help w/ install Hella Map Light (1 Viewer)

[peepers]

i am an electrical dolt and paranoid i am going to create some short or power drain by installing lights wrong so i am looking for some simple help. i would like to install a hell map light onto the center console off to the side.

the map light has a brown and black cord. when i pull the console cover off, what color wire do i solder the brown one from the hella light to and what color do i solder the black one from the hella light to?

thanks!

 

[NorCalDoug]

dumb question...this is a 12V device, correct?


it may not matter, but typically in the automotive world, black = ground/negative.


are you going to wire this directly to the battery or to an aux. fuse box? if you're not going to a fuse box, I'd strongly suggest throwing an inline fuse near the battery.

 

[peepers]

i cant just put in inline with some other wire that has power down there?

 

[Beowulf]

i am an electrical dolt and paranoid i am going to create some short or power drain by installing lights wrong

No offence, but you shouldn't be doing this alone. You also shouldn't be doing wiring without using the EWD.

First, I would not recommend soldering the Hella lamp directly to the factory wiring. I would put a male 2-pin Molex connector on the Hella lamp and connect to an aux fuse panel. Since you don't have one of those, you should put a pig-tail (2-pin Molex female) somewhere under the console. You'll need to find either switched +12v or constant +12v depending on if you want the lamp to work with the ignition off or on.

There is +12v switched several places under the console. Again, I would recommend using an EWD and selecting a circuit with an appropriate sized fuse for the lamp. There will be +12v constant under the console and under the passenger seat (if you have power seats.) You can pick up a ground for your lamp anywhere; there is a factory ground bolt directly under the center console (see the EWD for ground locations.)

Good Luck and consider getting some assistance with this 'till you get some experience.

Insulate the wires well and heat-shrink the soldered connections.

-B-

 

[peepers]

No offence, but you shouldn't be doing this alone. You also shouldn't be doing wiring without using the EWD.

First, I would not recommend soldering the Hella lamp directly to the factory wiring. I would put a male 2-pin Molex connector on the Hella lamp and connect to an aux fuse panel. Since you don't have one of those, you should put a pig-tail (2-pin Molex female) somewhere under the console. You'll need to find either switched +12v or constant +12v depending on if you want the lamp to work with the ignition off or on.

There is +12v switched several places under the console. Again, I would recommend using an EWD and selecting a circuit with an appropriate sized fuse for the lamp. There will be +12v constant under the console and under the passenger seat (if you have power seats.) You can pick up a ground for your lamp anywhere; there is a factory ground bolt directly under the center console (see the EWD for ground locations.)

Good Luck and consider getting some assistance with this 'till you get some experience.

Insulate the wires well and heat-shrink the soldered connections.

-B-

thanks for the advice.

that is enough for me not to do it! that is for sure. electrical stuff has always freaked me out and i wil continue to let it....

 

[Beowulf]

that is enough for me not to do it! that is for sure.

It is not a difficult project but it is somewhat more complex than pulling the console, looking for a red and black wire, and soldering your lamp wires to the factory wires.

A continuity tester will help in finding an ignition switched hot wire. These are about $5 from any auto parts store. We can talk you through the project but you should have a mentor with you for the first time or at a minimum, read some of the better documented wiring jobs by doing a Google search. Some are very well done and documented with clear pictures showing exactly how to do everything and how to do it right.

-B-

 

[Rookie2]

i would like to install a hell map light onto the center console off to the side.

Not sure if it would meet what you're trying to accomplish, but I'm pretty sure that "George's LEDS" guy, has a plug and play LED replacement for the overhead map light, that may do what you're looking for. It's supposedly much brighter/better than the OEM lighting.


Rookie2

 

[Beowulf]

It's supposedly much brighter/better than the OEM lighting.

I have his early Luxeon version and it is very bright for a map light. It wouldn't work well for a reading light while you're driving though. Definitely plug-n-play and the price is very reasonable.

-B-

 

[Mike S]

Why not just run a wire with an in-line fuse from the battery positive post or off a collection post to the cockpit, locate the Hella lamp and ground to the dash?

This has the advantage of NOT disrupting the factory wiring harness and is dead simple.

M

 

[RavenTai]

Why not just run a wire with an in-line fuse from the battery positive post or off a collection post to the cockpit, locate the Hella lamp and ground to the dash?

This has the advantage of NOT disrupting the factory wiring harness and is dead simple.

