[yankeefandy]

i wanna put lights under my glove compartment, i dont know anything about how to do this...i want a switch for them and i have heard something about a relay to the battery then also attaching it to some orange wire. i have no idea about either of these things so does some one wanna help me, thanks

 

[Marcus]

well first off... welcome.

Next, you need to find out the voltage/current ratings for the light you want to install under the glove compartment (g.c. from now on). If it is too much then you will blow the light, and if it is too little it will not be fully illuminated or not come on at all.

If you buy a light that is made for vehicles, then most likely the manufacturer will have taken care of this step for you, but it is a good idea to check anyway.

You have two options for wiring... you can pull off straight from the battery or tap into another wire that feeds into some other system already made. the second is usually simpler.

the orange wire you were talking about is for the cigarette lighter. That is a common one, but in this case I would say not the one you want. There is already a light that is in the gc. I would pull from that wire to the new light you want to use, and disable the light in the gc by simply taking it out or cutting the wires to it. This is how I would do this, but others might have another way!!!

 

[1blkmx6]

[sarcasm]Interior lights are cool.[/sarcasm]

To each his own. If you absolutely need to do this just do what aggied said, tap into the glovebox light for the power.

 

[yankeefandy]

ok but if i wire it to the gc, then how will i have control of when i want it on or off

 

[Marcus]

ok but if i wire it to the gc, then how will i have control of when i want it on or off

if you control of it more than when the glove is open or closed, then be sure to splice into the wire before the switch that turns on the glove light. After having a spliced wire hanging there, run a store-bought switch to wherever you want, and then from the switch, run wiring to the light. Make sense at all?

Also, disconnect the battery terminals to your battery, and if you mess up your car... I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

if you do it just like I have said, you won't get hurt and you won't screw things up. Good luck.

 

[yankeefandy]

wow lol i dont get this at all man

 

[Marcus]

okay... let me put it this way:

You have a basic circuit from the battery of your car to a little switch that turns on the gc light when it is opened. Basically, you need to cut the wires that go to the gc light. These will give you power for the new light you want.

Now that those wires are cut, you get the wires from the new light, make a bare wire to bare wire connection (usually twisting them together and capping them off works just fine) with the old/cut wires from both sides. Leave none of the wires hanging there. Both sides of the cut wires and the new wires from the new light all get capped off.

There will be 6 wires total. Ground wires and "hot" wires. One set for each lighting system. Make sure you hook up the ground wires of one lighting system to the ground wire of the other lighting system. Cap all three of these wires off by themselves. Do the same for the hot wires and cap them off by themselves too.

This will allow the old lighting system in the gc to still work. The new lighting system still needs to controlled though if there is no switch on the device. So that means you take the wires that go the new lighting system, run them to a switch you could buy at Radio Shack. Probably have to solder that connection. then take the new wires from the switch, and run them to the power source for the new light.

If this makes no sense to you still... have a professional do it for you!!!

 

[Trent]

wait, let me understand something first. did you want the lights under your g.c.? As in, shining down on the floor? If so, then there's really no need to tap into the glove box light. that would actually be harder than trying to tap into the cigarette lighter light. just pull off the center trim around the shifter and you'll see the little harness that plugs into the c.l. Use some trailer hitch connectors to splice the wires. I always thought this was a cleaner connection than electrical tape or wire nuts. Of course, you'd still have to switch your lights. I'd make a switch panel out of that little useless pocket thing under your radio.

Trent

 

[yankeefandy]

yea i want it shining down on the floor, but for the switch will i need to wire it to the battery or what?