need help, diodes confuse me.. (long) - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Timo-XH · 07-28-2003, 03:06

righto- here is the plan:

i have some LED marker lamps for the side of my ute,
im trying to wire them so that when i press my smartlock heypad, they will come on,

to do this, i have spliced off an existing light fitting inside the car, these come on when the door is open, smartlock is unlocked, or the switch inside is tuned on. easy so far...

i also want these lights able to be on while driving, or without the interior lights on also,
what i have done, is run a power from the battery (spliced off the main to my stereo amp and then fused it back to a 10a,

i have a 'master switch' whic will disable the lights when the door is open, or if i dont want everyone to see my lights everytime i open the car.. i have another switch which will turn them on while driving..
before you look here, its probably better if you quick draw out what you think would work, this will most likley confuse you..
i have a really bad wiring diagram i drew,, here: http://groups.msn.com/Garageaholic/c...oto&PhotoID=72

thats how it stands so far, at this point, the liught on the master switch is in sync with the interior lights, on/off/ and fade off, but the led marker, is opposite?! it is off when the doors are open, and vice-versa

also the second switch is doing bugger all.. just not working,,

now before you read the next part, if you would like to draw a diagram of what i should be, please do, and email me,
reading on will probably only make you dumber...

i believe its all earth related, when i disconnect the earth from the iluminated swith, and just earth the led back to the body, not back to the 'old light fitting wire' as shown. both swithches turn the light on, and off, but nothing works with the inside lights,
i also think the interior light fade is controlled by the earth, because the dont turn off whit the inside lights..

problems i can see,:
without the diode on the power circut, when i power the lights while driving, the interior lights will come on also?? maybe.

PLEASE CHECK: my earth, i have earhed it back to the old light wire, and also to the body, i put in a diode so that the interior lights will not earth to the body, only back to the old light:

the easiest way would be to just draw or explain what you think..
because im really out of ideas..

many thanks, if all else fails, ill see an auto sparky

YellowXF · 07-28-2003, 04:27

ok, so you want to be able to
1: have the lights on when the interior light isnt on.
2: have the lights on and off when the interior light is on

OK, now if that is what you want to do, then this should do it. i am pretty sure it will anyway.

Timo-XH · 07-28-2003, 23:55

mmm thanks yellowXF i understand that,, but its getting away from what i want
if all else fails i will do that

let me re-phrase it..,,
can i make these lights come on and off with the interior lights,

i have them already installed direct from the battery, and swithced by a simple rocker switch, which i have drilled into my checkerplate center console (not easily patched) in a line with some other switches,

i do not want to change it as it stands, just make them come on and off with the interior lights..

easier =?

YellowXF · 07-30-2003, 03:04

ok, so the old interior light is negative earth?

Timo-XH · 07-31-2003, 02:37

i believe so... if i disregard the black wire from the old light fitting, the led remains on constantly,

so therefore the fade is controlled by the earth..

and new news is that i have the iluminated switch working with the interior lights, and the on/off switch working for road use, but the led marker lamps are opposite to the inside lights... led is on, inside is off, and vice versa... ??

it cant be reverse wired from my point of view, because its a led, and only lights up when connected in the right way (light emmiting DIODE?)

YellowXF · 08-03-2003, 03:23

yeh, the polarity is always negative and positive but i think that your diodes are around the wrong way/not needed for one of them?

Timo-XH · 08-06-2003, 04:37

any idea's why?

the one on the positive side, if not there, when i switch on the marker lamps, also turns on the interior lights.. so that is needed to stop it flowing backwards,

the one on the earth side is needed (i think) to stop the interior lights earthing to a ground point, if they do, the dont turn off, the fade off is controlled by the negative wire from the old light fitting....

its all too much, ill just be satisfied with my single switch and ill get an auto elec around one day, i need them to look at the project car anyway
thanks