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Carling Switches source

 
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smckean (Tosca)



Joined: 18 Jan 2014
Posts: 974
City/Region: Guemes Island (Anacortes)
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Tosca
Photos: Tosca
PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 4:25 pm    Post subject: Carling Switches source Reply with quote

As the new owner of the Anna Leigh, I've been looking for my first "big" project (there are lots of minor projects of course....like with any boat). I think I will dive into the electrical system. I'll never be as good as David is when it comes to building stuff with wood etc, but electrical stuff in more up my alley. There is plenty of improvements to be made in terms of better connections, more rational placements, and revamping the many slices onto terminal blocks.

My first step will be to replace some of the switches on the 12v panel in front of the helmsman's knees (the pilot light is burned out on about 30% of them). These switches were made by Carlingswitch in this 2005 boat.

Anyone have a good source for Carlingswitch switches??

Sandy

P.S. It was great to meet so many of you up at Friday Harbor a few weeks ago!! I didn't know that once one gets 40+ C-Dorys together, the weather gods sit up and take notice......nicely done!!!
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BrentB



Joined: 15 Jul 2006
Posts: 4419
City/Region: Greenwood
State or Province: IN
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PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

some on ebay

http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_kw=CARLING+SWITCHES+BOAT+ELECTRICAL+SWITCH+PANEL+LIGHTED+BREAKERS+12501+NAV%2FHORN

some here

http://www.genuinedealz.com/marine-electrical-supply/switches/contura-rocker-switches

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smckean (Tosca)



Joined: 18 Jan 2014
Posts: 974
City/Region: Guemes Island (Anacortes)
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Tosca
Photos: Tosca
PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Brent.

Yes, previously I did a Google search and found no shortage of suppliers and switch models.....Wink Laughing

That's the problem.....way too many options of sizes, rocker covers, lit or not lit, etc. I was hoping someone knows more precisely which Carlingswitch model C-Dory used in the 2005 time frame; and where one might most easily order some of the correct model (without getting hosed with shipping charges -- very common with eBay).
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BrentB



Joined: 15 Jul 2006
Posts: 4419
City/Region: Greenwood
State or Province: IN
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PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can you pull one and take an image? .
I expect the specs will be imprinted on it
Maybe over the years they used different types
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journey on



Joined: 03 Mar 2005
Posts: 3593
City/Region: Valley Centre
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: journey on
Photos: Journey On
PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 6:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Journey On has several of those switches with the light bulbs out. After looking at removing them, finding them and reinstalling them, I decided to live without the light, since the switches work.

If you find where to get them and an easy way to remove/reinstall them, I'd appreciate the info.

Good luck

Boris
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smckean (Tosca)



Joined: 18 Jan 2014
Posts: 974
City/Region: Guemes Island (Anacortes)
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Tosca
Photos: Tosca
PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 10:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are few markings on the switch. When I removed it, I expected to find a model number or something; but that's the heart of my problem, there is little to go on (see photos). I looked on the internet and found lots of Carlingswitches (100s of them). The question is which one will match.

I can see from my research that the replacement is likely the V-series Contura V, but I can't be sure. I'll do more thorough research and order whatever seems right. I'll report back.

(I can't figure out how to post photos here......I will figure that out and post them later. Suffice it to say that the only markings on the switch is; "Carlingswitch V1D1 20A 12V Mexico 0502")
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BrentB



Joined: 15 Jul 2006
Posts: 4419
City/Region: Greenwood
State or Province: IN
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PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2014 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

send the pics and data to Carling
http://www.carlingtech.com/general-comments-form
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DuckDogTitus



Joined: 31 Jan 2013
Posts: 1034
City/Region: Gig Harbor
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 1988
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Miner
Photos: Hemingway
PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2014 10:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

this is more or less my industry. If you're referring to Carling Technologies, Digikey could be a good source.


http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en/switches/rocker-switches/1114204?k=carling%20switch

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smckean (Tosca)



Joined: 18 Jan 2014
Posts: 974
City/Region: Guemes Island (Anacortes)
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Tosca
Photos: Tosca
PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I've had a small adventure working on what I thought was such a simple place to start.

First off, thanks to DuckDogTitus.......since he/she lead me to the Digi-Key site. This was the best place I've found to explore the many hundreds (probably thousands ) of Carling Switch models. It turns out that this basic switch product is sort of like an "Erector Set" in that there are just a few simple parts, but they can be put together in hundreds of combinations -- each combination being its own unique item with a unique model number. (If you know how to read the model number coding, one can figure out the features of a switch from that model number.) The Digi-Key site that DuckDogTitus provided organizes this process very nicely via the following interface:



Using this Digi-Key interface, I've narrowed down the replacement switch I need to the following:

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/V1D1G66B-00000-000/432-1294-ND/3025051

This model is "incomplete" in the sense that it does not include an actuator (the rocker cover one pushes to actuate the switch). At some point I realized that to replace the switches with burned out lights, I don't need an actuator since it can be easily removed from the existing switch and transferred to the new switch body (indeed, I could not find a matching actuator in the current Carling Switch product line).

