Push Button Switch

[cfan10]

I've wired up these style switches before with no issues, usually it's normally closed, normally open, positive, negative common. These came from Amazon trying to use them to wire up my fog lights.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks for your time!

[chrismoore701]

Grab a voltmeter and check for continuity and use the wires that work.

[sick472]

It looks like you have a normally open switch with a lighted button with two swithced poles. I would guess that the "+" terminal supplies the power to both the "NO" terminals and the button light (if equipped with the light) and the "-" terminal is for the light, as well. The ground for the "NO" circuit would be a chassis ground near the fog lights. The color of wires that are hooked up in the photo do not look right to me for a 12 volt system. The "+" and the "NO" terminals should be red and the "-" should be black in a basic sense.

Do you have any more info on the switch, like a schematic or make and model. Let's assume it's a latching switch and not a momentary one...that will be important to figure out.

Chris gives good advice regarding the continuity meter. If my assumptions are correct, their should be NO continuity between the "+" or the "NO" terminals when the switch is in the OFF position, all of those should have continuity in the ON position. There will be continuity between the "+" and the negative given there is a light bulb installed and it's not burned out. This assumes the switch latches in position...otherwise the above holds true for a momentary switch so long as you are holding the switch in the proper configuration.

I have made a lot of assumptions and more information about the switch would be helpful.

[cfan10]

Originally Posted by sick472

It looks like you have a normally open switch with a lighted button with two swithced poles. I would guess that the "+" terminal supplies the power to both the "NO" terminals and the button light (if equipped with the light) and the "-" terminal is for the light, as well. The ground for the "NO" circuit would be a chassis ground near the fog lights. The color of wires that are hooked up in the photo do not look right to me for a 12 volt system. The "+" and the "NO" terminals should be red and the "-" should be black in a basic sense.

Do you have any more info on the switch, like a schematic or make and model. Let's assume it's a latching switch and not a momentary one...that will be important to figure out.

Chris gives good advice regarding the continuity meter. If my assumptions are correct, their should be NO continuity between the "+" or the "NO" terminals when the switch is in the OFF position, all of those should have continuity in the ON position. There will be continuity between the "+" and the negative given there is a light bulb installed and it's not burned out. This assumes the switch latches in position...otherwise the above holds true for a momentary switch so long as you are holding the switch in the proper configuration.

I have made a lot of assumptions and more information about the switch would be helpful.

Thanks for all the information, it's a cheap china latching switch ordered from Amazon in a set of 5 with absolutely no instructions. It puzzled me because I've never seen it wired that way.

[truckin 79]

I would think the red wire going to - or ground should be black and grounded. The black wires that are on the ON (+) poles should be red and going to driving lights. The ground wire from driving lights should be to a good ground on the frame.