Posted: 8/8/2012 10:00:01 AM EDT
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Hey all. I want to wire a light in my truck that currently has a 12V switch (kind that plugs into a cigarette lighter) to a different switch. How can i go about this? Is it just a simple 12V hot, and ground? Which side is which?
Thanks for the help. |
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Hey all. I want to wire a light in my truck that currently has a 12V switch (kind that plugs into a cigarette lighter) to a different switch. How can i go about this? Is it just a simple 12V hot, and ground? Which side is which? Thanks for the help. Probably doesn't matter, unless it's an LED. Take the center of the pug to the switch, and the outside part to the frame. You probably should put a fuse in the circuit somewhere. If you pop the cig lighter plug apart, it's probably fused. |
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Try this page. I think this is where you are as far as what you need to learn.
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_6/chpt_2/4.html If the lamp is an incandescent (plain old filament bulb) no need to worry about which is hot and which is ground. Put one lead of the bulb to a good ground point (frame, bare metal) and the other to each lead to the switch. If one makes it light up it is the hot 12V wire. You can get cheap meters and test lights at the parts house. hth |
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Essentially all current vehicles are negative ground. There are a few older vehicles that are positive ground. Probably not a good plan to do electrical work without a voltmeter, but unless you're working on something pretty oddball or old you could presume negative ground.
If all you are doing is moving something from one switch to another, the complexity will depend on the load that you're moving. Depending on how much amperage your load draws, and the capacity of where you're trying to connect it, it might overload that new switch, wiring or fusing. First thing I would look at there is what the circuit description is for the fuse for that new switch, and the rating on that fuse versus the specified current draw of your new device. Along with the nature of the devices this should give you an idea if it's suitable to add that load. The alternative if adding that much load to that switch isn't good, is to add an input to a relay to the desired switch; the relay can switch a higher current source for your add on device then while adding a minimal load to the existing switch and wiring. |
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What size light are you switching? In other words, how many amps or watts is the load? Not positive. They are all LED's, most likely fairly low draw. I have a 25A fuse in their now that should do the trick. Reason I blew the fuses is the one set I continued to wire backwards. That's what you get for improvement projects tired. |
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What size light are you switching? In other words, how many amps or watts is the load? Not positive. They are all LED's, most likely fairly low draw. I have a 25A fuse in their now that should do the trick. Reason I blew the fuses is the one set I continued to wire backwards. That's what you get for improvement projects tired. 25A is a shitload for LEDs. |
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What size light are you switching? In other words, how many amps or watts is the load? Not positive. They are all LED's, most likely fairly low draw. I have a 25A fuse in their now that should do the trick. Reason I blew the fuses is the one set I continued to wire backwards. That's what you get for improvement projects tired. 25A is a shitload for LEDs. Also for most switches and wiring circuits in a vehicle. If you're anywhere close to 25A you need to be running 12ga wire from a high current supply point or direct to the battery. |
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What size light are you switching? In other words, how many amps or watts is the load? Not positive. They are all LED's, most likely fairly low draw. I have a 25A fuse in their now that should do the trick. Reason I blew the fuses is the one set I continued to wire backwards. That's what you get for improvement projects tired. Are these floodlight type LEDs? What is the length of wire and gauge of wire you are using? A 25A Fuse opens opportunities for a vehicle fire, which you probably do not want. Typical "lighter socket" power wires aren't sized to carry that high of a load continually. If the fuse was 25A OEM, then the wire to the socket of the proper gauge for the length. If it was a lower value fuse, or the wires are more than 6-8 feet long, you may want 8 gauge or heavier wire to carry that amount of current. ––ETA: Is the switch rated for 25A? If not, the switch should be running a relay that is rated for higher power. Again, fire issue, and once a wire starts burning, you have about 30 seconds to kill the power or lose your vehicle. |