Dome Light Help

[CAP11]

My 85 C-10 never had a dome light in it (at least to my knowlege). I bought the dome light housing, cover, and bulb from LMC. The housing came with about 2-3 foot of wiring (one orange wire and one white wire with conections on both.

I have several questions about getting this to work. The kit LMC sent me does not have any instructions or diagrams. Does the wiring normally run from the dome light above the headliner, to under the dash? If so where does the red wire connect? Where does the white connect? What is the best route to take to get the wiring under the dash?

I have a door switch (drivers side only) with a red wire attached to it but it is not hot, and I can't tell where it should be getting it's power from. This red wire runs near the fuse box but I can't tell where it goes from there. Any tips?

I would appreciate any help. This is probably really simple but I have some type of mental block when it comes to wiring things, so talk to me like I'm stupid .

[beaterC10]

The wires from the dome light run in the double wall area that the light mounts too over to the driver side pillar, down the pillar, across the floor under the sill plate and to the fuse box. There is another wire that runs across the dash to the passenger side door switch. At both switches the the wires run through a grommet in the kick panel out the door switch. If I remember correctly, the orange is hot and supplies a constant 12v to the light. The door switches supply the ground.

[CAP11]

Thanks for the help. I only have one door switch (drivers side). I have my door switch off and that red wire is not hot. I see where it comes through the rubber grommet in the kick panel, but I'm not sure where it is supposed to go from there.

I assume that the white wire from the dome light would plug into the headlight switch at some point but I don't see any where to plug anything to it. Maybe mine is different since my truck was never wired for a dome light?

[beaterC10]

A door switch wire shouldn't be hot, it supplies the ground to the dome light. The connection to the headlight switch is probably accomplished as a junction somewhere in the harness and not at the switch.

There is a connector in the wiring coming from the dome light that is normally located in the harness after it exits the rear pillar doubler area.

If I remember correctly, there is a single harness that connects both door switches to each other and the fuse box. This harness also includes the underdash mounted courtesy light. I will look through my spare parts and see if I still have any light harnesses laying around to look at.

[CAP11]

Beater,

I really appreciate your help. I had to go out of town today but I'm off from work tomorrow so I'm planning on tackling this dome light again then.

I have the headliner and dash both out so I figured this would be a good time to tackle this project.

[boxrodz]

I'm not sure why the wiring for the door switch is red. As beaterC10 said, the wiring should be white and switches the lighting ciruit for both the courtesy lamp and dome lamp to ground (at the door switch) when the door is open (the door switch itself is grounded). This wire is spiced into a white wire going to the courtesy lamp. The white wire of the dome lamp which provides the ground for the lamp may be spiced at this location by extending the white wire. BTW, If you follow the white wire going to the courtesy lamp, a second white wire is tapped into the courtesy lamp socket. This wire runs to the light switch to provide another ground when the light switch for the dome/courtesy lamp is turned to the 'ON' position.


As beaterC10 also mentioned, the orange wire is the +12V source for the dome light. Extend another wire from the orange wire of the dome light to the fused battery terminal (lower right terminals) of the fuse block. Once this is completed, the dome light should function as stock.

[CAP11]

I'll try this today. Thanks for the help. Part of my problem is that my truck did not originally have a headliner or dome light wiring. I added a headliner (the ABS plastic one from Chevy duty) about a year ago. So hiding the dome light wiring is going to be somewhat of a challenge.

Boxrodz, I was wrong about the wiring from the door switch being red, it is orange. But it sounds like it should be white. This orange wire runs from the door switch through the kick panel then runs behind the fuse panel then it runs together with a bunch of other wires that is taped up pretty good. I lose it there, I'm going to cut the tape off today and see if I can find where it goes. BTW I have two wires running to the inside courtesy light one orange and one white.

I'm going to get started on this in a few minutes. I'll report back later today. I told ya I was dumb about wiring .

[beaterC10]

Originally Posted by CAP11

I'll try this today. Thanks for the help. Part of my problem is that my truck did not originally have a headliner or dome light wiring. I added a headliner (the ABS plastic one from Chevy duty) about a year ago. So hiding the dome light wiring is going to be somewhat of a challenge.

The wires run in the double wall section of the roof. The only interference might be with mounting the dome light on the headliner. Does your truck have the hole for the dome light?

[CAP11]

Success!!! Dome light and courtesy light are now working, with both the door switch as well as the headlight switch.

I would like to thank beaterC10 and also boxrodz. I could not have done it without your help.........I have man love for both of you . Your tips and information helped a tremendous amout!!

Ended up running the dome light wires above the headliner and down the front drivers side pillar, then into the dash. Picked up hot to the dome light by wiring directly into the horn fuse. Then I spliced into the courtesy light white ground wire (located in the junction that plugs into the headlight switch), with the ground from the dome light as well as the door switches..

Hopefully, the next poor soul who needs help with his dome light will be able to do a search and find this thread and it will send him in the right direction.

[CAP11]

Originally Posted by beaterC10

The wires run in the double wall section of the roof. The only interference might be with mounting the dome light on the headliner. Does your truck have the hole for the dome light?

beaterC10, my truck is really strange. It did not have any holes for the dome light, I only had a bare metal roof. I ended up drilling screws into the roof to secure the dome light housing. This also helped with secruing the headliner to the roof. (Again, my truck was not originally equipped with a headliner). Then I ran the wires above the headliner and down the front drivers side pillar.

Probably a simple job for most, but despite my mental shortcomings, with ya'lls help.... I got it done.

[boxrodz]

Originally Posted by CAP11

Success!!! Dome light and courtesy light are now working, with both the door switch as well as the headlight switch.

I would like to thank beaterC10 and also boxrodz...

Good to hear...

[beaterC10]

Originally Posted by CAP11

Success!!! Dome light and courtesy light are now working, with both the door switch as well as the headlight switch.

I would like to thank beaterC10 and also boxrodz. I could not have done it without your help.........I have man love for both of you .

Congrats. Make sure it is only man love. My old lady has gained a few pounds during 13 years of marriage, but I'm still partial to her.