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Technical 59 F100 dome courtesy light

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by mustang6147, Mar 21, 2014.

  1. mustang6147
    Joined: Feb 26, 2010
    Posts: 1,847

    mustang6147
    Member
    from Kent, Ohio

    I am hopin for Crazy Steve to chime in,

    I am now wiring my interior courtesy/dome light. I have 2 wires, 1 is always hot, the other is courtesy ground.

    The socket is also grounded.... So now I am confused. I want to put the door buttons in.
     
  2. Take the hot to the switch(es), from there to the light. If the socket is grounded to the body shell, you don't need the ground wire...
     
  3. mustang6147
    Joined: Feb 26, 2010
    Posts: 1,847

    mustang6147
    Member
    from Kent, Ohio

    I figured that Steve, my confusion come in trying to wire the door switches.

    I am getting confused with this concept. The socket is grounded to the cab, I have a courtesy hot, and dome ground.... I don't know if I am explaining this clear, so I hope you get what I am sayin.
     
  4. mustang6147
    Joined: Feb 26, 2010
    Posts: 1,847

    mustang6147
    Member
    from Kent, Ohio

    the orange dome courtesy feed routes to the courtesy power feed. most courtesy lights are activated by the headlight switch or individual door jam switch setting a ground connection.

    the white courtesy ground wire routes to the courtesy light ground. the wire enables the headlight switch to turn on the courtesy light.

    that was from the directions....


    My confusion is, do I isolate the socket from the cab, and use the white wire for the ground ?
     

  5. 24riverview
    Joined: Jan 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,052

    24riverview
    Member

    Assuming you're using a aftermarket harness? If so most are set up for GM style dome circuit. Your ford was originally set up for the door jam switches to turn the dome light power on/off. If so you'll need to run your orange wires through original Ford style door jam switches then to the light or change the dome light socket to a double contact base and bulb to wire GM style.
     
  6. To clarify this further, GM ran an always-hot wire to the dome light, then used the headlight switch and/or the door switches to connect the ground, turning on the light.

    Ford did it exactly opposite; the dome light is grounded to the body so no ground wire needed. The power supply wire for the dome light ran to each door switch and to the headlight switch after '57 on cars (I'm not sure when the trucks got this feature) and any one of those could turn on the light. If your dome light has a built-in on-off switch (pre-57 type), then there's no connection to the headlight switch and only the door switches will turn it on 'automatically'. This type light will need two wires ran to it; one always-hot wire to connect to the internal switch, and one from the two door switches that connects ahead of the switch. No switch on the light, then just one wire to the light is needed but this wire will split and go to each door switch and the headlight switch if the switch has the dome light switch. The light is turned on at the switch by turning the knob fully counter-clockwise until it 'clicks'.
     
  7. mustang6147
    Joined: Feb 26, 2010
    Posts: 1,847

    mustang6147
    Member
    from Kent, Ohio

    I got it. Thank you both ! The wire kit is a Speedway wire kit based on a GM harness. SO I wasn't comprehending the circuit, ( Ford, Chevy Opposite) but now I got it....

    The light is a body ground, no switch light so the door jam switch wire goes through each door Jam switch.

    The headlight switch does turn to dim or brighten the gauges, and then turns on the dome light.
     
  8. Im doing the same on a 56 F100. So, the dome hot wire goes into one door switch port and out the 2nd port to the next switch then the dome? Is it really that simple? This allows the headlight switch to turn on the dome light as well as the switches?
     

    Attached Files:

  9. No, the power wire needs to go to each switch, with a switched wire from each switch to the light (you can splice the switched wires down to one after leaving the switches). Your diagram with the switches in series will only allow the light to come on if both doors are open.
     
  10. Thank you. This is my first attempt at car wiring, so Im learning on the fly. I have been reading a ton of past posts and learned a lot. I reread your earlier post and missed that the switched power from the HL switch needs to be after the door switches. I think I understand now..... hopefully
     

    Attached Files:

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