Earth on interior lights

PostPost by: GHill » Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:28 am

Hi All

I bought some interior lights from eBay and they came with two power cables and one earth.

image.jpg and
New interior light


Looking at the wires in the interior lights hole (there was no interior light to begin with when I bought the car) there are only power cables.

image.jpg and
Interior wires


Do I just run the earth to the metal housing the light (is this enough of an earth connection) or do I need to run a longer earth?

Cheers
Gareth
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PostPost by: RichardS » Sun Dec 21, 2014 10:16 am

Hi Gareth
You don't need to earth the interior light case - just connect the two power wires.
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PostPost by: GHill » Sun Dec 21, 2014 11:23 am

Thanks richard
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PostPost by: stugilmour » Sun Dec 21, 2014 5:32 pm

Gareth, not sure if you figured it all out already, but to add to Richard's reply....

The interior lights are switched to ground, typically with a Purple / White loom wire. The light power is typically supplied to each interior light housing with a Purple (Hot at All Times - Fused). The Purple / White connects in a sort of daisy chain to all the interior lights, dash switch, and the two door switches . If any of the two door switches, dash switch (if present), or switch in the front roof light are closed to ground, all three interior lights (and presumably door puddle lights, if present) come on. :)

HTH

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PostPost by: GHill » Sun Dec 21, 2014 7:09 pm

Cheers Stu! Very helpful information!
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PostPost by: Galwaylotus » Mon Dec 22, 2014 2:04 pm

Just to add to the thread, it doesn't matter which way around the bulb is connected. LEDs are a different matter but an incandescent bulb is just a (non-directional) resistor. The two "power" leads are actually acting as a power and earth pair.
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