Electrical Experts: Possible to tap into dome light thru fuse box?

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merrillsteven
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:59 am
Car: 2009 Nissan Sentra 2.0 S

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I'm a complete newb when it comes to automobile wiring, but I was wondering if it is possible to tap into the dome light's power through the fuse box, and still get the effect of having the additional lighting to come on only when the doors are opened (then fade after 30 seconds) like the dome light? Since the switch to determine the dome light's off/door open/on setting is usually found up on the dome light itself, it seems like you'd need to tap in any additional wiring on the same circuit at the dome light itself... Is that how it works or is it easier than I think?


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the converted
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The power to the dome light is always on, and is switched on the negative side. You can grab the power and a door trigger under the dash to power the lights, but it would not have the time out delay that the over head would. If you want to wire it up like that, then you would have to go to the controller (I'm not positive where it is) and get the signal from that. There is also a reasonable chance that adding the additional load of another light or two might be enough to blow the circuit.

I THINK that answers your questions, but if it doesn't, or you want a more detailed explanation, let me know.

merrillsteven
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:59 am
Car: 2009 Nissan Sentra 2.0 S

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Thanks for the info. I think you answered my question, though I'm not entirely I understood all of it. What I was hoping to do is figure out a way to wire some lights under the seats and dash to sync up with the dome light... so that they are on under the same circumstances as the dome light. Its strange, i've looked all around the net and I can't find anyone describing how to achieve this sort of effect. It seems that most people just wire for always on power with an added switch, but the elegance of autonomous lighting would be so much cooler.

Anyway, thanks for your answer. Please pardon my total noobishness.

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zerepdivad
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Or you could use a relay so that you don't need to worry about overloading the circuit with the delay.

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the converted
Posts: 3443
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:14 am
Car: 99 M3 6.0l
88 Celica All-Trac (somewhere in Cali)
2020 Taco
Location: Boston

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You could do that, but you would loose that nice fade away that the factory lights give you. Alternatively, you could use some LEDs everywhere and that would lessen the load.


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