Dome Light wire in with switch help

I got the stuff for this project a while ago and I am just now getting around to doing it. I have a bunch of LEDs around the outside of the car that I want to come on with the dome light (so that they glow when the keyless entry buttons are pushed). I also need a lighted rocker switch so that they can be turned on while the car is parked. However, I don't want the dome light to come on when the switch is turned on. Just the LEDs.

The dome light is a dimming light and is negetive switched. I am a residential electrician but this stuff is very different. Here is what I have come upo with.
http://www.oznium.com/gallery/viewfull.php?pid=25371

Thanks so much
Nathan

I'm no expert when it comes to these things, but I am pretty sure that you are going to want/need a relay for this to work properly.

What you have will work. It's simply two switches in parallel w/ a diode (what you have drawn).

This should work for you using two diodes.

http://www.the12volt.com/diodes/diodes.asp



I forgot to label the diodes on the pic

The website above has good wiring diagrams for relays as well.

^^^
What's the purpose of the second diode (the one next to the rocker switch)?

PwrRngr wrote:

^^^ What's the purpose of the second diode (the one next to the rocker switch)?

Opps... the second diode is not needed... Thanks for pointing that out

Awesome. So my next question is which way is down stream. Which way will the silver band on the diode face???

bugs825 wrote:

Awesome. So my next question is which way is down stream. Which way will the silver band on the diode face???

scrap that. I just clicked the link. Lots of good info. Thanks a bunch.

Nathan

beautiful diagram

i ended up drawing the exact design ha

ok new question.

I got everything wired in and all works great except for one thing. Being that the dome light is negatively switched, I had to wire the LED rocker to make and break the negitive. Then, I connected the third connector to a positive source to light the LED inside the rocker. the switch functions properly but it will not light.

Is the LED inside not polarity reversable??? My wife loves the LEDs but is bummed that the led won't light like the other one for inside the car. Anyone know???

Thanks and pics will be up soon,

Nathan

hook the rocker up backward. i did it , worked for me

I did that and the switch works fine but the LED will not light. I'll have to double check it again.

Nathan