AOB switch question
- Thread starter bigair96
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rigtec
New member
Hi bigair96,
I haven't seen any adapters for tapping into "Courtesy lighting harness wires", I just cut mine, but here's another option:https://www.crutchfield.com/S-GYJIRyf55JC/p_669PP605/Posi-Products-Wire-Connectors.html?tp=2610
Let us know what you think... 'Best to you',
rig
Thanks. Interesting, havent seen those before. Definitely looks like there are a few options into tapping into the courtesy lighting, was just hoping there was a way to do it without cutting/stripping. I know not a bit deal, especially since I plan on keeping the truck a while, but I am spending this much time researching, might as well make sure I am not missing anything. After reading all of the other threads Ive seen many different methods, just not one involving an extension.
I am contemplating starting off and not wiring to the courtesy lights at all, so no baseline lighting or dimming. I will just wire and ground to the harness so its attached to the battery (bright light so doubt I will leave on with car off). If its something I like and plan on keeping, then I will likely bite the bullet and tap in.
Thanks.
bnorton00
New member
If you’re looking to tap the courtesy lighting circuit, your best bet would to be the add-a-circuit option. It’s a $8 fuse plug you can find at Autozone. It will plug into the courtesy lighting circuit. It has slots for two fuses and give you an auxiliary courtesy circuit. No splicing or wire-tapping required.
https://m.autozone.com/electrical-a.../cooper-bussmann-fuse-and-accessories/32416_0
https://m.autozone.com/electrical-a.../cooper-bussmann-fuse-and-accessories/32416_0
Doesnt this just tie it in so the light bar would only come on when the courtesy lights/parking lights come on? It doesn't allow the aftermarket aob switch to have light when the courtesy lights are on? Right?
Thanks!
bnorton00
New member
I guess I’m not understanding what you’re trying to accomplish. Are you trying to backlight the switch when the rest of the dash lights up, or are you looking for an alternate power source for the relay?
Backlight the switch without tapping into the wiper warmer switch.
bnorton00
New member
I haven’t done it yet, but based on what I’ve seen the #2 fuse position with the add-a-circuit should accomplish the same thing.
rigtec
New member
On second thought, there might be another option yet to be discovered. "Metra on-line", who specializes in wiring harnesses for EVERYTHING! They may have an adapter harness for dash switches!
What you would do is, unplug the wiring harness from the "De-icer switch". Add a "Y" metra harness to the switch, and then plug the stock harness into the unused leg on the "Y" metra harness; now on the factory switch...
I would also inquire about any of the factory switches in the dash trim panel; they're liable to have a wiring harness just for what you are wanting to do! Good luck and 'Best to you',
rig
rigtec
New member
Hi bnorton00,
That's a good idea! That would resolve the HOT (+) courtesy illumination issue. But the "Dimmer control" is on the GND-side, so he would still need to supply a line-tap to the "Gray wire" on one of the switches for proper GND/dimmer operation. 'Best to you',
rig
Interesting for sure, I will check this out today. I am not sure if this would work though since you only need to tap into 2 wires on the de-icer switch. What would you do with the remaining connections you need to make to the aob switch from the relay and the 12v source?
I could sacrifice dimming if it would illuminate. Would you ground to the relay instead? Or you could ground anywhere and it really doesn't matter?
As a side question...when folks say they just have the switch connected to the battery....is that a connection to the relay or a separate wire ran through the firewall to the battery so the relay and the switch are both connected?
Thanks guys, this is really helpful to do this without tapping!
bnorton00
New member
Should be left side, second to bottom. It may be labeled as “panel.” Should be between 5-7 amps. There’s another fuse above it for the gauges. In theory, either of these could work, but I’m not too keen on piggybacking the gauge circuits.
bnorton00
New member
I have not considered the dimming function. That is interesting considering the AOB switches have a common ground. I assumed since the AOB were integrated into the normal function of the dash, they would behave like the rest of the circuit. That will certainly not be the case since my ground is coming from the sPod.
rigtec
New member
Hey bnorton00,
Yes, there is a common GND on the AOB switch, for both the power-on indicator light, and the courtesy lighting circuit! But the option is to either use the vehicle system illumination circuit; which uses "Ground-side switching technology", or it can be connected to a more conventional GND to the body option, so there is a choice!
rig, cheers!
rigtec
New member
Hey bigair96,
Most aftermarket lighting systems use the battery GND through the supplied harness. The wiring will supply that battery Ground to the lighting on the switch, the relay coil, and the load circuit e.g., lights, winch... etc! But we CANNOT GND the load circuit to the dimmer dial (for pilot duty ONLY), which is directly connected to the Main body ECU compu-network; the master ECU processor of 26 or 27 other slave ECU's in the body!
So you can just ground your AOB switch w/o using the courtesy illumination circuit, and feed it from the Power Point Station (Cigarette lighter), or do as [MENTION=157733]bnorton00[/MENTION] suggests, using a "Add-a-circuit fuse" and ground anywhere on the body; just remove a conveniently close, clean bolt under the dash, add a loop stake-on to your GND wire and bolt it back where you got it... done!
rig, cheers!
Last edited:
[MENTION=83083]rigtec[/MENTION]
As a side question...when folks say they just have the switch connected to the battery....is that a connection to the relay or a separate wire ran through the firewall to the battery so the relay and the switch are both connected?
Thanks guys, this is really helpful to do this without tapping!
As a side question...when folks say they just have the switch connected to the battery....is that a connection to the relay or a separate wire ran through the firewall to the battery so the relay and the switch are both connected?
Thanks guys, this is really helpful to do this without tapping!
rigtec
New member
Sorry it took me so long to reply... I just saw this post!
Here's the AOB Switch wiring color code:
Green/Yellow comes from a 12V power source (HOT)
Blue/Yellow feed/triggers the relay coil (term #86)
Red/Yellow (Optional) Illumination circuit from the Instrument cluster (parking lights)
Black goes to GND: either from the "gray wire" on any of the other dash switches, or any conveniently located, clean bolt in-dash.
Now that's it, wire it like this and you're done! Hope this helps... but don't hesitate to reply with any questions if you need help!
rig, cheers
rigtec
New member
I would never go all the way to the battery just to feed a switch; there are sooo many convenient power sources within the dash that are available e.g., the center console cigarette lighter is really easy to tie into!