I have two cathodes and several LEDs going in throughout the interior (map pockets, a/c vents, under dash). I want the cathodes to light up when ever the dome is on, so I figure that I can tap into the dome wire that is in the driver side a-pillar, but I also want it to come on with a switch. How can I do this?
Also, how do I get power into the doors for the map pocket LEDs and where should I get this power from? I want the map pockets on one switch and the a/c vents on another. The switches will be going in the arm rest console (for now, then in the roof between the visors). Any tips on how to wire this?
Any help is greatly appreciated.

____________________________________________________
2002 2.2L -Base Model- (not for long) Black Cavalier

O geez... more wiring.
I'll see if I can draw you up a diagram.
Give me an hour or so... or more - lol.

-Seth

K, I got it figured out, I'm gonna do the diagram now.

-Seth

I did it. I forgot what wire it was, I believe it was the brown wire in the A pillar of the driver's side. The trigger is done by the negative, so the positive is a constant. The negative is switched. I have a ghetto diagram that worked great.

K, here it is.
I assumed that you would have 1 LED in each vent and 2 LED's in each door and that you will be using 3 volt LED's

S1, S2, S3 are the switches. You can get the power off of a fuse tap since the cathodes/LEDs will be pulling little amps, but I personally would bring a wire in from the battery to another fuseblock inside the other car, that way you'll have power for more stuff if you ever decide to add stuff, you decide.
I'm not sure, but if the dome light is run both lines positive and then one goes negative when it turns on, then you will need to put the 86 of the relay on the one that turns negative, and then 85 of the relay to a positive.




This shows how the map pockets would be wired up.




This shows how the vents would be wired up. If you wanted to run 2 LEDs per vent than you would "split" the main vent LED power wire into 2 and run another string of LED's.



If any of this doesn't make sense or you have any questions, just ask or IM/Email.

-Seth

Wow, thanks a lot. If I have any more questions about this I'm gonna look you up thanks again.

____________________________________________________
2002 2.2L -Base Model- (not for long) Black Cavalier

ur welcome

-Seth

Why not just build one relay as follows?

cathodes are cathodes + LEDs

86 - 12v fused
85 - switch to ground
30 - cathodes
87A - dome light tap
87 - 12v fused

BEWARE, you may need to do a positive boost to get enough juice from the dome light, I am not sure of current ratings off this circut.

Sam


Ban low-performance cars, not high-performance ones.

^^^
Cause
1. that wouldn't work, you have your numbers mixed up.
2. the one above only uses one relay too.

The way you have it marked it would always be 12V into the dome and then when you flipped the switch you would get a 12v going into a 12v. Cathodes would never see power.

-Seth

No, the cathodes are on 30 (common) so they see power from the dome in NC and 12V in NO when the switch is pressed.

Sam


Ban low-performance cars, not high-performance ones.

Basically, the relay goes as follows, for claification: Unless I read this wrong, the cathodes are to come on every time the dome light comes on, or with a switch at any time.

Pole 86 has power(12v fused), it must be constant so you can have the cathodes on when the car is not. ***IF you only want the cathodes to be on when the car is on, hook up true ignition to this pole***

Pole 85 has ground to finish the coil of the relay. Use a toggle switch in series to trigger the relay on and off.

Pole 87A has the dome light wire. Tap into the wire, do not cut. This will allow the cathodes to be powered by the dome light, as the dome light is sending 12V to the cathodes, since pole 87A and 30 are NC.

Pole 87 has 12V fused. This, when the relay is activated, will allow 12V to go to the cathodes when the switch is in the ON position.

Pole 30 has the cathodes's power lead, as the ground is grounded.

So simple....and no drawing needed.

Sam




Ban low-performance cars, not high-performance ones.

I think I understand what everyone is saying. My question now is what is Pole 87, 87A, and those? What do I need to get for this? Sorry if I sound stupid, but it's the first time I've wired anything in my car.

____________________________________________________
2002 2.2L -Base Model- (not for long) Black Cavalier

Those poles are to the relay. They are labeled on every relay, so just hook up w. female spade connectors. The relay I used is c alled a SPDT, single pole, double throw. It acts as a switch, so you can have 2 outputs (such as when the dome lights come on, and when you push the button).

