Interior Lighting

[dilma]

G'day everyone, joined up not so long ago and have been scouring the site which has been fantastic!

However I feel the answer regarding wiring is staring me in the face but cant seem to find (or need the right wording for me to understand! haha)

Ok I have Leisure battery, relay setup and three 12V lights (one is 9W the other two are identical 6W down light type that I plan to put in the rear area.

When it comes to using a scotch block to tap into the signal light I have located the white block connector with the no.11 blue wire next to the steering column, as per instructions on wiki, however when I pulled it out of the block to test if the lights work or not, re connected the block and turned over my engine the flashing red light in the center of dash still came on. The oil light and handbreak signal were on as well. I have seen a blue/black wire, but tis a bit confusing when seeing the Blue wire in no.11 matches the info provided? should I just go ahead with tapping into this wire?

Also I am going to be using a 6 way fuse box to run lights, stereo, cig socket. I am wondering, can I run the two identical rear lights through one of the 6 connectors of the fuse box? if so how would this be done? via a two way connector block?

Ok any response would be greatly appreciated!

cheers

Damo

[CovKid]

Have you considered low consumption LED lighting to save your battery? I'm actually camped out in my camper right now (in the sticks) and luckily someone has thrown me mains for the computer (hence logging in now), but all my interior lights are LEDs as they use practically nothing - certainly not 6 or even 9 watt or anything close to that.

[andisnewsyncro]

Don't use scotch locks is the best help I can give you on this...

Not sure what you're trying to do though, to be honest. Interior lighting doesn't need running from anything in the dash I wouldn't have thought.
Assuming your split charge is working properly, from the +ve on your leisure battery to a seperate fuse box, take the power off to your interior lights from that (running back to ground, obviously..)

[dilma]

Yeah was actually going to mention that I plan to swap the bulbs over to LED! Good thinking in that regard.

With the signal wire I was referring to the relay which I havnt completed wiring. The kit I bought requires me to scotch block into the signal wire (which in the wiki sections says is the blue wire no.11 in the white connector next to steering), then with an inline fuse wire into the '86' pin on the relay.

The lighting will be wired via 6 way fuse box running off the leisure batt. Just wondering If I can wire two lights through 1 fuse.



cheers

[blue67]

Yeah was actually going to mention that I plan to swap the bulbs over to LED! Good thinking in that regard.

With the signal wire I was referring to the relay which I havnt completed wiring. The kit I bought requires me to scotch block into the signal wire (which in the wiki sections says is the blue wire no.11 in the white connector next to steering), then with an inline fuse wire into the '86' pin on the relay.

The lighting will be wired via 6 way fuse box running off the leisure batt. Just wondering If I can wire two lights through 1 fuse.



cheers

Yeah your two lights can be run from the one fuse as long as the fuse and wiring is the correct rating.

I think wire your trying to "tap" into is the battery charge light in the dash cluster?

[dilma]

Blue,

Yeah the signal or battery warning light is the one I want, spose just trying to find some confirmation that its from the cluster under the dash like you mention!

[silverbullet]

Have you considered low consumption LED lighting to save your battery? I'm actually camped out in my camper right now (in the sticks) and luckily someone has thrown me mains for the computer (hence logging in now), but all my interior lights are LEDs as they use practically nothing - certainly not 6 or even 9 watt or anything close to that.

I'm slowly converting my '91 SA Microbus (Multivan) for camping and want plenty of LED lighting - do they need regulators or not? Someone told me that they do to prevent burn-out. Any info useful.

[Mocki]

i wouldnt go anywhere near the dash to pick up that signal, its a duff idea with these vans, take the signal for your relay from the alternator, its laods easier and wont make your clocks go "iffy"

[dilma]

thanks for the responses.

Mocki could you point me in the right direction regarding connecting direct to the alternator? have been searching the web but stilll dont seem to be sure or confident in this vital bit of wiring!!

cheers

[CovKid]

silverbullet, deck lighting is all set up as it usually comes with a 12v transformer which you can dispense with. Otherwise most LEDs if you go wholly DIY require matching resistors. In more recent years LEDs with inbuilt resistors have emerged - try searching for 12v prewired LEDs on ebay - often very cheap from China on packs of 50 or more.

As for the signal wire, this is the small blue one from the alternator - just scotch into it in the engine bay and run that to the relay. Thats exactly how mine is set up as Mocki recommended.

[dilma]

I had a look at the alternator this eve and saw three main wires coming from it, one by itself i am not quite sure on the colour, and two wires which connect together into the alternator, one was blue the other brownish but these arnt so thin. is this the blue wire you are me

[silverbullet]

[quote="CovKid"]silverbullet, deck lighting is all set up as it usually comes with a 12v transformer which you can dispense with. Otherwise most LEDs if you go wholly DIY require matching resistors. In more recent years LEDs with inbuilt resistors have emerged - try searching for 12v prewired LEDs on ebay - often very cheap from China on packs of 50 or more.quote]

Cheers for that. I'll save the trans for bathroom lighting then. Bought a job lot of nice little s/s bezeled deck lights from Wickes a while back that never made it into the kid's treehouse...waste not!

[CovKid]

Yeah, they work great for interior lighting. Chickenkoop fitted his around the elevating roof and beneath the upstairs bed. Mine are mounted in the front faces of the RnR bed and buddy seat - more than enough to stagger to the loo - lots of possibilities.