Storage lighting mercury switch question.

Tagged: mercury switches., Storage lighting

This topic has 6 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 5 years ago by Bass Cat Boats.

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April 4, 2021 at 6:56 pm #697574

mike ruck
Participant

2006 Puma. Getting ready to sell and want to make sure everything is in working order. Have had minor issues with storage lighting and mercury switches. Always the ground so really just cleaned everything and got them working. Not as much luck right now so likely going to order a couple mercury switches. Which brings up a Question. The switch from BCB has two leads coming out of it. Makes sense as I’m used to traditional mercury switches or tilt switches. Basically two non touching wires going into an encased body with ball of mercury. When switch tilts the mercury hits the two wires and completes the circuit. I notice on the Puma though that one of the wires on each compartment was cut off in the original install. My only assumption is that the switch is somehow grounding through the lid superstructure and then through the hinge or negative wire attached to one of the hinge screws. Is this correct, or am i missing something here?????? Guess I’m confused on how the circuit can be completed with only using one wire and if the new switches i order should be installed the same way.???

April 6, 2021 at 12:24 am #697619

Bass Cat Boats
Keymaster

The lids are aluminum and it’s likely the wire on the hinge bolts is the issue. One wire goes to the hinge and the single wire out of the switch itself completes the circuit. The single wire system does have the lids grounded.

April 26, 2021 at 9:12 pm #698037

mike ruck
Participant

Thanks for info. Understand the grounding through the lid frame and use of single wire now. Did continuity test on merc switch using the single active long wire and what was left of the other wire that was cut off. Switch is good. Can take the ground wire loose from the nut and touch to the single wire and lights turn on. So must be grounding issue with lid and screw/nut. Is the body of the merc switch attached to the lid used as the ground when the second wire is cut off? If so shouldn’t touching the ground wire from the screw to the body of the merc switch turn the lights on? I get nothing. However I can take the ground wire loose and touch it to the little bit of wire remaining on the cut off merc switch lead, and get lights.

Make any sense to attempt to just solder a wire from the short remaining cut off wire directly to the ground wire?? Thanks for your patience in answering. People ask me why this is my fourth…and probably going to my fifth Bass Cat. I tell them get on the Owners Board and see all the help you get.

April 28, 2021 at 4:44 pm #698080

Bass Cat Boats
Keymaster

We would like to help more, though in this case you might be in need of that Mercury switch and we don’t know if they are available. Converting to a push switch is an option. IF the wires are cut off, then we are not sure that is an option. In theory as you mention, it should work fine. Grounding the lid, hinge and screw is the consistent aspect. The switch should ground through the pocket it resides in.

May 7, 2021 at 12:49 am #698259

KattiMini
Participant

Hi….the chances of discovering this plant switch is really low. Anyway there are alot of 6 wire, 3 situation, with stifle available to be purchased on e-narrows or the preferences.

Perusing on the net they propose tracking down the “A” (Violet?) terminal. From that point you work your path clockwise to M (dark) at that point S (Yellow/Red) at that point C (Yellow/Black) at that point B (red) lastly to the second M (Black/Yellow)

So I’m pondering. On the off chance that my switch is as of now wired as I portrayed above would i be able to utilize another Mercury switch (6 wire) assuming a few wires are distinctive shading, mine?

May 30, 2021 at 11:29 pm #698768

mike ruck
Participant

Determined four of the six storage light issues were grounds. However, just cleaning and tightening the ground wire to the nut wasn’t enough on a couple of them. The issue was the hinge not grounding to the lid. Didn’t matter how clean you got the nut or how much carpet you cleared for a better ground it still lost ground. But after removing the lock nut, pushing the screw out a bit and sanding under the head of the screw the ground was restored. Message here…it is likely the ground, but it may be the hinge not grounding to the lid. Fish in the rain a lot so feel this contributed to oxidation or similar grounding issue.

Did find two merc switches that work but only if you bang them hard with a wrench. Will replace them. Question: will the merc switch in your parts listing be a comparable replacement? If so will order tomorrow.

May 31, 2021 at 8:54 am #698772

Bass Cat Boats
Keymaster

They should be and digging those out is a challenge.
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