[Colten K]

well i have 6 light bars in my truck, 2 under the dash 2 under the rear seat and 2 inn the center console. i tapped into my dimmer switch so the green light bars come on when i turn my head lights on/off and i can dim the green lights with the dimmer switch. but im getting tired of the green lights being on when my head lights are on. i need the dimmer switch turned up so i can see my speedo and such. so id like to hook the green lights to a switch. how would i do this? the green light bars have a pos and a neg wire. just the two wires. i bought a switch like this but i have no idea how to hook it all up. can anyone help? pictures of the switch below. the switch does have a led in it.

 

[bestatchess]

You can tap one of the power socket circuits at the passenger side dash fuse panel with a mini add-a-fuse. The fuse panel cover designates whether they are on with ignition IGN or direct to battery BAT. I think the driver side dash socket is always on.

As far as mounting the switch, if it is too small for the switch blanks, you can cut a hole somewhere. I mounted some switches in the small plastic panel in the little well between the gear shifter and the center console. The little plastic panel on the front end of the well will pop out. I would suggest using a switch with a circular mount because it is easier to drill a round hole than cut a square hole. The little plastic panel is inexpensive if you want to return to stock at some point.

As far as wiring an illuminated switch: Switches

 

[Colten K]

Whats an add a fuse? How would i wire this all up?

 

[Carbeaux]

Mini add a circuit:

The loose end is your positive feed for your lights. From there, through your switch to the lights to ground.

 

[bestatchess]

How would i wire this all up?

The add-a-fuse taps a power socket circuit that comes on with the ignition. So you run a wire from the add-a-circuit to provide + 12 V to the switch. Depending on the type of switch (see bcae1 link provided earlier) you would also need one terminal of the switch to run to ground, to complete the illumination circuit. Ground can be a metal screw or bolt on the firewall or dash frame. The other size of the switch is connected by a wire to the + terminal on the LED strip and the - terminal on the LED strip is connected to ground.


Ground - - - -LED + - - - - - + Switch + - - - - - - add-a-circuit
-------------------------------l
-------------------------------Illumination Ground


The LED strips themselves would be connected like you have them now, except they would be getting +12V from your new switch rather than the dash dimmer switch. If you wanted to control the LED strips independently you could use multiple switches and you could feed all of the switches with +12 V from a single wire (assuming the LED wattage does not exceed the fuse rating)

To keep things neat, you can run your wires behind the dash and through the shift console to the switch(es), and you can even contain the wires within split loom.


Your switch has four terminals, so it may be a SPDT. To make sure, I would check it out with a DMM (as described at the bcae1 link), unless of course it came with a wiring diagram.

 

[Colten K]

well i figured the switch out i think. it has 4 leads 2 for the led light bars (pos/ground) and the other 2 leads are for the little light in the switch (pos/ground) so now all i have to do is tap into a constant power source from the battery and wire it up to the lights. the lights have a in-line fues which is good. so where could i tap into? somewhere with less wiring through the truck.

 

[Colten K]

id like to use this switch because it fits perfectly where you can add a switch on the lower left of the dash by the reverse sensor switch.

 

[bestatchess]

well i figured the switch out i think. it has 4 leads 2 for the led light bars (pos/ground) and the other 2 leads are for the little light in the switch (pos/ground)

I'm not sure that is correct, as I am skeptical of connecting both sides (positive and negative) of the leds to the switch.

Is there any indicia on the switch such as DBST or anything similar?

Do you have a DMM that you can set to read resistance (ohms)?

If so, label the terminals 1 thru 4 and provide the resistance between each pair of terminals in a chart. Assuming it is a two position rocker switch (and not a three position rocker switch)

Terminal Pair______Switch Position A_______Switch Position B

1:2
1:3
1:4
2:3
2:4
3:4


I am expecting that the resistance between each pair of terminals will be either infinite (open circuit), zero (actually a very small number indicating the resistance of the meter test leads), or a somewhat higher number which indicates the resistance of the switch lamp.

 

[Carbeaux]

He could have a constantly lit switch that's a simple SPST switch. :dunno: No way to know without testing it as you mention.

 

[Colten K]

ok guys i went out and bought a 'ad a fues' and a new 3 leads (poers/acc/ground) so how would i wire this up and where fould i put the add a fuse?

 

[dan200]

ok guys i went out and bought a 'ad a fues' and a new 3 leads (poers/acc/ground) so how would i wire this up and where fould i put the add a fuse?

do u even need the switch? i swapped out the lil bulbs in my tuck under the dash for led strips and just tapped into the wires that were already there. they come on when i open my doors.

 

[bestatchess]

ok guys i went out and bought a 'ad a fues' and a new 3 leads (poers/acc/ground) so how would i wire this up and where fould i put the add a fuse?

The add-a-fuse goes in the fuse box on the passenger side dash in a circuit for one of the on with ignition power socket circuits. Your + wire that goes to the switch gets connected to the add-a-fuse.

"a new 3 leads (poers/acc/ground)"

power/acc/ground ? I assume this is a switch? An illuminated switch? A two position illuminated rocker switch?

I think ground goes to ground (metal frame of dash, for example), power goes to your add-a-fuse and acc goes to the + lead of the LED strip.

 

[Carbeaux]

Agreed, BAC. That's what I was making of it, too.

 

[Colten K]

hahaha ya sorry for the spelling! its an illuminated switch, A two position illuminated rocker switch. so the positave wire from the ad a fuse goes to the power lead on the switch,the positave wire of my lights goes to the acc and the ground to ground. seems pretty straight foreward.

 

[Colten K]

well i got everything wired up and working! the add a fuse works awesome! thanks for the help guys!

 

[Carbeaux]

Glad it all worked out for ya.

 

[07 TITAN]

Mini add a circuit:

The loose end is your positive feed for your lights. From there, through your switch to the lights to ground.

I love this thing!!! The best way to add power ever.

Thanks for all you do Carbeaux!!!!!

 

[Call_Sign_Maverick]

Ttiwwop!!!