How could i wire this up?

supermike · Post by **supermike** » Fri May 08, 2009 8:48 am

I want to get an LED strip and stick it right along the top of the back window, right at the headliner. I want to hard wire it to a switch, but also have it powered from the dome light. This way I'll be able to switch it on and off, and have it come on when I open a door. How would I wire it so as not to fry it if it is on when I open a door?

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Fri May 08, 2009 10:13 am

12V source ------------Switch-----------------LED Strip-----ground
Dome light circuit------Diode---------|

That is assuming that the led strip accepts 12VDC input.

supermike · Post by **supermike** » Fri May 08, 2009 12:26 pm

ZeroChad wrote:
That is assuming that the led strip accepts 12VDC input.

Yeah, that's correct. This might be too much to ask, but could someone draw a little picture?

Mopar00Neon · Post by **Mopar00Neon** » Fri May 08, 2009 2:02 pm

Or just use a 3-way switch.

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Fri May 08, 2009 3:55 pm

supermike wrote:
ZeroChad wrote:
That is assuming that the led strip accepts 12VDC input.
Yeah, that's correct. This might be too much to ask, but could someone draw a little picture?

I tried to do a lame ascii drawing. You will tap into a switched, 12V source, and run it to the switch, then connect it to your leds. Tap into the dome light circuit on the roof, solder in a diode, then tap in to the wire you installed after the switch.

Or as brian suggested, use a SPDT on-off switch, wire the normally middle prong to your led. The normally-closed prong to the dome light circuit, and the normally-open prong to a switched, 12V source.

supermike · Post by **supermike** » Tue May 12, 2009 12:45 pm

I think I'll try the switch first. Are all 3 prong switches SPDT or are some SPST?

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Tue May 12, 2009 2:13 pm

supermike wrote:I think I'll try the switch first. Are all 3 prong switches SPDT or are some SPST?

For the most part thay are all SPST. That is what you're looking for.

evilneon02 · Post by **evilneon02** » Tue May 12, 2009 8:21 pm

what kinda diode

Jenni · Post by **Jenni** » Wed May 13, 2009 9:58 am

Simple diode to avoid short circuit. Diode allows the current just to flow in one direction. W/o it the light will be on all the time...

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:06 am

A 1N4001 should be fine if your led stip draw stays under 1A (which it should). You can find them at Radioshack.

supermike · Post by **supermike** » Thu May 14, 2009 7:16 pm

I found a switch I had laying in my room, used a continuity tester to test it the way you said to wire it, and it looks like it'll work! Thanks for the help!