12v electrical help needed

BruceMc wrote:
Here's one at Amazon:



And the link to it:
SPDT Miniature Rocker Switch

Search for DPDT switch, there are many that are on/off/on, but you are looking for an on/on.

Have fun!

Thanks .... Most local places I had checked had only the on/off/on but BruceMc pointed me to just what I needed. Just ordered two from Amazon.

BruceMc wrote:
Here's one at Amazon:



And the link to it:
SPDT Miniature Rocker Switch

Search for DPDT switch, there are many that are on/off/on, but you are looking for an on/on.

Have fun!

NICE FIND! Thank You!

OK... here you go...

Or, you can even use a 4-way setup if you want switches in three locations.
Go here if you want to see all the 4-way operations.
(Don't you just love Wikipedia?)

if I was doing this I would go to a big box store and buy 2- 3way 15 amp switches at about 1.49 each get a drawing of a 3way circuit and wire in the same manner except substitute 12 volt where the 120 volt was in the drawing rather easy

Here's one at Amazon:



And the link to it:
SPDT Miniature Rocker Switch

Search for DPDT switch, there are many that are on/off/on, but you are looking for an on/on.

Have fun!

I bought one similar to these and was able to replace the existing switch in the light fixture with little or no modification.

You can use a commercial A/C 3-way switch, just like used on buildings and homes

BUT BUT BUT BUT

You MUST change the lighting in the bay to LED preferably with a total burden of 20 watts or less. Even though the switches will not be "T" rated for Direct Current use, the extremely low WATTAGE should keep both switches alive and well for many, many years.

Read the instructions that come with the switch so you understand what a "Traveler" wire means. Use hot for positive and neutral for negative.

Works like a charm. I use plastic receptacle boxes for total electrical isolation and insulation.

The switch you need is a SPDT switch.. You can use a common household "3 way" if you like, the current rating depends on the lamp but I would suggest at least a 5 amp switch (Household switches are bigger than that)
This one from Radio Shack for example.

Thanks BruceMc your explanation matches my crude drawing that I did. I do have another question when researching SPDT switches they all have a center off position on the switch and as mentioned previously it was suggested to get two SPDT switches with no center off. Can someone provide a source for the correct switches.

You need two single pole double throw switches (no center off).

White (common/ground) goes to one side of the light.

Black goes to common of first switch; the other two terminals go through two wires (the travelers) to the other switch's two non common leads; the common of the second switch goes to the other side of the light.

Regards,
Doug