Hey guys, I've ordered some led strips for my interior and I'd like to wire them up in such a way that the leds will come on with the courtesy lights AND I'd like to have the option of switching them on independent of the courtesy lights. I figure I'll need two circuits with a toggle switch to take them on/off the courtesy circuit.

What would be the best way to tap into the courtesy circuit? I already have a preexisting power tap off of the fuse block for the other. What kind of toggle switch would be optimal for moving between circuits.

Thanks
BC

 

Prob a spdt switch (single pole double throw) where the 1 on it would be wired to the courtesy circut and the 2 would be your constant power source.

 

You wont need to move between 2 circuits. Its as simple as this:
You'll need to tap on to the hot wire before and after the courtesy light switch. Like Thogert said, use a SPDT switch.

I have thought about doing this myself, so I took the time to draw up what to do. The three bulbs up top are your courtesy lights.

 

Thanks fast forward. My understanding is that it's the ground that is switched at the door jamb. If it is the hot wire that's switched and switched before the fuse block than it would be simple to use one of these but I don't have a clue whether hot or ground is switched for the courtesy lights.

 

Upon further review, it is the ground that is switched and found a nice schematic here, thanks swartllk. I think fast forward's circuit may still be valid allowing for the ground to be switched as opposed to the hot.

 

Finished. I tapped the white wire at the passenger front footwell lamp to control the courtesy light circuit. Wired the courtesy ground and constant ground to a spdt, used a constant hot from the fuse block and now I've got a groovy amber glow whenever I want. Thanks for the help.

 

that's cool. I'm gonna do the same. Got a phone charger that throws out humongous blue and lights whatever footwell I have it aimed at. So I started thinking like you, a couple amber or red pointed down from under dash would be not only neat but practical when driving at night.

Thing is... there's no point to them when courtesies are on.
And I was gonna tap into the photocell circuit BUT no point in switching them off during day that I can think of.
So I'm just going to wire them into radio acc/run supply.

 

Cool deal man, I'm glad you got it workin!

 

Well, I wanted some additional "footwell" lighting for the rear passengers when the courtesy lights came on (OK, I'm neurotic, **** retentive !@#$). Theres a slim metal bar at the bottom of the front seatbacks that accomodated the LED strip lights nicely. I'm happy with the effect but unsuccessful at my attempts to post a picture of it. You can see it here

 

That looks good. I can see doing THAT with court switch.
Hint for no switch court and driving, Use two 1n4002 diodes to leds:

court sw +-|>|- {join}
Radio Accy/run + -|>|- {join}
{join} led array gnd


PS: My suggestion might not work. Just found from looking at lights circuit for another reason that courtesy circuit switches gnd, not positive. Of course if I'd been paying attention to the details in the other posts...
__________________________________________________ _________

A Because picasa isnt an image sharing site. Or if they changed, your setting are wrong.
- just checked in my albums.. nope, you can only do 'click-link to' or email.
For postable pics use imgur or photobucket NOT imageshack.. near malware on there I'm pretty sure.

B @!$@#@# I havent been on picasa for years, and never on this machine and it still auto logged me in!!!!
- Wrong. It just used my last google ident.