Where does the 12 volts come from on a dome light?
The 12 volt came from a body feed fuse that was likely live all the time. See if the 12 volts is switched or the ground is switched. If you can turn the dome light on from a switch at the dome light it probably has 12 volts there.
How does a switched ground work on a dome light?
Switched ground would allow door pin switches, a time delay module or a local switch at the dome light to supply a ground. Also the dome light’s contant power wire wouldn’t be in the roof where the light is, it would be at the switch that activates the light. The wires leading into the light would not be powered until the switch is closed.
Is there a hot wire for a dome light?
One hot wire up through the head liner. Ground the dome light with a local switch, a dash switch, any door pin switch, an open collector electronic switch instead of a bunch of hot wires hidden in the overhead. That same HOT wire could be used to power those cute little aircraft style reading lights and a DOME light.
What to do when dome light goes off?
‘Shut the doors and see if after the lights go off, if there’s still 12V showing on that fuse. Pop the little lens cover and measure voltage at the dome light bulb. From one contact to ground then the other. The old way was to power the light and switch the ground. The door pin switches would just ground a wire.
The 12 volt came from a body feed fuse that was likely live all the time. See if the 12 volts is switched or the ground is switched. If you can turn the dome light on from a switch at the dome light it probably has 12 volts there.
Switched ground would allow door pin switches, a time delay module or a local switch at the dome light to supply a ground. Also the dome light’s contant power wire wouldn’t be in the roof where the light is, it would be at the switch that activates the light. The wires leading into the light would not be powered until the switch is closed.
How do you mount a dome light on a roof?
Install the reflector base to the dome light location with the provided self taping screws. Fasten the light’s ground wire under one of these screws. Be careful not to damage the roof’s body work. There should be a structural cross beam to mount it to.
One hot wire up through the head liner. Ground the dome light with a local switch, a dash switch, any door pin switch, an open collector electronic switch instead of a bunch of hot wires hidden in the overhead. That same HOT wire could be used to power those cute little aircraft style reading lights and a DOME light.