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electrical gurus inside (switch qeustion)

K

kwill1

NAXJA Forum User
Location
tx
I recently picked up a couple of led touch switches (Pilot PL-SW55BR), to control some driving lights. After installing them, the switches themselves turned on, but would not turn on the lights. I substituted on old rocker switch for the touch switch to double check my wiring and the lights worked.

The switches are 12v 1amp, and are connected through relays. Is it possible that a 1amp switch is not supplying enough current to trigger the relays?

I was really hoping to use the switches because they look really slick installed in the "dummy" gauge panel.
switch.jpg


switch2.jpg
 
You didn't show us your wiring schematic, or description, so we don't know if you are tying to switch +12V, or Ground.

IIRC, most pilot switches switch +12V. So if you have the relay attached to +12V, and are trying to use the switch to complete the ground, it won't work so very well.

Ground the relay, and supply +12V to it though your pilot switch.
 
3 terminals on the back- ground, power (I connected this to a switched source so the key has to be in for the lights to work), and source- to the relay. I swapped the three wires connected to the terminals to another switch and the other switch worked. :dunno:

I even called Pilot technical support and they were no help.
 
kwill1 said:
3 terminals on the back- ground, power (I connected this to a switched source so the key has to be in for the lights to work), and source- to the relay. I swapped the three wires connected to the terminals to another switch and the other switch worked. :dunno:

I even called Pilot technical support and they were no help.
Click to expand...

So, when you put your regular switch in, how are you hooking it up?
 
"The same way" ?

You replaced a 3 wire pilot switch with a 2 wire rocker switch and you tell me "The same way"?

How does that work?

What guide? No linky.

When you put in your "Old rocker switch", what did you attach it to? Relay and "what"? Ground or Hot?
 
Zuki-Ron said:
"The same way" ?

You replaced a 3 wire pilot switch with a 2 wire rocker switch and you tell me "The same way"?

How does that work?

What guide? No linky.

When you put in your "Old rocker switch", what did you attach it to? Relay and "what"? Ground or Hot?
Click to expand...

the other switch is 3 wires as well.
 
the old switch (unknown brand), is 3 wires- the switch itsself is grounded, just light the Pilot, 12v+ connected to switched power, and source to the relays.
 
Sounds like a bad new switch.

If you followed the TRS schematic, and subing in another pilot switch makes it work, then you must have a new and defective switch.
 
Zuki-Ron said:
Sounds like a bad new switch.

If you followed the TRS schematic, and subing in another pilot switch makes it work, then you must have a new and defective switch.
Click to expand...

the other switch is not a Pilot, its a 30amp LED indicator rocker from Autozone, cant recall the brand.

I don't think the switch is bad because I installed 2 at the same time, and neither work.

This is why I called Pilot, to see if there is anything unique about this switch (which came without instructions)- but again, they were no help.
 
kwill1 said:
the other switch is not a Pilot, its a 30amp LED indicator rocker from Autozone, cant recall the brand.

I don't think the switch is bad because I installed 2 at the same time, and neither work.

This is why I called Pilot, to see if there is anything unique this switch (which came without instructions)- but again, they were no help.
Click to expand...

"Pilot" is also a type of switch, which is what I was refering to.

There are few possibilities left.

When you use the switch which works, the relay "clicks", then you are really attached to the coil and not just switching on and off the lights directly. The coil just does not take that much current to run, it would defeat the purpose if it did.

I did try and research your switch by the number you posted, and the brand. Nada.
 
Zuki-Ron said:
"Pilot" is also a type of switch, which is what I was refering to.

There are few possibilities left.

When you use the switch which works, the relay "clicks", then you are really attached to the coil and not just switching on and off the lights directly. The coil just does not take that much current to run, it would defeat the purpose if it did.

I did try and research your switch by the number you posted, and the brand. Nada.
Click to expand...

I have done the same search- the only thing that came up is a thread on a Ford forum (where I got the pictures from). I actually subscribed to that forum so I could send the guy a PM- turns out he has not installed his switches yet. I asked him to let me know if he gets them to work.

The technical support guy said the switches were for light duty only cause they were only one amp. I explained that I was using a relay, but I am not sure he understood what a relay was cause he said- these are light duty only- forget powering a relay. :confused1
 
I just had a brain fart, and this might sound crazy, but it's probably worth a try.

This switch may be completely electronic. If so, it may run an open collector output. Which means, it would switch the ground, and not the hot.

If you have a spare cube relay, wire it up so that the switch completes the circuit to ground and see what happens.
 
Zuki-Ron said:
I just had a brain fart, and this might sound crazy, but it's probably worth a try.

This switch may be completely electronic. If so, it may run an open collector output. Which means, it would switch the ground, and not the hot.

If you have a spare cube relay, wire it up so that the switch completes the circuit to ground and see what happens.
Click to expand...

I will give it a shot, but I don't know exactly what you mean. I have a couple of extra relays, but they are just like the one's in the link above. Can you elaborate? I don't know a heck of alot about relays and switches as you can probably tell.
 
In the schematic, one side of the coil is attached to ground, and the other side goes to your switch. The other side of the switch is power.
So, when you flip the switch, it supplies power to the relay.

Now, just suppose that the electronic switch you have does not switch power, but switches the ground instead.

So, attach one side of the coil (85) to +12V.
Then attach the other side (86) to this fancy switch.
Be sure the switch is grounded and powered correctly.

As I said, it's a brain fart. A lot of electronic stuff I work with completes the ground instead of switching the hot.
 
Zuki-Ron said:
In the schematic, one side of the coil is attached to ground, and the other side goes to your switch. The other side of the switch is power.
So, when you flip the switch, it supplies power to the relay.

Now, just suppose that the electronic switch you have does not switch power, but switches the ground instead.

So, attach one side of the coil (85) to +12V.
Then attach the other side (86) to this fancy switch.
Be sure the switch is grounded and powered correctly.

As I said, it's a brain fart. A lot of electronic stuff I work with completes the ground instead of switching the hot.
Click to expand...

Lighted switches need to switch the hot side of the circuit. Otherwise there is no way to power the "light" in the switch.
 
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