Need help tower light switch "issue"

[bigskymudflaps]

So, I deserve this problem..... I have a 2007 rz2 with a z tower. It has factory lights. From the factory two shine forward, three rearward. I don't really use them except to see the dock at night, so I flipped the lights around to have three forward. The switch was upside down now and I got the "bright" idea to just flip it. In doing so, several wires came unplugged...... If you haven't seen one of these switches, you would be amazed. I think the back has 10 wires in it. Some bridge within the switch, some to to the tower or other places, some go to other switches...... I screwed up and can't get it right. My local dealer doesn't know much about this switch and doesn't have any diagram for wiring. So, here you go.

What it did before I screwed it up:
Forward position:
1) two forward lights on
2) illuminate dash (i think)
3) illuminate switch (i think)

Rearward position
1) illuminate rear lights
2) illuminate front lights
3) illuminate dash lights (i think)
4) illuminate courtesy led lights around the boat (I think)
5) illuminate switch (I think)

Now after I messed with it:

Forward position
1) Illuminate forward three lights
2) light up the dash brightly
3) illuminate courtesy led lights
4) illuminate switch

Rearward position
1) illuminate rear two lights
2) illuminate front three lights very dimly
3) illuminate courtesy led lights
4) illuminate dash dimly
5) illuminate switch

The dim overhead lights worry me as well as the difference in dash back lighting......

Any help would be greatly appreciated, as there is no book on this.

[IDBoating]

Most of the wires in my boat's wiring harness have little labels on them. Do the wires leading into that switch have labels? That would help a lot with sorting it out.

[bigskymudflaps]

I wish they were labeled. 8 of about 10 wires are blue. The others are black. Looks like three blue wires go to the tower or another unknown place. A few are black and the rest either cross over to other switches or cross over to the same switch. It's a real mess of spaghetti. It's all the accessories and functions that make it complicated.

[IDBoating]

Hmm... black makes me wonder if the switch is switching ground rather than +12V. I'll bet the blue wires are the lights, and that those wires go up into the tower. Hopefully someone will chime in with first-hand knowledge.

Can you trace those black wires back a ways and see where they go? I'm wondering if they tie into a bus bar nearby, either +12 or ground, which will answer the question.

[bigskymudflaps]

Just took another look. Looks like the LED lights are off when the switch is in the aft position. Forward lights are still dim and the dash is dimmer than when the switch is in the forward position. There is a chance I have this the way it was with the exception of the forward and aft lights are now switched.

I also looked at the black wires again. It looks there is one coming from the switch to the right going into the bottom of the switch. The other black wire is going from the top of the switch to the switch to the left. Essentially, it looks like the blacks are carrying either the ground or the hot side. Probably ground due to color, but I haven't tested.

[IDBoating]

Just took another look. Looks like the LED lights are off when the switch is in the aft position. Forward lights are still dim and the dash is dimmer than when the switch is in the forward position.

That shouldn't happen. "Dim" usually means you're getting current through some secondary, unintended path. Not a good thing, even if it was like that originally.

Essentially, it looks like the blacks are carrying either the ground or the hot side. Probably ground due to color, but I haven't tested.

The color makes me think that too, but my 2009 Tige is wired with a common ground and switched positive and I'd be surprised if they "just changed how they do it". In my case, there are various grounding bus bars scattered around the vessel (one under the dash, one each in the port and starboard aft areas, etc.) from which everything in the neighborhood gets its ground. Then, power is switched via wiring in the cable bundles.

However, the color of your wire gives me pause. The other possibility is that the black wires are the grounds needed by the switches to turn on their internal bulbs/LED's. If they're switching positive, the switch contacts don't need a ground reference - but if they're illuminated, the bulbs do.

Do you have a voltmeter? They ought to ship one with every boat! You can get one for $5-10 at Harbor Freight. That would answer a lot of questions very quickly. Otherwise, you're probably going to have to trace some wires. I'd start with the blacks, which sound like they're common to multiple switches, and follow them along until you find where they come from. I'll bet it's a bus bar or the circuit breaker box.

Report back!

[bigskymudflaps]

I'm resurrecting this post, as I still can't figure it out. I just dropped the boat off at our local tige dealer. They didn't think they had the "wiring diagram" for a 2007 with factory tower lights....... They said they would try tige, but I don't think there is anything out there. They seemed as perplexed as I am (not too confident in their problem solving abilities).

I was thinking that I could find another boat with the same tower lights. Mine have three facing one way and two the other way. The aluminum plate is CNC'd with the tige logo. I was thinking that maybe someone could take a photo of the back of their switch? I'd be really grateful ($$$$)..... It might be easier and less expensive than letting the dealer twirl like I did. I have since started over on the wiring of the switch, it's all unplugged......

I have since figured out a few things, big blue wires are either power or go to the lights. There are three, one for the power, one for the forward lights, and one for aft lights. The rest of the stuff, cross over wires, grounds, and jumps is a nightmare. Also now, my LED in boat lights go on when I turn on my nav lights. Don't think that happened before, and it's distracting when it's dark.