Bill, if you have any questions, either IM me at: atroxaranea or e-mail: atroxaranea@hotmail.com

Wizkid, on your diagram, the cathodes would be on constantly, since the fuse panel would be the 12V. The relay in your diagram is worthless.

Sam


Ban low-performance cars, not high-performance ones.

Sam wrote:Basically, the relay goes as follows, for claification: Unless I read this wrong, the cathodes are to come on every time the dome light comes on, or with a switch at any time.

Pole 86 has power(12v fused), it must be constant so you can have the cathodes on when the car is not. ***IF you only want the cathodes to be on when the car is on, hook up true ignition to this pole***

Pole 85 has ground to finish the coil of the relay. Use a toggle switch in series to trigger the relay on and off.

Pole 87A has the dome light wire. Tap into the wire, do not cut. This will allow the cathodes to be powered by the dome light, as the dome light is sending 12V to the cathodes, since pole 87A and 30 are NC.

Pole 87 has 12V fused. This, when the relay is activated, will allow 12V to go to the cathodes when the switch is in the ON position.

Pole 30 has the cathodes's power lead, as the ground is grounded.

So simple....and no drawing needed.

Sam

85 and 86 are the coil. 87 and 87A are the "switched" leads with 87A being the one that is contant if there isn't current passed over the coil (85/86). 30 is a constant positive.
So either 85 or 86 will be negative and the other will be positive. When that has current going across it, it switches the positive (from 30) from going to 87A to go to 87 instead.

So in my diagram, positive lead goes into 30 from the fuse panel. If there is no current going to 86 (when the domelight is NOT on), the power from 30 goes to 87A which then goes to the switch and then the cathodes. So basically if the domelight is NOT on, then you can turn the cathodes on by switch.
When the domelight turns on, current is passed thru 86 to 85 thus "switching" the relay to send power from 30 to 87 which is a direct turn on to the cathodes. So basically when the dome is on, the cathodes will be on.

I'm still trying to figure out what exactly yours is doing. The only way I could see yours working is if the relays 30 doesn't have to be a positive lead. In any way you look at it, urs is more confusing if you look at how a relay is supposed to be wired.

-Seth

Seth, do you understand what a relay does???? Pole 30 is not constant, power it's common to 87A and 87.

30 IS COMMON, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A POSITIVE LEAD!!!

Soooooo, by hooking the cathodes to pole 30, when you do not have the button in the on position, the tap from the dome light (since 87A is connected to pole 30) will cause the cathodes to come on. When you hit the button, the coil is energized and 12V from 87 goes to pole 30 (the cathodes) and powers them.

In your drawing above, the cathodes are on all the time. When the coil is not energized, pole 87A is connected to switch 3, not 1 and 2 as well. CONSTANTLY. When the dome turns on, pole 87 has the cathodes, but why run them to a switch? Why are there 3 switches if everything is supposted to turn on at once?

Since power is on pole 30 in your diagram, how is this relay a switch? Power is always there! Your diagram is confusing, if nothing else. Also, you will get a backfeed unless a diode is used back to pole 87, how is this relay a switch if power is on 30, 87A and backfed to 87??? Is pole 86 connected to both sides of the dome light, since I do not see a jump in your schematic? What is 'map thing'?

Bill, wiring the cathodes in series instead of parallel (parallel being Seth's diagram) would be better since you will get more voltage and not create a voltage drop across the cathodes to the switch.

I do NOT see how mine is more confusing, I outlined everything, every pole and every hookup.

Bill, I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions.

Sam


Ban low-performance cars, not high-performance ones.

There are three switches in the diagram because my original question had three parts. The first two (map pockets and vents) I understand and don't have a problem with. It's the cathodes that I didn't know what to do with. The cathodes are the only thing out of the three that I want to be on with the dome light.
On another note, I went out and bought a relay from Radio Shack, but it doesn't have numbers on it. It has a small diagram (i don't have a scanner so I can't show you) that has NC (normally closed), NO (normally open), Com, and two for coil. I assume the 30 is the Com, and the Coil is 85 and 86. Where do the NC and NO come in? Which is which?

