Wiring up the lights inside the car.
- Thread starter Dagriff1997
- Start date
spacemonkee23
Well-Known Member
Okay, i wired up the maps today... turned out a little different than expected.
This may be a little winded but I'll try to be as descriptive as possible, stay with me here. My phone was dead so I didn't get any pics :/ Sorry guys.
**Keep in mind. I wanted to keep from cutting ANY of the stock wiring
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damage you cause to your car by following this information.
Map Lights: There are only two pins on the map light that plug into the harness, so no tapping into the empty slot to add a second ground to the connector as some have suggested.
Testing options: I took a wire and back probed the dome connector ground wire and also back probed the ground for the map lights (basically connecting both ground wires together). As I had expected, this did nothing. This is because the ground circuit for the map light is controlled before the connector by the map light switches. It is pointless to add a second ground after the switch, duh. It needs to be before the switch!
Dome Light:
The dome light connector also has two wires, one for 12V and the other is for the open door signal (switched ground) there is a separate direct ground that uses one of the dome light mounting bolts for the "ON" part of the switch. Moving on.
This part may be a little hard to imagine without knowing what it looks like, try to imagine it:
I tried to touch part of the map light PCB, there is exposed circuitry directly where the twist type bulb sockets install. Touching the ground to these exposed metal did turn on the lights individually. So I came up with this idea...
I untwisted the "194" sockets and took a short piece of wire and wedged the stripped ends under the light sockets to make a connection. Basically I connected the two map lights together with a wire using the sockets for the bulbs to pinch/secure the wire. I then tapped into the dome (switched ground wire) and ran it under the headliner (I pulled the rubber weather stripping off the sunroof and fed it around) and tapped into my makeshift "bridged" map light wire.
Now I know what you're thinking. Jenkey wiring, makeshift circuits and what not. But do not fear. This is all temporary to see if I like how the new wiring controls the lights now. If I don't mind how they operate I will solder directly to the PCB and make a more permanant solution out of it. I had wired them up temporarily to test how everything works before I start soldering... Continuing on.
New wiring effects. Here is what this method did to the operation of the lights vs stock:
The good - When I open the door the map lights come on with the dome light and also fade out just as the dome light does, Sweet!
The different - With the dome control circuit and both map lights wired together, via the jenky wire bridge. Either of the map light buttons will turn on both the map lights AND the dome light because everything is now bridged to the same circuit (a diode could solve the dome light being controlled by either the map button). This is why I didn't solder, I have to see if I'm okay with this before I make it permanent. However, if you have the dome light in the off position, the map lights will still operate with the doors. So with this setup the map lights will ALWAYS come on with an open door unless a switch is added and hidden somewhere(possible solution).
Once I am through with my testing I will either look into a different wiring setup or make this one permanent with soldering. I will then take pics and possibly put together a DIY for those interested.
Give me some feed back, I know you all have some...
This may be a little winded but I'll try to be as descriptive as possible, stay with me here. My phone was dead so I didn't get any pics :/ Sorry guys.
**Keep in mind. I wanted to keep from cutting ANY of the stock wiring
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damage you cause to your car by following this information.
Map Lights: There are only two pins on the map light that plug into the harness, so no tapping into the empty slot to add a second ground to the connector as some have suggested.
Testing options: I took a wire and back probed the dome connector ground wire and also back probed the ground for the map lights (basically connecting both ground wires together). As I had expected, this did nothing. This is because the ground circuit for the map light is controlled before the connector by the map light switches. It is pointless to add a second ground after the switch, duh. It needs to be before the switch!
Dome Light:
The dome light connector also has two wires, one for 12V and the other is for the open door signal (switched ground) there is a separate direct ground that uses one of the dome light mounting bolts for the "ON" part of the switch. Moving on.
This part may be a little hard to imagine without knowing what it looks like, try to imagine it:
I tried to touch part of the map light PCB, there is exposed circuitry directly where the twist type bulb sockets install. Touching the ground to these exposed metal did turn on the lights individually. So I came up with this idea...
I untwisted the "194" sockets and took a short piece of wire and wedged the stripped ends under the light sockets to make a connection. Basically I connected the two map lights together with a wire using the sockets for the bulbs to pinch/secure the wire. I then tapped into the dome (switched ground wire) and ran it under the headliner (I pulled the rubber weather stripping off the sunroof and fed it around) and tapped into my makeshift "bridged" map light wire.
Now I know what you're thinking. Jenkey wiring, makeshift circuits and what not. But do not fear. This is all temporary to see if I like how the new wiring controls the lights now. If I don't mind how they operate I will solder directly to the PCB and make a more permanant solution out of it. I had wired them up temporarily to test how everything works before I start soldering... Continuing on.
New wiring effects. Here is what this method did to the operation of the lights vs stock:
The good - When I open the door the map lights come on with the dome light and also fade out just as the dome light does, Sweet!
The different - With the dome control circuit and both map lights wired together, via the jenky wire bridge. Either of the map light buttons will turn on both the map lights AND the dome light because everything is now bridged to the same circuit (a diode could solve the dome light being controlled by either the map button). This is why I didn't solder, I have to see if I'm okay with this before I make it permanent. However, if you have the dome light in the off position, the map lights will still operate with the doors. So with this setup the map lights will ALWAYS come on with an open door unless a switch is added and hidden somewhere(possible solution).
Once I am through with my testing I will either look into a different wiring setup or make this one permanent with soldering. I will then take pics and possibly put together a DIY for those interested.
Give me some feed back, I know you all have some...
Last edited:
DizzyP
Well-Known Member
I was able to follow just about everything and even was gonna suggest the diode but saw you mentioned it. The only thing I don't get is why the map lights would come on when the dome light is set to off. Oh, wait, as I was typing this I realized why, you tapped into the dome light middle position switch for power so regardless of what the dome light switch position does the map lights will always come on with the doors. So does that mean if the dome light switch was off the map lights would fade out since it is running the same circuitry? Another question is when the dome light switch is in the middle position do the map lights and some light case out faster or same speed? This would indicate if it was practically powered by a capacitor or straight dimming circuitry. Thanks for the right up. On mine I plan to run it so if the dome light switch is set to off then it would not have the map lights come on with door open and if it was set to on then the map lights would come on by still keeping the map lights working as originally designed. If you run a DIY will you put in those options? So far I am thinking basic wiring changes and a few diodes would do it. Thanks for the info. And I am not hating on the junky wiring. I even have my final project with jenky wiring if I know it will hold for years to come (I don't mind if you hate on that). Thanks.
iPhone using Tapatalk, sent from my.
iPhone using Tapatalk, sent from my.
DizzyP
Well-Known Member
I had map lights bridged so they both work with either button. Tonight I connected dome lights and map lights. Basically ran map light positive to dome light negative. Still running stock lights and am happy with how it works out with turning on with alarm disarm and fading out. I will give it a full test tomorrow.
iPhone using Tapatalk, sent from my.
iPhone using Tapatalk, sent from my.
DizzyP
Well-Known Member
I am really liking it. Turning any map switch button turns on and both lights and dome light shine. Opening any door turns on same lights. When lights are turned off by alarm they don't fade out so am considering putting capacitor and stuff to make that happen but very low on priority list. Oh, extra bonus is if I leave my map switch on when I arm the alarm it gives an extra tone as if a door was left open. I like it. So far only thing I don't like is the map lights come on during the day and it's a bit weird but just got to get use to it. I prob could tap into the sunlight sensor but not a big priority.
iPhone using Tapatalk, sent from my.
iPhone using Tapatalk, sent from my.
