Author Topic: Mood lighting issue  (Read 2071 times)

d2d4j

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Mood lighting issue
« on: July 07, 2018, 07:14:03 PM »
Hi

I hope someone may offer help to my problem

I installed with the help of the forum, light sills and door lights to all 4 doors, using the door open/shut light to power them

All were working lovely until I tried to wire into them mood lights (LED 12v), and now the door lights do not work, 1 sill light not working and the sill lights looks very faint (all lights are 12v LED). The interior light works

I have unsoldered the mood lights and reconnected the front connection as was, but the rear connection I made, I have not connected as I thought I would ask and have a think what I may have wrong

Could it be that I have overpowered the circuit or is there a fuse which could have blown and is not feeding enough power (I checked with a multi meter the rear connection which showed under 6v)

All lights do work as I tested using a power adaptor from mains

Any suggestion or help would be appreciated

Thanking in advance

Many thanks

John

Jocko

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2018, 07:26:30 PM »
If you are only getting 6v at the rear connector that indicates a high resistance somewhere before it. Check your way back along the circuit until you regain your 12v. That will indicate where the poor connection is. The fact that the interior light works would suggest that the high resistance is after that. If a fuse had gone that light would be out.
Check the connectors between the sill light that works and those that are faint.
I assume that the lights have been connected in parallel and not in series!

d2d4j

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2018, 08:32:45 PM »
Hi jacko

Many thanks

I wired all sill and door lights to the main loop wire feed from the door open/close switch

All connections are soldered and wrapped in heat shrink tube

So eg front door sill connected to main loop wire and then the front door light connected to a different part of the main loop wire. Same for all connections. All worked lovely

I fitted the mood lights and cut the door sill wire to rear door, joined this and the mood light and together - door sill light not working not the rear mood lights

Moved to front, fitted front mood lights and cut the main loop wire feeding the other side of car, soldered mood light and cut end back, again heat shrink but nothing would light - unsoldered to remove front mood wire and soldered/heat shrink so main loop connected - that’s when the door lights not lighting and sill lights very faint

Could this be the solder 0.6mm tin used

Thanks for you help, I do appreciate it and apologies if I do not answer until Monday, we are going out tommorow

Many thanks

John

culzean

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2018, 08:44:55 PM »
It may be that the contacts in door switches are corroded and while ok with  a smaller current may be dropping voltage when more current is passing through them ( high resistance contact). Also LED are polarity sensitive ( they are a diode and will block power and not light up when connected backwards and will only pass power and light up when correctly connected.  As Jocko says,  make sure you have not connected the light strings looping from the end of one to start of another (in series ) the starts and ends of strings should all be connected to same places ( in parallel ).
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

Jocko

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2018, 09:24:16 PM »
Door switches are not the issue or the interior light wouldn't work either. After years of fault finding I can assure you that 99.9% of the time the last thing you did before it stopped working is the problem. I don't know how good you are at soldering but a dry joint (poor soldered joint -dull) could be the problem. The solder should not be the problem. You just melt it in until the joint is complete. Remember, heat the wires and feed in solder. Don't heat the solder and try and transfer it with the iron.
I assume the lights are clearly marked which way round you wire them. Polarity should not be a problem. If you wire a light the wrong way round, only that light should not work. Other lights should continue to work.

d2d4j

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2018, 05:53:16 AM »
Hi

Many thanks jacko and culzean for your help and advice

We are just about to leave so I will try to check tommorow

I also work on the principle of last action usually is issue, but after putting back to how was did not work, but your both correct, I am by no means a professional solderer

Once again, many thanks for your help, it is appreciated

John

d2d4j

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2018, 08:50:45 PM »
Hi

I have found the low voltage issue.

It must be my connection made at bottom of fuse box, where I have tapped into the red wire that feeds the door open center light I think it is. I was shown this wire from a YouTube video.

I did not solder it, but used a butt clip with a push fit for my connection, so I did not break the cable. It is extremely tight on access and wires, so it been confident to solder I didn’t.

Sill and door lights now working

Just the back sill to look at and then the mood lights

Please could I ask if it is possible to overload given that there are 3 x 12v on each door, if you see what I mean

Once again, many thanks for you help. If I’m ever in your areas I’ll owe you a drink

John

Jocko

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #7 on: July 10, 2018, 09:13:23 PM »
LED lights draw very little current, far less than an incandescent bulb. In an electrical circuit the fuse is sized to protect the wiring from overheating. The fuse should go before any damage is done. If your fuse is the correct size, and it doesn't blow, you have not overloaded the circuit.

d2d4j

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2018, 08:03:05 PM »
Hi

I have just finished looking at this and soldered the wires back together.

Tested using a 12v adaptor and lights work.

Tried to look at the join I made using butt plug, but it’s too tight to see, only feel and could see the lights flickering so it has to be this join.

I know I’m asking a lot, but any ideas how best to correct this join.

It is located on the red wire going into behind the fuse box

I know fuse no 1 (backup) feeds the interior light on a 10A fuse. Do you think a piggy back fuse would work at all, or just cause problems

Any help is much appreciated and thanks in advance

Many thanks

John

Jocko

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2018, 09:38:39 PM »
Is it not possible to tap in further along the wire, even if you have to open the harness back again.

d2d4j

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Re: Mood lighting issue
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2018, 10:24:19 AM »
Hi Jacko

Many thanks.

Yes, it may be possible, but I am not sure if that good to do so.

Please see picture, showing the 2 wires which are used.  These wires are at bottom of fuse box I think, and I am not sure if the plug can be easily unplugged/plugged back again. I am not even sure of how much additional length if unplugged

I guess at some point I will have to try again, but it is too hot today, and we are going out to coast to cool down.

Do you think it would be easy to do

If anyone is looking to do the same, these 2 wires are the wires you connect to as in the picture

Many thanks

John

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