tapping power from power window harness??

[jimmbomb]

I am wanting to pull 12 vt + - from the drivers power window switch harness....

08 xb2

Now I get power from one of the Blue wires when the ignition is turn on, which is what I want.
BUT my test lead has to be grounded to the cars body to get it.. NOT to the door's body. There is no ground running thru the door sheetmetal.
SO. I figure that one (or more) of the wires in the harness must be a ground! ya think?? I mean how else would the circuits work without power & grounding..
So my question is... Which of the remaining wires are a ground (-) ?? I dont want to hook up a test lead for fear of blowing a c/beaker or fuze. Any help wouold be apreciated.. thanks.. .. jh

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i79/jimmbomb/DSCF0678.jpg

[HammeredRooster]

there shouldn't be any speaker wires in that wire cluster, it will be on a different one. Would it possibly be the black wire if there is one? That is what most of the grounds are. If you can get a picture of the back of that connector, I would be able to get a better idea. I have an 07 tC and I am about to be getting in the same boat. I am going to wire some lights into my doors but i also want them set up on a switch in the dash.

[DooFster]

I am wanting to pull 12 vt + - from the drivers power window switch harness....

08 xb2

Now I get power from one of the Blue wires when the ignition is turn on, which is what I want.
BUT my test lead has to be grounded to the cars body to get it.. NOT to the door's body. There is no ground running thru the door sheetmetal.
SO. I figure that one (or more) of the wires in the harness must be a ground! ya think?? I mean how else would the circuits work without power & grounding..
So my question is... Which of the remaining wires are a ground (-) ?? I dont want to hook up a test lead for fear of blowing a c/beaker or fuze. Any help wouold be apreciated.. thanks.. .. jh

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i79/jimmbomb/DSCF0678.jpg

If you're trying to hook up some courtesy lights, get with _Keith_ on that one. He's done a couple 'courtesy light' mods on a couple of cars, and he's should know what wire to tap into.

[jimmbomb]

ok I did shoot keith a PM.....
BUT. Someone told me to hook up the idiot light aligator clip to the 12 + whick I did to the cars battery.. Then probed gingerly for a complete circuit staying way from any blue wires...
I found it!
On the lower row of wires.. the Blue is the + & the white/black stripe is the - with the ignition ON & all OFF with the key off!
Now on with the project.. thanks for all the help... jh

[jimmbomb]

there shouldn't be any speaker wires in that wire cluster, it will be on a different one. Would it possibly be the black wire if there is one? That is what most of the grounds are. If you can get a picture of the back of that connector, I would be able to get a better idea. I have an 07 tC and I am about to be getting in the same boat. I am going to wire some lights into my doors but i also want them set up on a switch in the dash.
HRooster... If you are going to run a seperate switch for your door lights, then I am afraid that you're going to have to run wires also through your door loom..
UNLESS. your new switch is going into the door itself & not on your dash...
What I am doing is tapping into the wiring so that the lights will come on when-ever the ignition is on... NO switch.......
good luck........ jh

[_Keith_]

On julies B I never found a 12+ constant in the doors... I tapped off the pink wire on the fuse box inside.

[jimmbomb]

On julies B I never found a 12+ constant in the doors... I tapped off the pink wire on the fuse box inside.
The constant power on (ONLY with the key ON) is the blue wire on the bottom row.. This is positive only as there is no ground to the door's sheetmetal.. I put the aligator clip to the door hinge bolt to the car & found the BLUE wire on the bottom row to be positive only with the key on.....

Now...... put a ground wire to the white/black stripe (last one on the bottom row) & then touch the blue wire with the other end of your probe & you'll have a completed circuit. ONLY WITH THE IGNITION ON!! goes off with the key!... hope this help others..... I will post my project pics in a new thread.... thanks keith & everyone else for suggestions... jh

[_Keith_]

I just use the door switch as my ground... That way lights only come on when thats open... If they want a switch I add a switch to it with another line... But like I said theres no constant in the door.... Yea I found a line for the key but thats not what I do... I never do anything to the key

[Disturbed1]

Granted I've got an 04 xB...but maybe this will help. When I wired LEDs in my window switches I used a "hot only when key is on" wire in the switch bundle for the +. Since I already had my entire door panel off I simply ran a ground wire to one of the bolts that are in the door itself. Works great!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l161/KevinCM/xB/P1010506.jpg

[HammeredRooster]

HRooster... If you are going to run a seperate switch for your door lights, then I am afraid that you're going to have to run wires also through your door loom..
UNLESS. your new switch is going into the door itself & not on your dash...
What I am doing is tapping into the wiring so that the lights will come on when-ever the ignition is on... NO switch.......
good luck........ jh
I am running all of my light off of switches in the dash. I pretty much ran a whole new wiring harness for all my lights so that I dont have to tap into any factory wiring. I have only had my car a few months and Since I have the extended warenty, I dont want to void anything, especially on the electronics in case something fries later on (mine or theirs).
When I go to do my doors, if the tC is like the xB and I cant get a ground on the frame, then I have to run two wires into each door, + and -.

[_Keith_]

Granted I've got an 04 xB...but maybe this will help. When I wired LEDs in my window switches I used a "hot only when key is on" wire in the switch bundle for the +. Since I already had my entire door panel off I simply ran a ground wire to one of the bolts that are in the door itself. Works great!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l161/KevinCM/xB/P1010506.jpg


See you have a constant hot in the xb door if I remember right,,, I know the tc does..... I just do a switched ground. less wires

[HammeredRooster]

See you have a constant hot in the xb door if I remember right,,, I know the tc does..... I just do a switched ground. less wires
It does, but I am not touching any of the factory wiring. So far so good on everything. I just need to order some more L.E.D.'s from oznium....

[_Keith_]

It does, but I am not touching any of the factory wiring. So far so good on everything. I just need to order some more L.E.D.'s from oznium....

To each his own...

[Harleyguy]

for God's sake, quit using the test light. Buy a multi meter. If you did not blow something up this time, you will......

[jimmbomb]

for God's sake, quit using the test light. Buy a multi meter. If you did not blow something up this time, you will......

Ok harley guy.. I will.. BUT.. you got to show me how to use it!!!!.... Too many different ways to go n one of those... I agree that the idiot light is dangerous, but also dangerously simple....

FLNurse... I did the same thing to my 08 xB only not as bright. I only wanted a subtle backlight. The other blue light you see is the reflections from the dome light.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i79/jimmbomb/switches.jpg thanks alot for all the help, you guys...
Now when I turn on the key, theses light up! jh

[jimmbomb]

It does, but I am not touching any of the factory wiring. So far so good on everything. I just need to order some more L.E.D.'s from oznium....
When I bought my illuminated door sills FROM SCION.. The Factory KIT!! it came with 'wire taps' & instructions on were to 'tap' into.. & I also used the same wire taps in other places.... So I doubt if they'll void your warrenty if you 'tap' into existing wires (as SCION DOES) as long as you fuse it tooo....... just a suggestion... good luck.. jh