Courtesy Light Switch Options

[Kwp0906]

I'm planning on fitting 8 led roof lights that will be switched from the leisure battery.

Ideally I would like the option to have 4 of them also come on when the doors are opened to replace the two current rocker lights that are fitted in the roof. I've had a look on travelvolts and can see a kit for running lights from 2 different circuits which I guess would have the option to have 4 of them run from either the leisure battery or the current lighting circuit but after using the search function here I can't find a definite answer.

In short if I buy a kit that allows two circuits to power the lights and use the current courtesy light circuit and the second from the leisure battery will it work? Also I assume the rocker switch that is built into the current courtesy lights would have to be replaced somehow in that circuit.

 

[Fish]

@Deaky

 

[Deaky]

connect all 8 lights in parallel, between the 4th and 5th add a couple of big diodes. Connect the first light to the leisure circuit with a switch on the -ve side. This will switch all 8 on. Take a -ve feed from you courtesy light in the cab after the switch and connect it to the 5th light. When you open the door only the last 4 lights will come on

 

[Skyliner33]

connect all 8 lights in parallel, between the 4th and 5th add a couple of big diodes. Connect the first light to the leisure circuit with a switch on the -ve side. This will switch all 8 on. Take a -ve feed from you courtesy light in the cab after the switch and connect it to the 5th light. When you open the door only the last 4 lights will come on

Could a similar thing be done with RGBWW LED strips. Breaking into the +12V black lead and the WW lead between the controller and the strip, connecting that to the OEM courtesy wiring in the ceiling, so that the WW diodes would come on as courtesy lights and could also be switched on using the controller? (would additional diodes be needed to reverse bias between the OEM loom and the LED strip?)

 

[Kwp0906]

Thanks for the detailed replies, as always great advice from the forum. With regards to the diode any particular ones you'd recommend?

 

[Deaky]

Could a similar thing be done with RGBWW LED strips. Breaking into the +12V black lead and the WW lead between the controller and the strip, connecting that to the OEM courtesy wiring in the ceiling, so that the WW diodes would come on as courtesy lights and could also be switched on using the controller? (would additional diodes be needed to reverse bias between the OEM loom and the LED strip?)

Yep. That’s exactly how I’ve done mine.

 

[Deaky]

Thanks for the detailed replies, as always great advice from the forum. With regards to the diode any particular ones you'd recommend?

Think I used something similar to these 10x SB5100 5.0A SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODE 100V 5A | eBay

 

[Buzznitro]

I love this place, I'm doing the same KW, but with 6 lights only, can we have a sketch please of the setup, thanks in advanced, oh and how would we switch with 2 x switches involved? TA!

 

[Skyliner33]

I love this place, I'm doing the same KW, but with 6 lights only, can we have a sketch please of the setup, thanks in advanced, oh and how would we switch with 2 x switches involved? TA!

Instead if the 1 switch in the leisure circuit in the setup @Deaky described you would need to replace that switch with 2 single pole double throw switches and wire them in the same way the upstairs - downstairs are wired in your hall.

 

[Buzznitro]

Great thanks, bit like this then but where do the diodes go and how do they connect?

 

[Skyliner33]

Great thanks, bit like this then but where do the diodes go and how do they connect?

View attachment 46254

Yes, for the diodes you would cut the red and black wires between the 4th and 5th light and put the diodes in there.

 

[Buzznitro]

Spot on thanks any particular way the diodes go

 

[James1000]

connect all 8 lights in parallel, between the 4th and 5th add a couple of big diodes. Connect the first light to the leisure circuit with a switch on the -ve side. This will switch all 8 on. Take a -ve feed from you courtesy light in the cab after the switch and connect it to the 5th light. When you open the door only the last 4 lights will come on

Hi - so as a lights guru my query is I have 1 led strip which comes on with the door - above door.

I’d like the light to come on with the door but also to be selected to come on from the leisure battery

Door / or On basically

Any suggestions ?

 

[amdowney]

Do you not use a 3 way switch? Courtesy mode off or on.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Sorry, I'm terrible at drawing with a mouse...
Wired as above (with suitably sized diodes that can handle the total current of all the lamps) all the lights would come on with the courtesy light switch, but only the five lower ones would come on with the dedicated interior light switch.
If you only wanted selected interior lights to come on, you would have to insert a diode between each of the lamps fed from the leisure battery and in each light you wanted to be controlled by the courtesy light switch. If you don't want a light lit by one switch or the other just omit the connection from that switch.

In this diagram all the lights will come on with the courtesy lights, but only the four lower ones will come on with the interior light switch the same as before, to add a light that comes on with the interior light only, just feed it only from that switch as with light number 5 below.

 

[Deaky]

View attachment 46282
Sorry, I'm terrible at drawing with a mouse...
Wired as above (with suitably sized diodes that can handle the total current of all the lamps) all the lights would come on with the courtesy light switch, but only the five lower ones would come on with the dedicated interior light switch.
If you only wanted selected interior lights to come on, you would have to insert a diode between each of the lamps fed from the leisure battery and in each light you wanted to be controlled by the courtesy light switch. If you don't want a light lit by one switch or the other just omit the connection from that switch.
View attachment 46284
In this diagram all the lights will come on with the courtesy lights, but only the four lower ones will come on with the interior light switch the same as before, to add a light that comes on with the interior light only, just feed it only from that switch as with light number 5 below.
View attachment 46285

Cracking drawings @Grim Reaper only problem is the courtesy lights are switched on the -ve side

 

[Grim Reaper]

Ha!

 

[Skyliner33]

I think this is correct. @Deaky may confirm or point out tis wrong.

 

[Grim Reaper]

It may be easier to use a relay.
The courtesy light circuit becomes the relay driver side, opening any door that completes the circuit turns on 4 lights, a separate switch turns on all the lights, but ALL the lights are fed from the leisure battery.

 

[Grim Reaper]

I'm thinking that you have multiple ways of turning the interior courtesy lights on, front doors opening, side door opening, switches on the lights themselves, each of these switches can put an earth on and light up all the interior courtesy lights. I would certainly want the lights in the roof console to still light up when I open the front door. How do you get a -I've from the courtesy light circuit that is not a +I've from the starter battery? You'd be feeding 12v from the leisure battery through the led's via the existing courtesy light bulbs to the starter battery unless you had a block diode on the circuit between the live feed to the courtesy lights from the starter battery and the courtesy light switch, but would you have to do the same at every door switch unless you only wanted one door to activate the interior led lights?