Internal Lighting Question

[kgibb]

Hi folks,

I'm currently converting an 08 LWB Connect into a stealth camper and looking at lighting solutions for the cargo space where I will be cooking and sleeping. I have a 5m coil of 12V 5050 LEDs which will work off the existing connection but will be much brighter than the existing bulbs and hopefully use less battery power (depending on how long I keep the coil obviously)

Currently the switch in the cab for the reading light controls both this and the cargo area light simultaneously and they can be set to OFF/DOORS/ON. Obviously I'd like to be able to switch the cargo space lights on independently of the cab light from the back of the van.

Is this a simple case of bypassing the cab switch and installing a switch (and in line fuse?) in the rear? If so, what is the best way of bypassing the front switch?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

K

[hectors-tranny]

I wanted to be able to have courtesy lights in the back when required, but be able to switch them off when I was camping with doors open. My van had two loadspace lights. In the end I removed the sliding door one altogether, and for the rear one I cut the positive supply to it and wired in a little switch by the rear door that I can turn on and off as I like.

I think your problem is slightly different though. You want to be able to switch ON the courtesy light as required by itself. If that's the case I'd probably wire in a separate light altogether. If you're having a leisure battery, if would be wired with a fuse to that. If not, maybe you could find a spare gang on your existing vehicle fusebox to connect a new circuit to?

[darkbluevanman]

I wired my rear space to a timer switch, it has a rocker switch you can turn on and off, or leave them on and they switch themselves off after 45 seconds.... made it from a roller shutter door switch and a timer kit off ebay

[u076216]

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi K,

i had the same problem. Since I have found no other solution, i moved a new cable from the front.







But that is not necessary. There is a cable to the rear, which is provided for an additional 12 volt socket in the loading area. Even if you have not installed the socket, the cable is there. You just have to find it and check if the fuse is plugged in, then you have 12 volts in the loading area. You can find the cable in the back left (red arrow). However, i have a German Connect, perhaps the cable is on the English models on the other side ? You will find more information in the following thread: http://fordtransit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=175673

SAM_0283.jpg

[GuyT]

I wanted to be able to have courtesy lights in the back when required, but be able to switch them off when I was camping with doors open. My van had two loadspace lights. In the end I removed the sliding door one altogether, and for the rear one I cut the positive supply to it and wired in a little switch by the rear door that I can turn on and off as I like.

I think your problem is slightly different though. You want to be able to switch ON the courtesy light as required by itself. If that's the case I'd probably wire in a separate light altogether. If you're having a leisure battery, if would be wired with a fuse to that. If not, maybe you could find a spare gang on your existing vehicle fusebox to connect a new circuit to?

Sorry to hijack slightly K but it is related....

Hectors-tranny - I am planning on doing something similar to yourself, keeping the courtesy back door light but also being able to switch this off when camping because I'm likely to have the doors open. I was wondering however, could I install a second circuit from the leisure battery, to the same courtesy back door lights and have this switched, so basically one set of lights with 2 power sources, one being the main vehicle battery and the second being the leisure battery. In my limited opinion I think this would work, I could switch OFF the courtesy/vehicle circuit but then switch ON the leisure battery circuit, one set of lights, 2 circuits. I was also thinking of the same idea for the cab, changing out the standard lamps and also putting in the additional circuit.

Would this work or am I planning a recipe for disaster?

[u076216]

My solution is as follows: Use a two-pole two-way switch and a normal switch for the light in camping mode (Camping Switch on drawing). First connect the two way switch between light and the car battery and to the other terminal of the switch the line from the leisure battery with fuse and another switch in between (camping switch). Now you can switch between car mode and camping mode with the two way switch. In car mode, the light is only switched on when the door is opened or switched on from the front. The light remains off when the camping switch is operated, because it is blocked by the two way switch. In camping mode you can open the door without the light is shining, because now the door switch is blocked by the two way switch. The light is only shining when the camping switch is switched on.

I hope the line drawing helps in understanding.

doc03932820170118185541_001.jpg

[GuyT]

Thanks Matthias

[MattPoss]

I wanted to be able to have courtesy lights in the back when required, but be able to switch them off when I was camping with doors open. My van had two loadspace lights. In the end I removed the sliding door one altogether, and for the rear one I cut the positive supply to it and wired in a little switch by the rear door that I can turn on and off as I like.

