Thread: Map and Dome light connect.

Dome lights often have a constant +12V with a switched ground. Which side of the dome light are you connecting to which side of the map lights?

I got it done. With 8th gen civics its much more straight forward. I have a 7th gen. I'll have to take pics this weekend to clarify but here's a written description,.. its weird I know:

There are two wires going to the dome light: wire (1) is 12v constant, wire (2) is actually 12v hot when the door is closed and 0v (ground) when the door is open. When the door is closed, wire (2) slowly gets back to 12v which dims the lights off.

How this 12v / ground works, i have no idea. A pretty complicated circuit for me.

I had to carry that variable 12v over to the map lights, separate the ground from the left and right light to different switches for each light. I left the factory constant 12v to the map lights, thats always connected. The switch separates a plain ground option and the dome variable 12v/ground wire. When the switch is in the off position, the map light is off because its being feed 12v by its factory 12v wire and the 12v from the variable, aka no current flows through = off. When i turn the switch, its feed the constant 12v and grounded normally = on.

That's it!!!

I know about LEDs. The goal wasn't more brightness, the goal was maps and dome light on when then doors are opened / the alarm is activated.

I've bought blue festoon leds for the dome light and cool white for the map lights. It looks like it fades from white to blue when they're both on. Its a really nice effect, but i needed the maps and dome to come on together thus the experiment.