I appreciate the help.

____________________________________________________
2002 2.2L -Base Model- (not for long) Black Cavalier

Yes, 30 is common, poles 85 and 86 are for the coil, pole 87A is NC (Normally closed) and pole 87 is NO (Normally open). What is the amp rating on the relay? it would be displayed as something liek 30A/40A or 30/40 on it---something like that.

Sam


Ban low-performance cars, not high-performance ones.

Sam wrote:Seth, do you understand what a relay does???? Pole 30 is not constant, power it's common to 87A and 87.

30 IS COMMON, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A POSITIVE LEAD!!!

Soooooo, by hooking the cathodes to pole 30, when you do not have the button in the on position, the tap from the dome light (since 87A is connected to pole 30) will cause the cathodes to come on. When you hit the button, the coil is energized and 12V from 87 goes to pole 30 (the cathodes) and powers them.

In your drawing above, the cathodes are on all the time. When the coil is not energized, pole 87A is connected to switch 3, not 1 and 2 as well. CONSTANTLY. When the dome turns on, pole 87 has the cathodes, but why run them to a switch? Why are there 3 switches if everything is supposted to turn on at once?

Since power is on pole 30 in your diagram, how is this relay a switch? Power is always there! Your diagram is confusing, if nothing else. Also, you will get a backfeed unless a diode is used back to pole 87, how is this relay a switch if power is on 30, 87A and backfed to 87??? Is pole 86 connected to both sides of the dome light, since I do not see a jump in your schematic? What is 'map thing'?

Bill, wiring the cathodes in series instead of parallel (parallel being Seth's diagram) would be better since you will get more voltage and not create a voltage drop across the cathodes to the switch.

I do NOT see how mine is more confusing, I outlined everything, every pole and every hookup.

Bill, I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions.

Sam

The map thing is where he wanted LEDs in his map pockets, which is why there is a S1, and then a S2 for his vent LEDs.

Pole 86 is just connected to the one wire of the domelight.

I retract my comment of yours not making sense. I was looking at some more relays because im working on my alarm install and I see how yours works.

In the end, both of ours works. Yours works by switching where the power comes from and mine comes from where the power goes to.

On mine...
If the domelight isn't on, the power will go from 30 to 87A to S3 then back to the cathodes and only turn on if the switch is flipped to on.
If the domelight is on, the power will go from 30 to 87 to the cathodes so they automatically turn on.
Power goes thru 87A is when the domelight is off.

I also took his as only wanting the cathodes to come on with the dome (look 2 replies up).

Also, wiring the cathodes in series is a no-no. Ask phil - he says no. So wire them in parallel.

-Seth

This is the way you have it figured Sam.


I have it figured out though.
If the domelight has a positive trigger, meaning both wires are negative and one wire goes positive when the domelight comes on, use Sams.
If the domelight has a negative trigger, meaning both wires are positive and one wire goes negative when the domelight comes on, use mine.

From what I can tell from wiring sheets, it is a negative trigger.

-Seth

I didn't use 87a with mine, because I wanted them to turn on when I opened the door.

85 is a constant + from the battery, and the dome is hooked to 86. Whenever 86 is triggered, the relay switches from 87a to 87 which will complete the Negative circuit. All my cathodes have a constant + (with a fuse mind you) .

If he does this and supplies a constant + to the LED's and cathodes, the ground will come on when the door is open, and viola, all lights turn on. Also works well w/ the keyless entry too

cant you use cathodes as neon lights?


Opening Soon Kustom J's

As exterior, yes... but it's not recommended. For interior, most definately.

then what is best away of doing the angel halo lights then because I want to make set of angel lights for my turn signals when i do my projector lights


Opening Soon Kustom J's

Check IZN TRBL's CarDomain page...

May need to copy/paste into a Word doc... the background image is a little too prominent.

can i make one set for the parking and turn signal and the other set just for looks? and if i can do that one for the park and turn signal how would i wire that up?


Opening Soon Kustom J's