Marine Electronics Forum - Inline power switch on S1000 Autopilot

Does this switch need to be shut off after every use of the boat? Will it drain the battery if not? Also can another switch be used instead of the big yellow and red one? It is not a very attractive switch.

I used a switch on my switch panel. I would not let that big red button anywhere near my dash.

agreed - one of my empty dash ACC switches, energizes my AP

It's supposed to be an emergency "Kill Switch"
Better than trying to look for a switch on a bank of them!
We leave ours on all the time and hope we never have to use it!!

I used the spare acc switch on my dash, it is the last one on the right so it is easy to get to. Maybe Jim will give a $200 rebate for the big red switch. ;)

I think when autopilot was installed they left out the switch. I just got the boat two weeks ago and noticed the autopilot was always on....
I am assuming it doesnt draw that much and may not kill the battery?

I have all of the instruments and non essential electricals wiried through a Blue Sea #9006 switch on the console. When I turn it off, everything but the engines and bilge pumps are switched off. The switch fists in an standard 2 1/8 guage hole and offers a very easy way to be sure nothing is left on to kill the battery. If there was a problem with the autopilot, I could turn the switch off and the engines will keep running. I leave the main battery switches on so the bilge pumps and the trim switches on the engines work, even while the boat cover is on. I've been very happy with the setup.

The verado 6001 RM unit I'm testing also comes with no switch - as said above it is wired to and acccess dash switch with a larger red/white label over the switch which says "AP" - -easy to see in an emergency.