The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Dome Light Wiring? - 55.2 12v

Spent some time searching this forum this morning reading up on my dome light. Found this great tech tip http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/interior/dome%20light/ but I still have some questions.

I bench tested the dome light and it works. I'm having trouble deciphering the wiring diagram http://automotivewiringdiagrams.net...ng-diagram-of-1955-chevrolet-classic.jpg and it appears, per the diagram, that the ground goes to the door switches and the headlight switch and the hot wire splices in to the brake switch hot wire?

Also, I'm not 100% certain on the type of adapter that goes on the door switch, as mine had nothing on them when I pulled them out: https://flic.kr/p/suYVBU

Questions:

1. Where does the hot wire splice in to?
2. What type of adapter do I need that goes on the door switch?
3. If I wanted to install a "cut off" switch like in the tech tip, do I place that in line of the hot wire or the ground?
4. Any other tips/suggestions on the dome light is greatly appreciated.

1955.2 with a 12 volt system and a wiring job done in the 1980's by a blind person.

The Dome light socket is a 2-wire socket. One wire is hot all the time and the other is a Switched Ground. The Switched Ground wire is connected to both door switches and the headlight switch and nothing else. As soon as one door opens the door switch plunger springs out and allows the one wire connected to it to contact the outer shell of the switch that IS grounded to the door post and the light comes on, the circuit is completed. The same will happen if you're inside driving and you rotate the headlight switch the cam on the knob grounds the dome light ground wire and the light comes on. To make the light go "off" all of the ground wires must be "open", not touching anything.

Hope this makes sense,

Mike B

Makes perfect sense Mike. I'm not sure as to where the hot wire should be run to and also what type of adapter I need to go on the door switch. I pulled out the switches to look at them and a photo of them is in the original post.

Those door switches are not original to your truck, the TF trucks never had them. I don't know where they came from...vendor or junk yard???

More than likely the switch had a wire soldered up inside that came out the plastic sleeve on the switch...but I'm just guessing.

Mike B

There are genuine GM switches and aftermarket switches that look nearly like yours. I don't know what you mean by adaptor? If you are speaking of how to wire, looks like the wire fits in the barrel and you crimp it or solder it? Mike has given you the "how to wire" and explanation of circuit. You may want to buy new ones, They have the barrel end or spade end. Don't forget to fuse it.

From the Stovebolt tip section:

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/interior/dome%20light/index.html

Thanks guys. Going to get some new switches when I order the wiring harness. Also going to install a bypass switch so the light can be switched off for when I'm working in the truck. Going to wire the hot wire to the brake hot wire, as I think that is what the wiring diagram shows.