Lighted switches wont light
02-27-2007, 02:09 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lighted switches wont light
Two new switches with lights and they will not light. One is from my Hella light kit and it did work but I didn't like the way it shined in my windshield so I replaced it with a switch with a smaller light and it works fine. So does the switch for my emergency light mounted on my tool box..
Then I just bought a new switch for the backup lights I just installed. Tried the switch from the Hellas kit and a the new one. Neither one of them will light up but they both light the lights just fine. I have a good ground and even tried another wire and another spot for ground.
I did have a short when I first hooked this lights up and they blew a couple fuses before I figured out what was going on. Is it possible that the bulbs have blown in these switches?
I don't have much for test equipment but maybe tomorrow I can change places with the switch that do light up. Ready to pull out my hair !!
Mike
Then I just bought a new switch for the backup lights I just installed. Tried the switch from the Hellas kit and a the new one. Neither one of them will light up but they both light the lights just fine. I have a good ground and even tried another wire and another spot for ground.
I did have a short when I first hooked this lights up and they blew a couple fuses before I figured out what was going on. Is it possible that the bulbs have blown in these switches?
I don't have much for test equipment but maybe tomorrow I can change places with the switch that do light up. Ready to pull out my hair !!
Mike
02-28-2007, 08:58 AM
#4
Contributing Member
sorry theres a ground a power and acc at the switch the acc wire makes the light on the switch light up you can tap that into a fuse box or straight to the battery useing a inline fuse
Trending Topics
03-01-2007, 01:09 PM
#8
Registered User
umm also some switches have different placements on the prongs...for example the yota switch will have the power going to the center prong and then the two other wires are on the outside whereas a hella switch has the power at the top (i think) and then the ground and the other wire are below it....
I may be wrong but i think there was something like that going on...cause when i was installing my hella lights the arrangement of the wires running to the switch was different for each switch.
This is probably not the problem but i'll just put it out there just in case
I may be wrong but i think there was something like that going on...cause when i was installing my hella lights the arrangement of the wires running to the switch was different for each switch.
This is probably not the problem but i'll just put it out there just in case
03-01-2007, 01:54 PM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks guys but still no luck. I have the wire running from the relay to the center pole on the switch. Then I have a ground wire from from the pole marked "earth" to a good ground screw thats a really good ground. Then another wire running to a hot battery wire that's fused and to the pole marked "load". I know that wire is alright because the lights will not switch off and on with that wire NOT being hooked up. I tried two different ground wires in two different spots and still can not get the lighted switch to light up! I tried another switch today (another $8.50) and it won't light either! I'm about ready to pull out my hair.
I know the screws I'm using for ground are good, they are fastened to the metal brackets under my council where the switches are mounted for my emergency light and my Hell 500 lights. Those switches work perfectly!
Could it be that something is not right with the relay?
The switches I've tried light up the lights just fine, but there internal lights wont work at all. Maybe there's a Gremlin in my Tacoma!!,Lol. Mike
PS Thanks for taking the time to help me out.
I know the screws I'm using for ground are good, they are fastened to the metal brackets under my council where the switches are mounted for my emergency light and my Hell 500 lights. Those switches work perfectly!
Could it be that something is not right with the relay?
The switches I've tried light up the lights just fine, but there internal lights wont work at all. Maybe there's a Gremlin in my Tacoma!!,Lol. Mike
PS Thanks for taking the time to help me out.
03-01-2007, 02:23 PM
#12
Contributing Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,047
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is my next theory as well. Take the "iffy" switch and hook it up to where a known good switch is, hook it up the same way as the old one over there, that way we will have isolated if it is the switch or the wiring. Always just use process of elimination and change one thing (and only one thing) at a time.
Simple troubleshooting.
Simple troubleshooting.
03-01-2007, 02:36 PM
#13
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm going to try switching them tomorro and I'll let you know what happens. I have a Doc apointment in the morning so when I get back I'll play with some more.It's dark here now and no garage.
snj4runner, Starting from the top of the switch.... Earth (ground)...Center (Load Battery)..... Supply (power to switch) Thats the way I have it and still no switch light.
snj4runner, Starting from the top of the switch.... Earth (ground)...Center (Load Battery)..... Supply (power to switch) Thats the way I have it and still no switch light.
