The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay dome light

Hi all.....went to change the bulb in the dome light only to find there was no bulb when I took off the cover. When I put in the new bulb it came on but now I cannot turn it off. I removed the bulb. Is there something wrong with the light switch on the dash?

Thanks

EB 63 burb 4x4

eb's 63,


I would check the door switches first. If this is a suburban, aren't there a bunch of them!

If I'm not mistaken, the dome light is powered all the time, and finds ground through door switches etc to turn on.

Stuart

What atomarc said. And also twist the light switch full counter-clockwise, and full clockwise (not sure which direction turns the dome light off)

OK guys firstly thanks for the reply...I will be in the garage later today so I will take a very careful looksee. When I looked last week I could not see door switches and quessed that unlike my 78 ( had to replace two of them in that truck ) and 90 suburbans this 2 door 63 did not have them. I tried rotating the light switch as normal but the light did not go out. Will let you know what I find later today.
Thanks again
EB.

No OE switches on the doors back then, just the one on the switch-must be a bad switch or a short to ground in the wiring. Like Stuart said, they are hot alla time & ground to light up. Brian

Thanks Brian....thought I was having a major seniors moment not being able to find the 2 door switches and tailgate switch.
EB.

eb's 63,

Didn't mean to cause a senior moment, although sometimes that isn't a bad thing!

If you have no door switches, I wonder if the dome light is wired in a more conventional manner. This would be switched power too it , and the lamp holder itself grounded to the body...just like any other light on the truck. This might make the search easier.

Stuart

No Stuart, you are correct(if still the OE light)-it is hot all the time(orange IIRC) & the ground is white (IIRC). The dome lamp is plastic so it has 2 wires. I have been toying w/installing some door switches on my burb to help the kids get in it. Brian

Brian,

Thanks...a plastic lampholder, the nerve!

Stuart

OK guys....sooooo.....am I hearing that the likely culprit is the light switch? It no longer cancels the power to the lamp. I do need to replace the high bean foot switch that's on the floor, it is frozen on high beam and no amount of WD 40 will loosen it. That will happen after the 2 speed W W switch install with pump and fluid holder. It never ends with this old dear...but that's the beauty when your retired!

Thanks everyone with your help and input!

EB.

I think the light switch doesn't cancel power, it makes ground.I dont know on your model but on my 57 the PO had grounded the housing and then hooked up the light to dome (power all the time) on switch so it never shut off. There was only one wire run to it. :confused: He just left the bulb out. After I ran a ground from the light to the front terminal on the switch and put the bulb in it worked correctly.

Thanks all....I will let you know what I discover next week when I can get back in the garage.EB.