The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Dome light ?

Hey folks,
Its been so long since I rode in my '48 I forgot what i'm bout to ask ya.
I know the dome light has a on/off switch on it but when you twist your headlight switch all the way to the left,is it suppose to cut the dome light on? I know it cuts the dash lights off but can't remember if the dome light comes on.
The reason i'm asking is because the headlight switch has a terminal to wire the dome light to, but with my new wire harness the wire for the dome light(hot) goes straight to the dome light and you use the switch on the light.

Thanx for the help

with the headlight sw dome light hookup, the light is hot all the time and rotating the switch gives it a ground

Bill

Bill,
the dome works fine with the on/off sw. but was wondering about the headlight sw. Is that just x-tra grnd?

Mike

if it's working now off the dome mounted switch then that would indicate the light housing is grounded already, the headlight sw wouldn't turn it on or off unless the light mounted sw was also used, not sure but it might short something!

Bill

Thanx Mr Bill

The Advance-Design light switches provided power for a variety of circuits. There was a dome circuit and separate rheostat controlled "dimmed" circuit (among other circuits). The dome circuit was not rheostat controlled and, as indicated above, it was always hot (even if other lights were not on).

The dash bulbs were connected to the rheostat-controlled circuit (instrument and ignition lock light in the diagram/photo - dash/instrument circuit); and, depending on the installer's choice, the radio, lighter, and clock bulbs (if those accessories were used) were usually connected to the rheostat controlled circuit but they might have been connected to a another "night-light" circuit (with no rheostat control - maybe the tail lamp circuit?).

Grounds in most (all?) A-D lighting circuits were provided through the socket-housing and lamp-housing, ultimately to the frame (which was strapped to the ground lead on the battery).

Thanx Tim,
But if you turn the switch all the way to the left will the dome light come on? The reasion i am asking is because I would like to put a light under the dash for better entrance at night.

mike