Compass wiring

[ailsaboat]

New compass arrived this morning (boat show purchase) and I was surprised at no fitting instructions... Okay, not rocket science(I thought!) but now I'm confused.
I'm sure I read/heard somewhere about twisting the wires to cancel out the magnetic field generated - if so, how far? Just in the pedestal?
Also, there are 4 wires coming out of the compass twisted into pairs - presumably pos. and neg. but not twisted together and not labelled.
Does it matter which way round, and do I need to use the same idea of two wires for pos. and two for neg.
Or am I getting to complicated and should just connect up and go?
All help gratefully accepted!

 

[cliff]

Two lights therefore 4 wires - one twisted pair for each light. If the twisted pair is not colour coded then it doesnot matter which way round they are connected to the supply -one wire from each pair to +ve and the other wire from each pair to -ve. If coded red and black then the reds go to +ve and the blacks go to -ve. easy.........
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

 

[ailsaboat]

Doh!!!
Two bulbs = two pos.two neg. Must be suffering from brain fade.
Thanks

 

[bpscmarine]

Twist the compass light wires there is no need to go further, compass lights are now LEDs and the problem is not so critical
www.bpsc-marine.co.uk

 

[john_morris_uk]

I beg to differ:- Lots of Compass lights are not LEDs!

Lots of Compasses still have miniature wire ended 12v bulbs. They are not polarity sensitive - obviously!

 

[bpscmarine]

Older compasses are as you say bulb lit! seeing how this compass was bought from the show we assume it is a modern compass and would be fitted with LED lighting we carry both bulbs and LED and the LED out sells bulbs at about 10 to 1
If the compass was delivered without instructions contact us and we may be able to provide them.
bpsc-marine.co.uk