3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

I mounted 2 small neon lights that run off 12v underneath each side of the dash. I have a cigarette lighter 3 way splitter that can be hard wired and the power side is fused. I wanted to just tap into the fuse for the interior lights at the fuse box. Turns out, this fuse gets a constant 12v supply and doesnt turn off when the door shuts. So, in other words, the neons stay lit all the time. Thats not what Im looking for.
Can anybody help me wire these so they light up when the door opens and turn off when the door shuts (just like the regular dome or door lights.)?
Suggestions?

Reece616

iTrader: (3)

The only way i could think of doing it like this would be to connect to the switch in the door jam that controls when the lights go on and off. I dont remember off the top of my head where it is exactly in the door jam tho.
That's why the lights would stay on no matter what, i'm pretty sure the current is still going to the lights, but stops at the switch since the circuit isn't complete.

3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

I messed with that a little bit. It gets strange because when the switch is out (door open) the wires show a ground. When the switch is pushed in (door shut), they are all at 12v constant power. Its confusing me. I also checked at the light bulb its self. the one in the door.
Why is this wired so different? I added a neon in the trunk also and that was simple. Spliced right into the trunk bulb wiring and that works as expected.
Are the doors somehow reverse wired to run off a ground or something odd like that?

Reece616

iTrader: (3)

hmmm... you got me.
i dont really know. i thought it'd be as simple as that.
sorry i couldn't help too much,
good luck.

3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

Thanks, anyway. Hopefully, somebody else will chime in, too.

2da mizzax

iTrader: (4)

wire the door switch to a relay use the FSM to tell you which wires to connect where. just be careful not to fry your BCM

3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

The FSM will tell me what wires to use when connecting a relay that isnt part of the original design? Where do I splice in...at the actual door switch? And where would I put the relay? Sry, Im def not an expert. lol.

2da mizzax

iTrader: (4)

It would be easier to tap into the wires right at the dome light. use those to activate the switch in the relay. If you find a small enough relay, you can prob tuck it on top of the headliner.

3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

I dont know about all this relay business. I wanted to just splice into the excisting courtesy/dome light wires for my 12v source and ground everything via a screw into the body. As I search around, it looks as though other people have tried this but nobody has yet to post a solution.
Can anybody explain how to wire anything (in my case, neons) to make it so it turns on when the doors are open and off when they shut? I mean, really explain. What wire can I splice into that sends the 12v signal when the door is open but no signal when the door is shut??

2da mizzax

iTrader: (4)

you need a switch to turn the lights on and off. that is what a relay is. if you wire the lights directly to the wiring for your domelight and dont wire a separate power source, you can and prob will fry the current wiring. the neons and the dome light may both use 12V, but the current drawn is prob very different between the 2.

3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

Thats interesting. I wonder why that is. I mean, I was fartin around yesterday and wired them to my cluster lights, just to check them...I turned the headlights on and the neons came on, no problem. I didnt leave it cause thats not what I want, it was just to check. Why are the courtesy/dome lights wired so differently? I just doesnt make sense. I know I can put a little toggle switch in to control the lights but thats really not what Im going for. Ah, well...Imma wait a lil bit and see if anybody that has done this "mod" chimes in.

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

I tried something similar. I made a row of LEDs and put them under the seats and wired a switch. I had a DPDT switch, IIRC, that in the middle position, was always off, the bottom position was on when the lights where on, and the top position was on when the doors opened.

I could never get the signal tapped for the doors though...let me know if you find out how.

3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

If you got the switch to work when your doors opened, how did you wire it? Thats what Im trying to do. I dont mind having an additional switch...how, exactly, did you wire those under seat LEDs to react to opening and closing the door??

I was checking the dome light wiring and theres 3 wires. It was similar by the door switch.
-Always current
-No current when dome light is on BUT current when light is off
-Ground

Doesnt make sense. lol

MOHFpro90

iTrader: (11)

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

The door switch signals go to the body control module and the BCM signal goes to the door modules which turn on the step lamps, so it's kind of complicated. You have to get at either the BCM or Door Module to get a useful power signal. Connecting to the BCM is probably asking for trouble and connection to door control module signals would be a pain and also could cause module problems. I'm sure it can be done but not easily.

One possibility is using the red with white stripe wire from the BCM it also runs to dome light and ignition light. The BCM provides ground at this wire when lights should go on. So you would get 12vdc from any source such as lighter. Connect that to one side of the lamp and connect the other side of lamp to red/white wire. I just spent about 40 min figuring this out. The concern is that the BCM can only handle the control of so much current so you may be asking for trouble if adding more lights. I'm not sure how much current neon lamps draw, if its not much it may not be an issue.

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

OK thought about it some more (I need to get a life). Get 12vdc from any source such as lighter. Connect that to one side of the coil of automotive type relay and connect the other side of coil to red/white wire mentioned above. The red/w will give you a ground to activate the coil of the relay when one of the doors is open. Use the contacts of the coil as a switch to turn on your neon light circuit(s). This should work just fine.

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

A relay is just an electrically controlled switch that can be used to turn on your neon light circuit. The reason for the relay is because the BCM circuit may not be able to handle the additional current required for your lights. The current required to turn on the relay should be less then would be required by the lights.

3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

I get it. Cause the red/w wire acts as a ground, only when the circuit is active. So, with a constant 12v current that is, in theory, ungrounded when the circuit isnt being used, the relay will protect any equipment being powered. So, after the relay is installed (grounded using red/w, constant power from any 12v source), when the door opens, it'll connect the ground, thus completing the circuit and neons should come on. My brain hurts. Imma pick up a relay tomorrow and try this. I dont know where the BCM is located but I think I can tap into that one wire from the door switch.

Any other suggestions, let me know. Otherwise, I'll post back in a few days and let you know if I screwed anything up. lol

Luiz

wire it to the door switch using a relay

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

You can also wire to door switch as suggested. The wire to door switches is also red with white stripe The BCM is located in the middle of the dash I think under the radio. Just find red/white stripe wire running to the BCM under the dash tap into that wire and use that signal as a ground to turn on your relay when a door opens.

3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

Thats where Im gonna take it from, I think. From the door switch. I seem to remember seeing it there.
When I pick a relay up, I am faced with 4 openings to connect:
30
85
86
87
(87A)
I guess I need a ground, constant 12v, the red/w wire and then my power wire for the neon. I assume to keep the neon grounded somewhere seperate, also.
What goes where?

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

So you don't get confused think of these as two seperate circuits circuit #1 is to turn on the relay coil, (I'm not sure of connection number on coil but look for coil picture on relay). One end of coil is connected to constant 12vdc the other end to red/w wire. When door is opened the coil will turn on. The second circuit is you neon this requires a constant 12vdc to contact of coil connect lamp to the other contact and connect other side of lamp to ground. When the contact in the coil is made it will act like a switch to turn your neon on.

3 point slow

iTrader: (5)

I THINK I get it. Ive been reading about relays all morning but since its all new to me, Im only retaining about 20% of what Im reading. lol
Imma buy a relay today. I think its supposed to rain any minute now so I probobly wont get a chance to mess with it but once I have a relay in hand, I think Ill understand a little better.
So, just a standard automotive relay? SPDT or SPST??

Nopike

iTrader: (2)

Either one will work if you wire it properly, SPST is simpler so maybe that is better.