2 fixtures, on one switch

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2 fixtures, on one switch

Postby foolsfortune » Sat May 12, 2007 12:34 am

This is for the inside of my band/cargo trailer. I have one switch near the back door that I'd like to be able to use to turn on both lights.

I should just be able to hook the light fixures up in parallel and connect the switch BEFORE the supply wires to the fixtures right?

Here's a crude drawing.....

Image

I also have lost power to my trailer running lights/interior lights and left rear running light on my truck. Oddly enough, when I had the wiring harness added, he spliced in near the l. rear tailight. Hmmmmm....

I still can't help but wonder if I killed the light by messing with my trailer wires while the trailer was still plugged into the truck.

Are there any apps online to see what is going to work electrically? I need to solve this by tomorrow at noon so I can use the trailer.


Thanks
Mike
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Postby Miriam C. » Sat May 12, 2007 8:12 am

Are you running DC or AC?

First your switch is always the end of the circuit. So go off your hot, neutral and ground and then a switch.

On the vehicle lights. Check you fuses and all your grounds.

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Interior lights

Postby foolsfortune » Sat May 12, 2007 8:33 am

Sorry, this is DC. I've got two wires coming into the trailer. One is the ground and the other is the hot that I've tapped into the running lights (brown wire) of my trailer.

So should it be wired like this lame little drawing?

Image

I was sure I'd tried that way and either only one bulb lit or they both lit with the switch having no effect as they were getting power with the switch open OR closed.

I replaced the tail light bulbs in the truck and checked the fuses and all is well.

The weird thing is that the running or tail light on the right is still working fine. It seems odd for a ground to just stop working.....
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Postby toypusher » Sat May 12, 2007 9:05 am

DC - Your switch should be before the 1st light on the postive side. Ground only goes to other side of each light fixture and not to the switch.
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Postby mexican tear » Sat May 12, 2007 9:37 am

The above circuit will "smoke" something. Put the switch in sieries with the bulbs that are in parrallel. Normaly the switch is in the Pos (+) leg.
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Postby Mary K » Sat May 12, 2007 10:25 am

Image

How bout this Guys? This should doit!!

Mk
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Postby mexican tear » Sat May 12, 2007 10:36 am

perfect
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Re: Interior lights

Postby Dale M. » Sat May 12, 2007 11:02 am

foolsfortune wrote:Sorry, this is DC. I've got two wires coming into the trailer. One is the ground and the other is the hot that I've tapped into the running lights (brown wire) of my trailer.

So should it be wired like this lame little drawing?

Image

I was sure I'd tried that way and either only one bulb lit or they both lit with the switch having no effect as they were getting power with the switch open OR closed.

I replaced the tail light bulbs in the truck and checked the fuses and all is well.

The weird thing is that the running or tail light on the right is still working fine. It seems odd for a ground to just stop working.....


NO not this way.......

First picture in initial starter message is correct for wiring two lamps to one switch...

Second pictures will blow fuse or burn up wiring if switch is closed and lights will also be on all the time with second wiring scheme.

Whether power source is ACor DC the wiring scheme remains the same....
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Postby Dale M. » Sat May 12, 2007 11:11 am

Mary K wrote:Image

How bout this Guys? This should doit!!

Mk


YES!!!!

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Postby bledsoe3 » Sun May 13, 2007 10:40 am

mexican tear wrote: Normaly the switch is in the Pos (+) leg.
kai

While this is the norm, you can put the switch on the Neg (-) leg. All the switch does is provide a path to complete the circuit.
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