DC Panel mystery icon

[nightowle]

Greetings from the great Pacific Northwest (Seattle):

We've just purchased a 1999 B35 E and all the switches on the DC panel are pictograms (icons).  The mystery one at the moment is number #13 on the right column.  Looks like a vertical tank with a large pipe curving upward at a right angle.  Our Espar diesel built in heater works with merely the on/off switch and temp dial on its control box, so not sure what this DC toggle switch is for.  Just can't seem to trace it down.  I'm looking to place a small written guide to the icons near the controls until we're familiar with each one of these non language marked switches.  It kind of reminds me of traveling in foreign countries and trying to decipher unfamiliar local parking signs!  I'd like to attach a picture for number 13 on the right side, but not seeing how that's done.  Glad to be a new member to the group.  We're enjoying our Bavaria at the moment and look forward to some extensive summer cruising.

[dawntreader]

From your description it is 'Heater'. Probably wired separately.

Note: to add a picture click on 'Additional Options...., then Attach' below the text boxes 

[JEN-et-ROSS]

Greetings from the great Scottish Northwest Coast (an Island off Oban)..... and welcome to the Forum.
 
Our B38 is a little older than yours but must have a similar panel as we also have that icon. We have owned the boat for well over 10 years and we still don't know what it means.
  Like you our Eperspacher diesel heater is controlled via it's own switch and thermostat, so it ain't that.
So I would also be interested if anybody can enlighten us.

Incidentally, my wife and I have a lot of family living just over the border from you in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island (Comox Valley, Victoria), so I know the area well, and yes, you're right, it is a wonderful part of the world. They don't call it 'Beautiful British Columbia' for nothing.....Bill

[JEN-et-ROSS]

Dawntreader, I've just seen your post, Yes that's the icon......Bill

[MarkTheBike]

Hi all

I've got a Panel 420 with the same icon on switch 13, and mine switches on the masthead Tricolour - I don't think it's a rewire as there was only one owner from new before me and the panel certainly doesn't look as though it's been fiddled with.

Hmmm.

[JEN-et-ROSS]

Hmmm, indeed MarkThe Bike. Curious. 
   We have a dedicated tricolour switch. are you sure your panel doesn't simply have a short circuit? as the icon looks nothing like a masthead light.

[Lyra]

Not exactly the same panel, but same icons.
In my case #15 (not used in my boat) - legend in the documentation says "heizung" which translates to "heating"

[Imagine]

I have had my Bavaria 36 from new and I also have no idea what this switch was for

[nightowle]

Greetings from the great Scottish Northwest Coast (an Island off Oban)..... and welcome to the Forum.
 
Our B38 is a little older than yours but must have a similar panel as we also have that icon. We have owned the boat for well over 10 years and we still don't know what it means.
  Like you our Eperspacher diesel heater is controlled via it's own switch and thermostat, so it ain't that.
So I would also be interested if anybody can enlighten us.

Incidentally, my wife and I have a lot of family living just over the border from you in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island (Comox Valley, Victoria), so I know the area well, and yes, you're right, it is a wonderful part of the world. They don't call it 'Beautiful British Columbia' for nothing.....Bill

Hi Jen et Ross......

Wow...you must get some really fresh, peaty whiskey your way; at a good price, too!  The Bavaria dealer from Vancouver/Victoria did say the icon is for a heater.  Ours seems to work independent of that.  Reading other posts and info on line it seems that these are OEM panels where some switches just aren't used for the intended purpose.  This icon is referred to in German as 'Heizung' which translates into heat or heating.  Our bilge pump is also attached to the panel, which is foolish in that it won't work in automatic mode and should be wired directly to the battery for emergencies when not on the boat.  The pump has gone bad, so I have a new one on order and will install it in a better manner for unattended operation.

I would love to do a bare boat charter Scotch Whiskey tour along the coast of Scotland sometime!

Brad

[nightowle]

Not exactly the same panel, but same icons.
In my case #15 (not used in my boat) - legend in the documentation says "heizung" which translates to "heating"

Thanks Lyra.....this confirms the mystery!

[MarkTheBike]

...we have a dedicated tricolour switch. are you sure your panel doesn't simply have a short circuit? as the icon looks nothing like a masthead light.

No, there's nothing wrong with it - I went and checked today; there's no shorts, nor rewiring, nor bodges. I did have a think about it (because it's so odd) when I first bought the boat and the only thing I could think it was trying to show was the top of the mast with (perhaps) a radio aerial. I have the 420 panel layout in my Owner Manual and the picture is the same as my panel. The quality of the print is so awful that I've never been able to read the labels but the word 'Heizung' looks about right. However, there's nothing else that looks remotely like a tricolour and all other lights have their own switches. One of life's little mysteries.

[Sam Ward]

Greetings Nightowle, I'm a new owner as well (2004 B 32).  I just received the attached detail on electrical panel with translation of fuse markings from Eckhard Meyer at Bavaria Yachtbau.  Panels obviously vary based on model / year, but if yours looks like this then no. 13 may be the shower drain pump.  I hope this helps.

