Hello,

I know Pontiac didn't offer a dome light controller for their 1987 Trans Am that would keep the light on for a few seconds after entering the vehicle and then slowly fade off like the newer cars now have. If anyone has any information how to modify my dome light to perform this function, please reply.

Thanks,

 

http://www.electronic-circuits-diagr...carsckt3.shtml
Since our door lights are ground and not hot, you need to install a NPN transistor in line. If you need help with that I'll show you the exact circuit needed to do what you want to do.

 

JPrevost-I've been watching this topic and would really appreciate it if you would email me a diagram to do this to my car. I have the soft fade in my 97 astro van and like it a lot. I would love to make my car do the same thing.

Thanks
Dan

 

This should work with our cars but I haven't tested it yet. Haven't made the circuit so if you see something that is wrong let me know.

 

If I had a clue as to what any of this meant, I would be happy to tell you if I found a problem. I'm a machinist and experienced mechanic, and not an electronics person. If you build this circuit and it works out, maybe you can build a spare and I can buy it from you.

Thanks
Dan

 

That sure would be a pretty nifty feature to have.

 

circuit building? im no electrician here either... but shouldnt you just need to get a capaciter or something and let it slowly run off the built up power untill death? (causeing the slow fade) correct me if im wrong here..... i dont actualy know anything about electronics, but a slow fade feature shouldnt require any heavy modifications right?

 

Find a wrecked car in the salvage yard with the "theater dimming" feature you're after and grab the bcm (body control module) out of it.

 

my local electronic store sells such circuits for 7$. i just installed mine and it works fine

 

Freeze-What did they call the part you bought? You know, the technical name for it. You should buy these things and put them on Ebay. No kidding!! I'd buy one.

I've got a 97 custom Astro van with the delay dome light and I live in the rainy Pacific Northwest, so I run to the car real quick and jump in then dig the keys out of my pocket. I always have to turn the dome light on to find the right key in my camaro, but the mini van stays on just long enough to find my keys.

Anyway, think about selling them.

Dan

 

they call it Vehicle Interior Light Dimmer. It also has a potentiometer to set the delay between 3 and 30 seconds.

/edit: just found it on their international website. mine looks different than the pictured unit even though it has the same article number. i'll take some pics in the evening

 

Thanks Freeze. I went to their web site and tried to order the part, but in their online order form, they do not have a choice for the United States. They have almost every other country you could think of, but not the USA. So I've emailed them and will see what happens.

Dan

 

645kb Movie

 

http://www.webelectricmagazine.com/99/1/dome.htm

In case anyone wants to build their own.

 

I'd love to have one of these, and the company Freeze listed won't respond to emails. And I don't know a transistor from a whatever. So if anyone wants to build one of these, I'd be happy to buy it from them.

 

That doesn't fade the light. That's just a 555 timer that will keep the lights on for x amount of time.
Not the right circuit!
What I posted should work. I'm waiting for a few parts before I test it. If it works I'll go ahead and order a few of them and build em, then sell em for like $15 shipped. How does that sound?

 

Put me down for one. No, make that two. Hopefully you take pay pal.

Dan

 

Ok, one thing i need clarified. Does this go inline with the 12v side of the dome light, or the door-pin iteself. If this goes inline with the door pin, does it need to be supplied with a constant sourse of 12v and "before" the dome light? Does the pulse of the "ground/door-pin" activate the dimmer itself? Thanks...

 

ugh, i tried to ask the same question a month ago as "IDEA: fading dome light" didn't get a single response.....oh well, atleast it's getting answered now.

 

JPrevost: Were you able to get that circuit to work?

 

Yeah, but the 2 RadioShacks ran out of the IC. I didn't go back to see if they restocked it or not. You want one, PM me.

 

JPrevost: What is the current on pin 7 (Vcc) during the on state and the off state?

 

To Freeze,

I found Conrads english website, but they don't have much info listed. Looks like they want there circuit installed in the dome light at the ceiling. I want to mount mine below the dash and have it control both LH and RH courtesy floor lamps and the dome lamp. Would it be possible to wire Conrads controller to the door pin switches and could it handle the current for 3 lamps?

 

i bought a controller deal from a company that does alot of business with hotrods and wiring them up, the company is called CenTech (i believe, if not, i'll go look) they're controller looks a little nicer, i bought one, it works, dunno how to wire it up to control all 3 lights though, so i don't have it on/in my car...