trying to figure out wiring for car project

I've posted this to a couple of honda forums but I thought I'd try a couple of electronics forums too. I figure even thought this isn't a "repair" exactly, that it would be a peice of cake for anyone who knows about electronics. Thanks for any help.

I undertook my project of adding a map light assembly into the >headliner of my 98 civic LS today. I had to remove all the upper >interior trim to pull down the head liner, but it wasn't too bad. I >mounted the map light assembly and have put everything back together. >I haven't figured out the wiring, maybe someone here can help. > >My Civic LS 4D is a '98, the dome light has two wires only. One leads >to the battery + , the other comes from the door switches. (I have the >'98 wiring diagram) The grounding comes from being screwed to the >metal frame of the roof. > >The map light is from a 2001 Civic EX 2dr. There are 4 wires (see >picture) > > >
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> >From looking at it, I'm thinking black is ground, red is (+), but >there is still blue and green. Green is possibly for the door switch >lead, but what about blue which is tied into yellow (thus tied to >white)? > >I have to make four wires become three. I'm either going to have to >tie two or leave one out. Anyone have any clearer idea of this than I >do?

As a follow-up, I decided that blue and red were both (+) so tied them together to the (+) lead. Black was ground, green was door switches. I wired it up this way and the map lights work, the original dome works, but the new dome blows the fuse when I turn it on. The new dome is what's related to the blue wire (if you look at the picture it should be clear) So evidently I can't just tie it to the red, although if I exclude it there is no (+) lead to the new dome light. Can anyone figure out how I might wire this differently? Thanks.

Reply to
Kevin Van Sant
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I think the three wires on the dome light switch will be ground, one going to the bulbs. When the witch is off the ground is interrupted, no light, when the switch is set to door the ground is routed through the door switch and when the switch is set to on the dome light is routed directly to ground, light on.

Reply to
Tim

Can't see the wiring well enough to figure it out for sure but may be able to help anyway. The four wires would be +(in), negative(frame), negative through door switches and negative lead (from other dome light). Red should be + and black the frame. You'll have to figure out the which is which on the other

  1. Spotlights just need + through the bulb and then through the switch to ground . Dome lights need + then ground through the door switches or the light switch. Basically your applying power to all of the bulbs then the grounding through the switches determines whether the light is on or off. Looks like what your calling yellow is the - side of the bulbs, blue is the door switches and black of coarse ground.
Reply to
T Shadow

Thanks for this (and the other couple of helpful responses from other posters) The one thing that didn't make sense to me about this is that if all of the posts on the dome switch are ground then how can one of them be directly tied into + as well. Anyway, I now have it working perfectly simply by not using the blue wire. I don't entirely have it figured out, but I'll leave well enough alone.

Reply to
Kevin Van Sant

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