Relay / logic gate for Anchor / Nav lights

[mjcp]

Hi all,

Yet another thread about wiring of Nav lights / Anchor lights / steaming etc.

Leaving aside the pros and cons of Pulpit vs Mast top etc, I *WOULD* like to fit an anchor light to the top of the mast - I have an AquaSignal 40 tricolour up there currently. The plan is to replace with an LED Tri + Anchor in one unit.

(the current mast wiring is old and not tinned, so that's to be replaced, LED will allow for lower x-section thus cheaper wiring to be used)


I would *ALSO* like to keep my existing BEP switch panel intact, avoiding having to add additional switches to reverse polarity, select different lights. etc e.g. NASA Combi or shared wires e.g. Osculati tricolour / Anchor.


My BEP switch panel has 3 available single throw switches, currently: Navigation (pulpit and stern), "Mast light" and Steaming. (I'm unsure what the mast light switch is currently wired to, there is a separate switch for the fore deck working light, so not that!)



Digging through historic posts, there is discussion about switching, and there's mention of relays too, but nowhere can I find a wiring diagram.

An elegant solution would be keep the current switches, do some behind the scenes logic and drive the relevant lights for Anchor, sail and motoring from the three switches.

Any help appreciated.


Old post:
Switching between masthead and steaming lights

 

[Roberto]

You might consider a Tricombo, it is available as replacement led lamp for existing housing or with its own housing
TRICOMBO NAVIGATION BAY15D - MARINELED
It uses only one switch: ON once is anchor light with dusk/dawn sensor, ON-OFF-ON in 3seconds (IIRC) gives tricolour, ON-OFF-ON longer period activates SOS strobe light. No VHF interference reported by users.

 

[mjcp]

Thanks, not sure that would work where my current housing has coloured lenses. There is no clear lens to the front, so it could not show a white all round.

Marc

 

[bergie]

This might do the thing:
Smart Relay: Control two loads with one power switch

 

[mjcp]

That's a clever bit of kit. (but not cheap!)

I'm not limited on number of switches - I have three I can use.

Where it's tricky is the LED Tri + Anchor lights from NASA use a reverse polarity to switch between Tri and Anchor. Similarly, the Osculati tri has 3 wires - L1, L2 and Earth. Some logic preventing L1 and L2 /on at the same time would help to prevent anchoring with the nave lights /on !

M

 

[Sandy]

Not really sure what you are asking.

Do you want something that does this:

If(sailing=y, then switch tri light on
if(motoring=y, then switch tri light off and steaming and deck level lights on
if(at anchor=y, then switch all navigation lights off and anchor light on
if(not doing anything=y, then switch everything off

Brian at Kdd Powercentre did that for me on my bespoke switch panel. I've not seen him post for a while but might worth an email.

 

[mjcp]

That's the sort of thing, yes!

The key is doing it with the existing switches. Relays are cheap enough, but I'd like to keep the look / feel of the current switch panel, rather than adding additional / different switches or replacing the whole thing.

 

[Sandy]

That's the sort of thing, yes!

The key is doing it with the existing switches. Relays are cheap enough, but I'd like to keep the look / feel of the current switch panel, rather than adding additional / different switches or replacing the whole thing.

Brian might be able to help you using your existing switches.

I have 4 switches. Anchor, steaming, deck level nav, and tri-colour. If something is on e.g. deck level or deck level plus steaming light by turning on my anchor or tri then the lights not used are switched off.

 

[rogerthebodger]

If you are looking for automatic nav lights nav lights ore only is needed at night os a daylight Senor would only be needed to cause the nav lights to be on when its dark,

With the engine running causes the steaming and side lights to be on and it the anchor has been dropped the anchor light would be on. Otherwise, the sailing / tricolor light would be one.

This could be done with interlocking relays

I have a simple multi switch as I like to have control/

My multi position switch has the position's

Off
sail
motor
tricolour
anchor on
anchor automatic

 

[andsarkit]

This is what I have done. Just 2 switches, one for sailing and one for motoring. If you switch them both on together all the nav lights go off and the anchor light comes on. This makes it impossible to have illegal lights and as I am only 8m the anchor light would serve if the other lights had failed for some reason.

I just made it up on a small piece of veroboard and a couple of dpdt relays from the spares box.

 

[mjcp]

Fantastic, that's the sort of thing I was after - original "simple" switches, relays to force some logic and a diagram.

thanks!

 

[andsarkit]

Just noticed a couple of errors in the circuit. I will do a correct version shortly. It does actually work so I must have got the construction right.

 

[andsarkit]

Visio did the dirty on me and jumped a couple of wires on top of each other. Correct versions below (delayed by an overhead lightning strike and long power cut courtesy of Eowyn)
You don't need double pole relays but I had them to hand and put the poles in parallel to halve the current in the contacts.

 

[bergie]

This might do the thing:
Smart Relay: Control two loads with one power switch

Note that after a yet another unsatisfactory conversation with the support from Yacht Devices (we have a N2K to SeaTalk converter from them that keeps factory resetting itself), I cannot recommend doing any business with the company. So find a product from a more reputable manufacturer.