Led to dome light install

[Eclipserstturbo]

Well, ive been searching for a couple days while ive tried to install these led light strips into my s13, and so far i still have no leds working. What im trying to do is install the led strip so that it comes on when the doors are opened.

I found on a site for alarm installs that the door jamb switch on the passenger side is a (-) and will ground when either door is opened. I ran the ground to the leds to that red/white wire coming from the switch behind the rear panel, and i tested the (+) from the leds before i ran that to a constant 12v source to find that it does not illuminate. I then grounded the (-) wire to the leds with my jump box and it comes on.

My question is, if i run the (+) from the leds to a constant 12v source, where do i run the (-) so that they illuminate when either door is opened? Any help on this is greatly appreciated, and pictures are a plus.

[compactfean]

I just for done doing a full wire gut on my car and if I remember right the 2 doors are on there own circuits. I would run each door switch to one common ground wire that can be used to ground your leds. Also don't forget that led lights are polarity sensitive..... Meaning they can only be hooked up one way or they won't work.

[Eclipserstturbo]

Well that would work, however there has to be a common ground between the two doors since when you open either door, the door light on the cluster comes on. Does anyone know the location and color of that wire?

Also, the leds are polarity sensitive, ie if i hook my jump box (+)-(+) and (-)-(-) the lights come on, and if i hook it up (+)-(-) and (-)-(+) they dont. But my question with that was if i had the (-) from the leds already tapped into the passenger door switch, and hooked up my jump box(+) to the led (+), with the door open the lights should come on, yet they dont. What would be the reason for this?... Unless the door switch wire is in fact a (+), then i could see this happening.

Do you think if i hooked up the led (+) to the door switch wire and made a seperate ground, it would come on? Maybe the door switch releases a contact when the door is open so that (+) current can flow through, making the switch itself a ground but having it complete a 12v circuit through the wire.

I think my next SOBER day off i will just check the wire to see if its (+) or (-) current that passes through it. Jist putting that theory out there makes me believe that the wire has to be a (+) that is grounded when the switch is out (door open).

[moso]

the door switches are basic single wire ground when open switches. the leds should be wired into the wires that run to the dome light. the wiring is either going to go up one of the windshield pillars or up one of the pillars between the door and quarter glass, just pop the plastics until you find them. the dome light will be supplied with a constant positive and a switched ground.

[Eclipserstturbo]

Thank you sir. I read somewhere that they go up the c pillar on the drivers side, but was just checking to see if anyone knew of an easy way to get to it other than pulling half the interior apart to find the wires and tracing them back to the dash.

Looks like i will be Doing a bit more work than anticipated to hook up these leds. If i find a shortcut i will for sure post up, maybe do a write up for future reference.

[moso]

its most likely the c pillar on the drivers side as almost all the wiring goes on the drivers side.