M

agreed, if you do not have a aux fuse box go to the battery for the + and ground it anywhere to the boady, when your battery looks like a medusa of in line fuse holders then it is time for an aux fuse box

I cut a slit in the clutch master plug in the firewall to pass wires from the cab to engine bay

 

[peepers]

Why not just run a wire with an in-line fuse from the battery positive post or off a collection post to the cockpit, locate the Hella lamp and ground to the dash?

This has the advantage of NOT disrupting the factory wiring harness and is dead simple.

M

going to dig into this today if time permits. thanks for all of the help.

 

[photogod]

When your pos term on your batt starts to look like a birds nest try one of these and clean things up. West Marine under 20 bucks for the pos and neg.

 

[peepers]

When your pos term on your batt starts to look like a birds nest try one of these and clean things up. West Marine under 20 bucks for the pos and neg.

looks super clean. i am going to get it right now as i didnt get around to wiring the map light today. i sprayed the undercarridge with some anti rust crap then swapped wheels over for wheeling this coming weekend.

 

[jamisobe]

When your pos term on your batt starts to look like a birds nest try one of these and clean things up. West Marine under 20 bucks for the pos and neg.

Nice.

 

[peepers]

being paranoid and not knowing what i am doing i drew up a little diagram to try to make sense of what i think you are talking about when you say to go to the battery directly.

is this the way i want to wire it?

Positive straight to the positive battery terminal with in line 30A fuse
Negative grounded to the body with a sheet metal screw?

 

[Beowulf]

is this the way i want to wire it?

Kinda.

First, match the fuse to the size of the wire, the length of the wire, and the current requirement of the accessory(ies). In this case you probably don't need (or want) a 30a fuse; especially if you are running 18ga wire to the battery. Read the info that came with the lamp, but I would guess a 10a fuse or less. I would recommend using the same type fuse that your Cruiser uses and that's an AGC style fuse. Most auto parts stores will sell an in-line fuse holder that is weather-resistant. That's the style that you want. You will want to add a ring connector to one side (sized to match your wire and your battery terminal) by crimping, soldering, and heat shrinking the terminal to one end of the fuse wire. You will solder and heat shrink the other end to your "red" wire going to the lamp.

Second, you can tap a ground just about anywhere. In fact, there is a factory ground point under the center console where you are putting the map light.

Lastly, you will want to put the red wire going to the battery in some split loom. Add it to a loom you already have or put in a new ~4' section. If you are planning more accessories (CB, 2M radio, inverter, etc.) then get a 1/2" dia split loom or larger. Otherwise use the smallest size that you can get. The split loom they sell at hardware stores (Lowes, Home Depot) is *not* recommended for use under the bonnet. BTDT. Go to NAPA or a speed shop and get the "gray stripe" type of split loom. The hardware stuff will last about 1 year with the temperatures you get in the engine compartment. There is a big rubber grommet on the firewall under the DS. It's about 3" in diameter. You can poke a tiny hole in this grommet to run your wire through. Then, use convoluted tubing (aka split loom) to go about 8" to the hole in the DS front fender, through the fender ~2' to another hole behind the charcoal canister. Exit there with the split loom and come up behind the battery box, through the rubber grommet in the battery box, to the +12v terminal on the battery.

You should be aware that wiring the Hella lamp this way will mean that you will need to be careful about leaving the lamp on. It will stay on even when you turn off the ignition, remove the keys, and leave the vehicle. Lamps also get hot when left on for extended periods, especially those with halogen bulbs. If it were me, I would select a switched +12v under the center console and not run a wire directly to the battery.

Let us know if you have any more questions.
-B-

 

[peepers]

woah. that is amazing detail. thank you! i did get 18ga wire so i will return that and get the smaller fuse to be inline. as far as tapping an existing 12v line, i just have no idea how to do that and want to take the easiest route.

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

Peeps. I have a Hella map light (same version as you) that plugs into the lighter socket. I love it and it may be easier to wire

I find it's the only thing of use for the lighter plug...but that's another story. Can you return yours / sell and get a simple plug in version?

Cheers Hugh

 

[RescueU]

Kinda.

Second, you can tap a ground just about anywhere. In fact, there is a factory ground point under the center console where you are putting the map light.


-B-

Beowulf,

That's a great write-up. I know lots of folk appreciate the time you took on that, regardless of the project. Just thought I'd mention that at the onset.

I'm wondering if anyone has a pic handy or illustration from the EWD clearly identifying the ground point under the center console, as Beowulf described?

I thought I remember seeing a pic somewhere that showed where all the OEM groundpoints were on the vehicle.

thanks,

Sean

 

[RavenTai]

here is the only illustration from the wiring manual it is pretty vague, Ground point "BF"


But if you pull the center console it will be apparent it is a bolt to the body with several white wires running to it.