03-01-2007, 02:43 PM
#15
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here is the way I wired these lights and this is what I used for a guide. The only difference is that I hooked up the supply wire to a wire running off my battery that runs my little tire compressor and the small light under my hood. It's a fused line.
http://www.kchilites.com/faq/instruc...layDiagram.pdf
http://www.kchilites.com/faq/instruc...layDiagram.pdf
03-01-2007, 05:32 PM
#18
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Elton, Yes the acc is always hot. I wanted it hooked up that way so I could turn them on when needed without having to start my truck. Like when loading Deer and Bear at night or just doing something around camp in the middle of the night.
YM13, I wired it just like the drawing on the link. It works for the lights but not the switch light. I'm going to change switches tomorrow and let you guy's know what happens. From what I can see this is the same way I wired my emergency light and the switch works perfect on it. My hella lights are wired to a switch and to the high beams and that switch lights up perfectly too. As mentioned above, it may be a bad relay or something too. It's not the switches because I tried 3 of them now with the same results, Mike
YM13, I wired it just like the drawing on the link. It works for the lights but not the switch light. I'm going to change switches tomorrow and let you guy's know what happens. From what I can see this is the same way I wired my emergency light and the switch works perfect on it. My hella lights are wired to a switch and to the high beams and that switch lights up perfectly too. As mentioned above, it may be a bad relay or something too. It's not the switches because I tried 3 of them now with the same results, Mike
03-02-2007, 03:59 AM
#19
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southern NJ
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did you try swapping the wires for the battery and the relay?
I don't think the relay should be a problem as the lights DO work.
My understanding of the lighted switch is it is essentially two separate circuits in one switch, one for the "load" (lights) and another for the indicator light. After I moved my power for my fogs to the parking lights, the ground for the indicator light is loose and doesn't always work, but the fogs work fine.
Another thing would be to set up a test rig off the battery or a power supply to see if you have switch, wire or ground problem. A test meter would also be a help to find a good ground... After all the $$ in switches, it would probably be a good investment (if you don't already have one).
I don't think the relay should be a problem as the lights DO work.
My understanding of the lighted switch is it is essentially two separate circuits in one switch, one for the "load" (lights) and another for the indicator light. After I moved my power for my fogs to the parking lights, the ground for the indicator light is loose and doesn't always work, but the fogs work fine.
Another thing would be to set up a test rig off the battery or a power supply to see if you have switch, wire or ground problem. A test meter would also be a help to find a good ground... After all the $$ in switches, it would probably be a good investment (if you don't already have one).
03-02-2007, 09:46 AM
#20
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 866
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did you try swapping the wires for the battery and the relay?
I don't think the relay should be a problem as the lights DO work.
My understanding of the lighted switch is it is essentially two separate circuits in one switch, one for the "load" (lights) and another for the indicator light. After I moved my power for my fogs to the parking lights, the ground for the indicator light is loose and doesn't always work, but the fogs work fine.
Another thing would be to set up a test rig off the battery or a power supply to see if you have switch, wire or ground problem. A test meter would also be a help to find a good ground... After all the $$ in switches, it would probably be a good investment (if you don't already have one).
I don't think the relay should be a problem as the lights DO work.
My understanding of the lighted switch is it is essentially two separate circuits in one switch, one for the "load" (lights) and another for the indicator light. After I moved my power for my fogs to the parking lights, the ground for the indicator light is loose and doesn't always work, but the fogs work fine.
Another thing would be to set up a test rig off the battery or a power supply to see if you have switch, wire or ground problem. A test meter would also be a help to find a good ground... After all the $$ in switches, it would probably be a good investment (if you don't already have one).
Checked the wiring today and the switches, My friend did it for me because I have a really screwed up back problem....Really strange things happening with this whole deal. We changed switches from the ones that I know are good and light like they are supposed to and they didn't light either. They turned on the lights just like all the other switches.Then I placed 3 of the switches I have been trying on my Hellas lights and they worked perfectly,Lol.
Oh well. I'm going to take it to a mechanic friend of mine and let him figure it out. He's really good at this stuff and when I told him what was going on he just laughed and said "he loves a good challenge".
The switches I bought will be used for other projects I have planed so that is no big deal. I just really didn't want to put out the money this month. Thats the way it goes when your dumb as me when it comes to wiring. Next month I will buy a good tester just for these projects.
Thanks for all your help and suggestions guys, Thats why I like this site more than the others I go to. Mike