I think your problem is slightly different though. You want to be able to switch ON the courtesy light as required by itself. If that's the case I'd probably wire in a separate light altogether. If you're having a leisure battery, if would be wired with a fuse to that. If not, maybe you could find a spare gang on your existing vehicle fusebox to connect a new circuit to?

I was looking at a similar thing today. I want to be able to shut all the doors in the rear and switch the lights from an inbuilt switch on the light. My van never used to have a bulkhead but I've since fitted one therefore switching them from the front isn't ideal. I can see the switch for the Side Loading Door which is easy enough to sort but the wire to the Switch within the Rear Door Handle seems to be part of the Multiplug that goes into the rear latch/lock unit. Which of the wires that goes into the Multiplug is the one for the Load Lighting Switch? I don't suppose you have any photo's of your Switch e.t.c do you?

[u076216]

Sorry, i have no photos from the plug because I do not use the indoor lighting for camping. For camping I have an extra lighting supplied by a second battery.

[hectors-tranny]

I wanted to be able to have courtesy lights in the back when required, but be able to switch them off when I was camping with doors open. My van had two loadspace lights. In the end I removed the sliding door one altogether, and for the rear one I cut the positive supply to it and wired in a little switch by the rear door that I can turn on and off as I like.

I think your problem is slightly different though. You want to be able to switch ON the courtesy light as required by itself. If that's the case I'd probably wire in a separate light altogether. If you're having a leisure battery, if would be wired with a fuse to that. If not, maybe you could find a spare gang on your existing vehicle fusebox to connect a new circuit to?

I was looking at a similar thing today. I want to be able to shut all the doors in the rear and switch the lights from an inbuilt switch on the light. My van never used to have a bulkhead but I've since fitted one therefore switching them from the front isn't ideal. I can see the switch for the Side Loading Door which is easy enough to sort but the wire to the Switch within the Rear Door Handle seems to be part of the Multiplug that goes into the rear latch/lock unit. Which of the wires that goes into the Multiplug is the one for the Load Lighting Switch? I don't suppose you have any photo's of your Switch e.t.c do you?

I can only switch my courtesy light OFF via the switch I wired in. So I can have a courtesy light when required, or not when I leave doors open.

If you simply want a light to turn on inside, I would have thought it would be much simpler just to add a completely separate one.

[u076216]

If you simply want a light to turn on inside, I would have thought it would be much simpler just to add a completely separate one.

Bypassing the door switch, i think that is the reason why MattPoss want to know the wire from the door switch. For me it was a better solution with addional lights because my lights are more, brighter and i have a leasure battery for Lights, cooling, TV and music (in camping mode).

[MattPoss]

If you simply want a light to turn on inside, I would have thought it would be much simpler just to add a completely separate one.

Bypassing the door switch, i think that is the reason why MattPoss want to know the wire from the door switch. For me it was a better solution with addional lights because my lights are more, brighter and i have a leasure battery for Lights, cooling, TV and music (in camping mode).

Yeah, i'm looking to be able to fully close all doors and be able to Switch the Load Area Lights On/Off seperatly. If the best way to do this is via a seperate Live Feed, where is best to take the Feed from? Are there any suitable wires within the rear of the van I could splice into?

My van is used for shifting my Motorbikes to Trackdays/Race Meetings, it isn't a camper therefore doesn't have a seperate battery. The Lights I have fitted are just 2 LED Strip Lights installed in place of the Existing Lights utilising the same Wires

[u076216]

In my posting vom 18th of Januar i explain a wire to the loading area witch can be found in a lot of our connects. Also is there a link to the original posting:

.... There is a cable to the rear, which is provided for an additional 12 volt socket in the loading area. Even if you have not installed the socket, the cable is there. You just have to find it and check if the fuse is plugged in, then you have 12 volts in the loading area. You can find the cable in the back left (red arrow). However, i have a German Connect, perhaps the cable is on the English models on the other side ? You will find more information in the following thread: http://fordtransit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=175673