Door Activated Map Light

[Tungsten]

When I got my map light, I was disappointed that it only could be used with the buttons. I wanted the light to also work when the door is open so that there is more light when getting into the truck. At the same time I wanted to keep the functionality of the buttons.

 

Original map light wiring:

 

I had 3 options:

 

1. Connect the door switch ground directly which will bypass the switches on the lights and have either button turn both lights on when the door is closed.

 

 

2. Use relays to trigger the lights when the door is open.

 

 

OR

 

 

3. Same as option 1 but use two diodes to force the current from the map light toward the door switch ground.

 

 

Due to part availability, I decided to go with option 2.

 

EDIT: Visio schematics added.

Edited October 26, 2010 by Tungsten

[Tungsten]

These are the steps (what I did) to install and wire the map light with the relays:

 

1. Remove the rear view mirror, the pillar trim, and the headliner. I have my rear view mirror on in these photos because I had to drive the truck while slowly progressing through this project.

 

 

 

2. Check to see that the bracket fits.

 

 

3. Trace the holes you will cut for the light by using the bracket.

 

 

4. Cut the holes with a dremel.

 

 

5. Use the bracket again to mark holes for the screws. Then drill out the holes just enough so that you can get a self tapping screw in there. Don't drill through completely because the self tapping screw will actually bend the metal and make a hole for itself that it can hold on to. Use the same type of screws that attach the rail which holds the headliner seal.

 

 

6. Try to slide in the map light into the holes, if it doesn't fit do some adjustments. I had to trim the holes more toward the mirror.

 

 

7. Mount the bracket and try to see if the map light fits.

 

 

Edited October 25, 2010 by Tungsten

[Tungsten]

8. Pull out the ROOM LAMP fuse before wiring.

 

 

9. Modify the map light.

 

 

 

10. Tap into the dome light wire. Be careful where you tap in!

 

 

 

[Tungsten]

11. Use zip ties to run the wire along the factory wire.

 

 

12. Solder and have fun here... Wrap all sketchy wiring with electrical tape to prevent the wiring from damage. Use 1/4 inch terminal connectors to connect to the relays.

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2010 by Tungsten

[Tungsten]

13. Use velcro to hang relays near the sunroof location.

 

 

 

 

14. Fish the wires through the roof support. Then terminate with a male connector.

 

 

 

15. Cut a hole in the headliner. Be patient and careful here otherwise it will look like @!*%. Assemble and test!

 

 

Edited October 25, 2010 by Tungsten

[BowTied]

Neat mod!

[jj big shoe]

Nice writeup. I grabbed a map light from a JY Pathy a loong time ago and never got around to mounting it. I'll be referencing this post once I do.

 

BTW, is it me or do the relays in your schematic look like sad little robots?

[Tungsten]

Maybe they do look like robots...

 

Here is a tip: USE A REAL SOLDERING IRON WHEN DOING CONNECTIONS

It took me forever because I used a cheap butane powered one, it was pathetic.

[MY1PATH]

hey, nice work. I think relays are a little over kill for little map lights but again, you did a nice job.

I plan to make mine stay on for a few seconds after the door is closed. I think runing a capacitor in paralell would do this...

any electical guru's out there have any recomendations?

[Kingman]

Nice install! A little trick you can do with self tapping screws, instead of drilling a hole you can take a small nail and hammer it in a little. It will create a perfectly dimple for a screw.

 

I would think a capacitor would slowly dim the lights as soon as the power is cut. Maybe a 5 second timer, and a capacitor with that to add a smooth luxurious feeling?

Edited October 25, 2010 by Kingman

[Kyle94]

i want to do this so bad...

maybe ill see if my dad wants to go with next weekend. im GOING to CALL FIRST. before i go up there and they only have one pathy per "pick-n-pull" i only know of the three yards so...

 

 

 

awesome right up BTW.

Edited October 25, 2010 by SexJelly

[JamesRich]

Thats a good idea and a cool write up. I added the map light but never thought about making it come on with the dome.

 

I plan to make mine stay on for a few seconds after the door is closed. I think runing a capacitor in paralell would do this...

any electical guru's out there have any recomendations?

555 timer circuit.

http://www.circuitdb.com/circuits/id/196

My wife's old 89 stanza had a circuit like this. If we could figure out where in the car it was located we might be able to pull the module at a pick a part and just wire it into our trucks. I think my brothers 86.5 hard body had this too.

James

[silverton]

my 85 supra had "courtesy lighting". A feature only on the 85 year. The lights would fade out upon closing the door, it was pretty cool.

[GrimGreg]

I installed the footwell lights in mine, they come on when you open the door, no way to turn them off besides shutting the doors.

[Slashjt]

Amazing idea! Will try it someday..

[Precise1]

Good job, you can't tell that it isn't stock...

 

Personally, I hate having dome lights come on when the doors open, much less the map lights. If I want a light, I'll turn it on, but hey, to each their own.

 

B

[Tungsten]

Nice install! A little trick you can do with self tapping screws, instead of drilling a hole you can take a small nail and hammer it in a little. It will create a perfectly dimple for a screw.

 

I would think a capacitor would slowly dim the lights as soon as the power is cut. Maybe a 5 second timer, and a capacitor with that to add a smooth luxurious feeling?

 

I would hate that feature on early WD21s. In fact, I want the lights to come off instantly when the door is closed. I don't like waiting until they go off because you can't tell if all the doors are closed unless there is another door indicator and in my case there isn't.

[RedPath88]

Good job Tungsten

 

 

 

I added these sometime ago but did not link them to the dome. I used to dome's power, just did not wire them to automatically come on, but that is just personal preference

[teixeira]

I just got my map light and I was wondering how to do just that.

 

Thanks for write up, perfect timing for me.

 

I'm going to change the bulbs for blue led's to match the dome light, do you still recomend the relay's? in this case the led's don't need that much power...

Edited October 26, 2010 by teixeira

[Kingman]

I'm a big fan of very well lit interiors. You can't see anything with the one dinky little light on the ceiling, so I want to install foot well lights under the dash, in the rear corners of the front doors, where the ash trays are in the back, and some in the cargo area.

[Tungsten]

relays make it simple, i used what i had

you can use the black one that triggers two switches at the same time instead of one like the blue and green ones do

[Ultrafinder]

Cool mod. Question; where did you locate the door sensor grounds? Particulary the drivers side, if known.

[Tungsten]

it's one of the wires that goes to the dome light that will activate the ground once any of the doors are open

[GrimGreg]

I'm a big fan of very well lit interiors. You can't see anything with the one dinky little light on the ceiling, so I want to install foot well lights under the dash, in the rear corners of the front doors, where the ash trays are in the back, and some in the cargo area.

Just get a rope light and run it around the edge of the headliner all the way around.

[k9sar]

Nice job. I was wondering why you were checking to see if the bracket would fit and cutting holes etc but then I saw that yu had an earlier model WD21. My 95 already has them installed. All I would need to do it tie the wiring into the door switch.