Dome light install

[LEB Ben]

Alright guys...I'm having some issues with my dome light install in the Bronco. Dunno if I'm stupid or what. First off, I can't get the damn lights to come on. I've got power to housing and when hooked directly to a 12v source the light comes on. I used a ground wire from the housing to a good ground. Then tried putting the hot every damn place I could...and I couldn't get the light to come on. It appears I have power to the socket...but it's actually the socket and not the little plate that the bottom of the bulb sits on. So if any of that made sense, or you know where the wires need to be to make this thing work, lemme know. FWIW...I was just dealing with the map lights, the actual dome light was blown. Here's what I'm working with:


Can't remember from last night, but I believe the green is hot all the time and blue is only hot when the headlight knob is switched on:

Seeing as I don't have the stock ends to those wires, I was just going to solder the wires to the proper contact. But I don't have a damn clue which wire goes where. HELP!!!!! Then it needs to be grounded as well, suggestions?

 

[DNFXDLI]

It's hard to tell from that pic Ben, but follow where the wire or copper trace goes from the center pin on the lamp....that will be where the hot goes.
Likewise for the ground...follow from where the outer shell of the lamp goes...that will be the neg...I think this is what you are asking?

 

[LEB Ben]

What I'm asking is...the two wires where in the hell do whose two wires go? One is hot all the time and one is hot only when the headlight switch is turned. I tried everywhere on that lamp. I got power to the socket, but couldn't get the bulb to light up. I also used a jumper to ground it. I figured if I had power to the socket, the bulb would light up. Right?


As for the ground...I believe that is gonna be separate. I was thinking of just using a wire soldered to the inner housing and then screwed into the roof.

 

[mrfixit]

If you can get a chassis/body ground connected to the connection of the lamp base (white arrow), the whole of the grounding in the dome light should be complete. The two tabs would constitute your pos connections, I'd think here-
UNLESS it's a loop-connect; The power passes thru the lamp and the return lead goes to the door switch that grounds it out. seems to me that is the case- IIRC. Two-pin door switches were a while later in coming. turning the headlight knob also completes the connection to ground.

 

[LEB Ben]

What tabs are you talking about for the pos connections? The ones that look like they have 'cross hairs' in the middle?


As for the door switch...that may be included in ground...I dunno, but those plugs and wires are all I have and don't see any provisions to go to the door switch.

 

[mrfixit]

Yes, with the crosses And it's just speculation- you've checked BOTH wires for power, right? You said the green has power all the time, but there'd have to be a control switch on the lamp for a constant hot to have value. Is it hot all the time because the door is open, perhaps? just askin'/sayin' lol... wish I was there- Easier to look than to ask- hehe

 

[LEB Ben]

Yes both wires have power. As for the one that is hot all the time, I assumed that would be the one to the map lights. The other I assumed was for the dome light and it's only hot when I turn the switch on. I'm thinking this would be a quick answer from Dennis or Scott...or hopefully someone can just say 'Listen up dumbazz, this wire goes here and that one there and throw a ground on and call it good.' The thing that really confuses me though, is if I have power to the socket...why in the hell can't I get the bulb to light up.

 

[mrfixit]

No problem- I'll back off and let them answer
See, my old 82 didn't HAVE a maplight, lol...

 

[smokey]

Listen up dumbazz are you sure you have the housing grounded.
Try testing it on the bench with a battery till you find the right terminals.
But it does sound like a ground issue

 

[LEB Ben]

No problem- I'll back off and let them answer
See, my old 82 didn't HAVE a maplight, lol...

No no no...that's not what I meant at all. I just figured this woulda been an easy one to answer for them. Any and all help is much appreciated. Hope I didn't come across like a dick or insult you...not my intent at all.

Listen up dumbazz are you sure you have the housing grounded.
Try testing it on the bench with a battery till you find the right terminals.
But it does sound like a ground issue

Pretty sure it was a good ground...I'll try again today with different locations. Quick question...I was only testing for power at the sockets with the 'hot all the time' wire, any chance I would have needed to test both wires hooked up to 'complete the circuit'?

 

[mrfixit]

I'm not insulted at all- I know I can come up with so many options it gets cornfuzzling, so no need to muddy the waters further

 

[bucks77ford]

Ben, I think both wires need to be hooked up in order for the light to work since they are both interconnected through the light switch and door switches. I can't remember which terminals go where, but from a diagram I have the grn/yellow wire is on the "left side" and the blu/blk wire is on the "right side". I'm not sure if that matters though. I can email you the diagram I have just to give you that. And it could be possible you have a bad door switch.

 

[LEB Ben]

I'd appreciate the email Buck. You still have my email addy? And if it does in fact go through the door switch, that may be the problem. I know the one on the driver's side is disconnected and have no clue what state the one on the passeneger side is in.

 

[gsxr1238]

Ben,is the roof in the Bronco metal or fiberglass?You may need to run a ground to another anchor point to complete the circuit.The basic Ford diagram i have shows a black /blue wire from the headlight switch to the two door swithes.Check the door switches and that black/blue wire for continuity.The green wire is probably your source.

 

[LEB Ben]

The top is metal. And if you're saying the door switches are included in that, then there in lies the problem. That being said, I know the door switch on the drivers side pulled out of the switch, so does that wire travel to the same general area as the dome light plug?

 

[gsxr1238]

The door switches just open and close by the plunger movement.When the plunger is depressed,it opens the switch which opens the circuit.When you open the door,the plunger travels the other way,and makes the contaccts close in the switch which closes or completes the circuit.They should be grounds.Hope that helps.It works with the headlight switch as Mr.Fixit pointed out.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

The top is metal on those??? You learn something new everyday.

 

[LEB Ben]

The top is metal on those??? You learn something new everyday.

I was talking the roof, where the light mounts...not the fiberglass topper.

 

[countryboytn]

The top is metal on those??? You learn something new everyday.

The removable top is fiberglass, everything else is metal.

Yours is the same way, I'm 90% sure of it.


and also... subscribed to this thread, not exactly the same issues (I don't think) but I don't have any lights in my Bronco, and it's annoying when it's dark. I usually just leave a flashlight in the console, so I can just use it to find things at night.

 

[LEB Ben]

HAHA...I do the same thing Tyler. I'm not thinking this should be too difficult to figure out once I get all the right pieces, because everything plugs in behind the dash to the left of the gauge panel.