[MarkTheBike]

OK, I assume the funny little 'heater' icon is trying to illustrate a wood-burning stove seen from the right, with the front opening on the left and the rear chimney pipe on the right. You coulda fooled me. As mentioned above, mine switches on the Tricolour. What switches on other peoples' Tricolours? Is there another switch with a different icon used in panels other than my 420? Just curious....

[dawntreader]

OK, I assume the funny little 'heater' icon is trying to illustrate a wood-burning stove seen from the right, with the front opening on the left and the rear chimney pipe on the right. You coulda fooled me. As mentioned above, mine switches on the Tricolour. What switches on other peoples' Tricolours? Is there another switch with a different icon used in panels other than my 420? Just curious....

Hi Mark,
All the icons are the 'suggested' locations that would be used for dealer/factory-fitted options and therefore appropriately fused. It is easy to pick up the terminal to access +ve voltage from the bus bars behind the furniture. I run my water-maker off of the 'heater' but the water is still cold  Main thing for people to remember is that in fitting any item to a 'spare' terminal that the fuse meets the requirements of the item being attached.

[nightowle]

thanks Sam W.  Looks like this confirms its the heater (even though mine doesn't seem to use the switch).  As said by others, some systems are just set up different from what was intended by these OEM panels.

[MarkTheBike]

Hi DawnTreader

Yes, I understand your point but I find it odd that a Tricolour switch is the one item in common to all sailing yachts so why use a panel that doesn't have one - and there must have been some forethought at the factory as the trip is set and labelled as 4A. Four amps is a light, not a heater so why not change the icon at the same time to something more suitable. Can anyone upload a pic of what the Tricolour icon should look like or tell me the German word for it so I can look it up?

[Kibo]

Hi Mark,

I don't have a tricolour but I have an all around mast head light which I find is most common when I look out over the anchorage or sail at night (Are masthead tricolours more common in Aus? I chartered in Whitsundays a few years back and don't remember) 

The switch for that on my panel is located at the mast head on the boat schematic. That might be a different panel to those being discussed?

My "heater" switch does nothing but I don't have heating fitted....... just A/C.

[MarkTheBike]

Hi Kibo

What nav lights do you have showing when sailing at night? The navs on the pulpit/pushpit? Anyway, that blows my theory that tricolours are common to all modern sailing yachts. Only boat I've seen without a tricolour was an old gaffer.

[Kibo]

Hi Mark

Standard configuration for sailboats at night is bow red/green 112.5 degrees from centre line. Stern white facing aft 135 degrees and mast head all around white (this is also an anchor light at night) .

An acceptable alternative is tricolour at mast head but not common in Eu or Americas (some Catamarans favour tricolour at mast head)

[Salty]

Hi Mark

Standard configuration for sailboats at night is bow red/green 112.5 degrees from centre line. Stern white facing aft 135 degrees and mast head all around white (this is also an anchor light at night) .

An acceptable alternative is tricolour at mast head but not common in Eu or Americas (some Catamarans favour tricolour at mast head)

Hi Ian,
Just to clarify, if a sailboat is not using a tricolour light at the masthead, they will show port and starboard red/green sidelights illuminated from right ahead to 112.5 degrees, or 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on their respective sides. The stern light is visible from 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on each side to right astern, a total of 135 degrees. The cut off points of 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on each side helps you and passing vessels at night to determine whether they are overtaking or crossing vessels within the meaning of the Colregs.
The tricolour light at the mast head takes over the functions of the three lights referred to above, and with the same cut off points and should not be shown in combination with the foregoing three lights.
The all round white light you referred to, part of the fitting containing the tricolour on my boat, is intended as an anchor light, and should not be shown while underway.
Located on the mast, usually a little less than about half way up and often combined with a deck flood light, is a white steaming light. This light has the same cut off points as the side lights, and is visible from 22.5 degrees abaft the beam through forward to the same point on the other side, a total of 225 degrees,, and should only be shown while your boat engine is being used either on its own or in addition to the sails

[Kibo]

Thanks Salty. Nice explanation on the reason for the arcs of visibility I stated

You are correct about the masthead light in strict coltegs terms. In my experience particularly in the Americas and Caribbean 99% of boats do also use the all around masthead light at night when under sail   Of course we switch to use steaming light when under power.

Never had the Coast Guard tell me to turn it off if I'm moving and I don't know anyone else who has either. Maybe it's just become convention ?

I am going to crew on a delivery from Lymington to Gibralatar later this year so are you saying that in the English Channel and Western Approaches I should only use deck level nav lights when under sail ?

[Salty]

Thanks Salty. Nice explanation on the reason for the arcs of visibility I stated

You are correct about the masthead light in strict coltegs terms. In my experience particularly in the Americas and Caribbean 99% of boats do also use the all around masthead light at night when under sail   Of course we switch to use steaming light when under power.