Someone asked about photos of the switch I removed, here they are (note no model number is stamped on the switch. I can understand this from Carling's point of view given the thousands of possible combinations):





More research turned up some other useful resources relating to Carling Switches. The best of these was this discussion on TheHullTruth forum:

http://www.thehulltruth.com/new-wire-marine/513864-carling-contura-rocker-switches-explained.html

Another key resource is this step by step (with photos) article on the same website describing how to replace a burned out bulb with an LED:

http://www.thehulltruth.com/marine-electronics-forum/346417-replace-bulb-led-contura-switch.html

I removed a switch from the Anna Leigh and took it apart using these instructions. I fast learned why Carling says one can't replace a burned out light, but instead must buy a new switch. As the article points out, one must be very careful when taking the switch apart. It is almost impossible not to have the springs and other parts jump out at you once you pry the body apart. Thankfully, the photos provided in the article were enough of a guide for me to reassemble the switch.

The bottom line is that I've decided to move the 3 switches with burned out lamps to circuits where I don't care if a functioning lamp exists or not; and then just live with it. Indeed, the entire reason I started down this road in the first place was that one of the burned out switches was to the house water pressure pump. Without the pilot lamp on the switch, more than once I didn't realize that the switch was left on when I put the boat away on shore power. One time that water tank was just at the point where the pump turned on and never stopped because it could never reach the cut off pressure. That pump ran continuously for 3 days before I noticed it!!

At some point I may attempt to replace the lamps with LEDs as described in the article above. I would hope I can find a 12v LED so as to avoid having to solder in the resistor into the tiny cramped space inside the switch. Either that or simply buy the model above and transfer the existing actuator to it since the rocker covers will snap onto any Carling switch providing that you don't break the little tabs on each side attempting to remove it (note they sell a $5 tool that allows the actuator removal without risking the breaking of these vital tabs).

Hopefully all this info with help someone else
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localboy



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 4656
City/Region: Lake Stevens via Honolulu
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: 'Au Kai (Ocean Traveler)
Photos: 'AU KAI
PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What should be such a simple thing...turned into an engineering fiasco. Things like this amaze me.
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DuckDogTitus



Joined: 31 Jan 2013
Posts: 1034
City/Region: Gig Harbor
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 1988
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Miner
Photos: Hemingway
PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

localboy wrote:
What should be such a simple thing...turned into an engineering fiasco. Things like this amaze me.


the switch industry is huge. I have one customer that runs only Honeywell switches and they run on average in the ball park of 400% more per unit than their Carling counterparts. we are a contract manufacturer so I try to avoid the design aspect as much as possible because you're right, even these little things can take a lot of research to get the right parts. when you are building assemblies/harnesses you then have to pick connectors, contacts, seals, wedges, etc to match the electrical, gauge, and environmental requirements. and then the correct mates. the correct tooling, test equipment, etc. oh yes, and also the size.. will it fit? lol. never ending fun.

good write up above. hopefully it will prove helpful to others.
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localboy



Joined: 30 Sep 2006
Posts: 4656
City/Region: Lake Stevens via Honolulu
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: 'Au Kai (Ocean Traveler)
Photos: 'AU KAI
PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone that knows me, also knows that I intently dislike anything electrical. I can to basics, even on the boat. But when it comes to something complex...I'm out! Laughing That's when I pay for a pro.
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smckean (Tosca)



Joined: 18 Jan 2014
Posts: 974
City/Region: Guemes Island (Anacortes)
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Tosca
Photos: Tosca
PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK....here's the results of my final research into this Carling Switch situation.

It appears to me the that easiest way to do this is to go the New Wire Marine website and order these parts. (Note the Digi-Key switch URL I quoted in my previous post turned out to be the wrong model of switch....it had 2 lights in it instead of 1).

I've decided to order 3 of these switches, and use the removal tool to move my actuators onto the new switch bodies (these switch bodies are $7 each.....it just isn't worth the trouble to take the switches apart to replace the bulb -- especially if that resistor is required).


Switch body used on 2005 CD-25 Cruisers ($7):
http://newwiremarine.com/product/carling-rocker-switch-on-off-spst

Actuators (aka covers):
http://newwiremarine.com/product/534

Actuator removal tool ($5):
http://newwiremarine.com/product/contura-switch-actuator-removal-tool
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smckean (Tosca)



Joined: 18 Jan 2014
Posts: 974
City/Region: Guemes Island (Anacortes)
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Tosca
Photos: Tosca
PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 6:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 3 switches arrived in a very timely fashion from New Wire Marine the other day. They are identical to the factory installed switches on my 2005 Cruiser 25. The actuator removal tool made it a snap to get the actuator covers off the old switches. Now all the pilot lights at my helmsman knee's DC panel are working.

Once again, use this link to order replacement switches (wonderfully they are identical):

http://newwiremarine.com/product/carling-rocker-switch-on-off-spst

And I recommend getting this $5 tool. The actuators pop off easily and reliably with it; clearly the actuators can be popped off with a screwdriver/etc too, but if you break any of the little tabs on the underside of the actuator, you may not be able to replace the actuator with one styled the same as the others in your boat:

http://newwiremarine.com/product/contura-switch-actuator-removal-tool

P.S. Now that I have 3 surplus switch bodies that all work except for the pilot light, I may use the information in some of the links in my previous posts to add an LED and resistor to make fully functional switches out of these 3 surplus ones in case I need them. But again at $7 per switch it probably ain't worth my or anyone else's time.
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