Rocker Switch Wiring - Dimmer Help *SOLVED* (1 Viewer)

[jtb517]

I’m working on wiring some rocker switches and can’t get them to dim. I tapped into the illumination circuit using the green (+) and green/white (-) wires for the power and ground (unused cig lighter light circuit) to the main/lower light in the switch, but dimming isn’t working. When I have it wired like this, none of the lights on that circuit dim that will normally dim (heated seat button lights, radio button lights, etc.)

Do I need to wire the illumination ground back to the white/red wire directly from the dimmer switch?

Rheostat diagram from EWR 04+

Switch wiring diagram

How my switch is currently wired:
#2 12v fused tapped from cig lighter circuit
#3 wired to signal for light bar relay
#6 wired to green illumination wire from cig light
#7 wired to green/white wire for cig lighter light
#8 grounded to body

Any wiring experts out there that can offer some advice?

 

[jtb517]

Here’s the diagram of the cig lighter illumination circuit I used

 

[badlander]

If they are lit with leds they may not dim like incandescent bulbs do.

 

[jtb517]

If they are lit with leds they may not dim like incandescent bulbs do.

That’s a good point, and the thought crossed my mind. I might just jump the upper led ground and be done with it.

It’s odd that when I connect the illumination ground that all the lights on that circuit will not dim - radio button lights, nav buttons lights, heated seat lights, etc.

 

[Ayune]

The white-with-green-stripe wire is the illumination negative wire. It’s the “ground” that’s adjustable via the dimmer knob.

Sounds like you’ve inadvertently connected the white-with-green-stripe wire to ground, essentially bypassing the dimmer knob for all of your dash bulbs.

 

[jtb517]

The white-with-green-stripe wire is the illumination negative wire. It’s the “ground” that’s adjustable via the dimmer knob.

Sounds like you’ve inadvertently connected the white-with-green-stripe wire to ground, essentially bypassing the dimmer knob for all of your dash bulbs.

This was very helpful and I resolved the dimming issue. I grounded both upper and lower lights in the rocker switch to the illumination ground (white wire with green stripe) and the switch dims.

 

[boogiebones]

Could use some help myself, guys.

So I’ve wired some new OEM switches (rock lights and rear lights from AirOnBoard.com, shout out) and have the ground from the switches connected to the cigarette lighter wire (white with green stripe). That does get the switch lights to come on with the vehicle lights BUT for some reason it’s operating opposite of the dimmer tuning. When I turn the dimmer up and the dash lights get brighter the lights on the switches get dimmer.

What did I do wrong?

 

[Ayune]

Could use some help myself, guys.

So I’ve wired some new OEM switches (rock lights and rear lights from AirOnBoard.com, shout out) and have the ground from the switches connected to the cigarette lighter wire (white with green stripe). That does get the switch lights to come on with the vehicle lights BUT for some reason it’s operating opposite of the dimmer tuning. When I turn the dimmer up and the dash lights get brighter the lights on the switches get dimmer.

What did I do wrong?

I’m guessing that the light inside the switch is being “powered” by a ground wire instead of 12V.

When the dimmer knob is dimmed it raises the low voltage level from GND closer to 12V, resulting in less than 12V across the lamps, and they appear dim. If a lamp is instead connected to GND, then as the knob is dimmed (and the low voltage level increases) you get MORE voltage across the lamp and it gets brighter.

Check what wires you have going to the switch’s light…. One should be the white-with-green-stripe, and the other should be 12V.