Never had the Coast Guard tell me to turn it off if I'm moving and I don't know anyone else who has either. Maybe it's just become convention ?

I am going to crew on a delivery from Lymington to Gibralatar later this year so are you saying that in the English Channel and Western Approaches I should only use deck level nav lights when under sail ?

Using the masthead white anchor light while sailing at night would be confusing to other vessels, because the proximity of the white light to your red/green sidelights within the tricolour lantern would overpower the light coming from those red/green lights to the extent that the red/green colours may not be recognised until the other vessel is too close for comfort. On the other hand the confusion it may cause might well have the result of causing those other vessels to keep away rather than get entangled with something they do not recognise. If that resulted in a dangerous situation occurring for the other vessel, and they recognised you from say your AIS output, it might result in unwelcome attention from the coastguard, and would put you in the wrong. In most maritime countries, the colregs have been adopted into the Law of those countries, including the USA and the United Kingdom. Whilst boat owners frequently get away with doing what they do, it is probably only because it's just too expensive and impractical to try to keep proper control of the situation. If the situation has become "convention," it's rather like having some hearsay repeated so often that people think it's the truth rather than the hearsay it really is.

I hope you have a safe and comfortable trip from Lymington to Gibralter, and in regard to the lights you should exhibit I would use the tricolour light in preference to lights at deck level as it should get you seen earlier than the deck level lights lights would. I would also keep a powerful white light handy, such as a flashlight, to warn ships or boats of your presence should it appear they have their eyes focussed solely on their radar screens instead of keeping a good visual look out.

[Kibo]

Thanks Salty

I think we have a slight miscommunication on my last post, I probably wasn't clear..... where I sail the boats seem to nearly always have deck level nav lights not mast head tricolour..... so to aid distance sighting I guess that is where the use of the mast head light has started (and to illuminate the windex too frankly). I do understand that the Colregs are adopted into law but I think the relevant part of the wording is "no other lights to be shown except such lights that could not be confused with specified nav lights" I think in this case the use of the mast head light when deck nav lights are used would not be in conflict with that statement. But you may have a different opinion.

So to clarify: as I said in the US we often use all around mast head light when the boat has deck level nav lights (red/green bow and white stern light as discussed) so there is no possibility of obscuring nav lights since the lights are a mast length/height apart.

Of course if the boat has a mast head tricolour at or near the mast head that is all we would use and would not turn on any other mast head light....like I said tricolour is not the norm though.  I sail long distance races on the Great Lakes and we have US Coast Guard safety cutters following the fleet of over 200 boats on multiple overnights with nearly all boats displaying masthead light with deck level nav lights as per my post and not once has any USCG action occurred (and they do like to give out citations, believe me !) 

Obviously different in UK waters. I have sailed UK waters many times but not extensively on overnight passages so my memory of what we actually displayed is rusty.

Thanks for your advice wrt to my Gib delivery. I do not know whether the boat I am sailing has deck level nav lights or masthead tricolour but I will certainly take note of your advice on extra visibility especially in shipping lanes and TSS areas.

Interesting how a post on a strangely labelled inoperable switch has turned into a useful discussion on Nav lights !

Good discussion. Safe sailing.

[MarkTheBike]

... but I think the relevant part of the wording is "no other lights to be shown except such lights that could not be confused with specified nav lights" ... so there is no possibility of obscuring nav lights since the lights are a mast length/height apart

Except from astern, where two white lights (one above the other) would be indistinguishable from the stern of a cargo ship > 50m in length where the bridge is obscuring the forward white light, a sight commonly seen around the UK coastline. From the front, your sailing vessel will be assumed to be motoring even if it's not. I suspect that if your delivery boat is of UK origin, it will have a tricolour. I appreciate you are only reporting what is common elsewhere, Ian, but it strikes me as very odd that - notwithstanding the Colregs issue - sailing overseas has developed into using 3-4 lightbulbs (and the extra amps that consumes) when a tricolour only ever uses one, visible at a distance.

I absolutely agree with you that this has turned into a very informative and interesting thread. I had no idea anyone did it differently and by such a large margin. Have a safe delivery trip.

ps. the white stern light part of a tricolour illuminates the windex nicely.

[Kibo]

Agreed Mark !

You know what makes me laugh most about the "except lights which...blah blah" statement? We liveaboard in the Caribbean during the winter and if you have ever seen a Cruise ship at night I challenge you to see it's Nav lights behind the cabins, bars, swimming pool video screens etc   I seriously had to consult my AIS between BVI and St Maarten last year to see which way the floating apartment block was heading it contravenes every part of that statement in many ways ! One memorable night we saw a ship with a large RED set of neon bar lights on the Starboard side of the ship near the aft stern quarter. I posted on Royal Caribbean Cruise lines FB page asking them why the heck they didnt make the bar lights green and never received any reply of course.....

I think I'll convert to a tricolour although I would like to keep the option of deck level too since I do believe many folks look at the water in close quarters.

Fun and informative...