Engine room light switch?

[HeadedToTexas]

My work life keeps me abreast of many electrical things including that breakers are not to be used as switches because use changes the break point over time. That's not really an issue in my commercial and residential applications as the breakers are sequestered on panels well away from applications and users. Lights are turned on with switches, not breakers.

Such is not the case in the boat world and the breakers on my Blue Sea panel are often the only "switch" to turn a light on or off. The cabin lights have separate switches, but the navigation and engine room lights do not. No big deal, of course, but I wonder if later versions of the Mariner 37 / Helmsman 38 have dedicated switches for the engine room lights? If so, where is that switch?

 

[rslifkin]

It only partially answers your question, but the common Carling A series magnetic-hydraulic circuit breakers used on a lot of boats do say in the datasheet that they can be used for switching. I just looked at the datasheet for them and they mention 10,000 switching cycles and up to 6 cycles per minute.

 

[Altair38]

I have a Helmsman 38E PH Hull Number 62. It has an Engine Light Switch to the right of the Thruster Controls on the lower helm station and next to the windlass switch. It also has a dedicated circuit breaker.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Interesting. I would have thought the switch for the Engine Room lights would be accessible from the hatch, if not inside the Engine Room.

 

[rslifkin]

Interesting. I would have thought the switch for the Engine Room lights would be accessible from the hatch, if not inside the Engine Room.

That seems logical, but there's not always a good spot to do that. On my boat (not a Helmsman) the engine room light switch is in the electrical panel a few feet away from the engine hatch.

 

[Helmsman]

On the 38e, the engine room lights are distributed throughout the engine room and also the lazarette. Obviously, if desired, it should be simple enough to add switches to light different areas such as surrounding the engine, aft of the engine where the batteries, generator, and a ton of storage is. And, of course, also the lazarette. However, I have never thought about adding switches.

The lights are low voltage LED’s and really brighten up the whole area. It certainly allows you to check things out in all locations fairly efficiently.

 

[CaptTom]

I installed a switch which turns the ER lights on when the hatch is opened. Well worth the effort!

 

[HeadedToTexas]

While individual fixtures can be turned on and off, the only place the wiring is visible to me is in the electrical cabinet as the wires disappear in the sound insulation material lining the engine room. I have a few out right now, but expect them to pull 10 amps when all back on line. Feels like a lot for LEDs. Plenty of light though.