the way to go here...