Cable runs to roof lights

[71Westy]

Silly question number 365....

Where do the wires run up to the ceiling lights in a LHD 71 Westy? There are two - a "cab" light and the one over the table, but I guess they are on the same feed.

I have the interior apart, and I can see wires from the heated rear window running along the top of the ceiling panel on the right hand side. But short of taking out the ceiling panel, I can't see how it gets down to the fuse panel.

I'm looking to put extra lights in from a leisure battery (which I'll also use to power the existing lights), and trying to plan how to get the power up there.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[67panel]

silly answer 278,dont know on lhd but rhd feed from fuse box permanent live goes up lh a post to og interior lamp(blue?)if thats any help

 

[rubberdubber]

Hi there

Have been ding the headlining on my rhd late bay and the wires for the factory interior lights run in black conduit along the channel that runs the length of the roof where the side meets the roof on the O/S of the van. there will be 3 wires going to the cab light a switched Earth and a permanent live, then the 3rd wire is the permanent live that feeds the rear light. Maybe the same on yours.

 

[lard]

Hey top question - I want to move mine to leisure battery but couldn't work out where it all went - next question is....how's best to do it...run a feed from back to front and pickup under the dash or run a cable up to the roof to feed into the fittings :? - what are you plans?

 

[rubberdubber]

That should be quite easy, disconnect the current permanent live and insulate it. Then run a new permanent live from your leisure battery with a fuse and connect it up to the same place your old live was. Your lights will then work the same as before but use the leisure battery, as it uses the earth as the door switch rather than a live.

Thats what ive done and have run the new wires in along the channel on the side where the old ones are.

 

[lard]

That should be quite easy, disconnect the current permanent live and insulate it. Then run a new permanent live from your leisure battery with a fuse and connect it up to the same place your old live was. Your lights will then work the same as before but use the leisure battery, as it uses the earth as the door switch rather than a live.

Thats what ive done and have run the new wires in along the channel on the side where the old ones are.

cheers - so have you run from live from the battery underneath to the front to pick up the old live? (i'm being slightly dim!)

Door switch? :shock: - didn't know there was a door switch? Unless it's year specific?

 

[BJ1]

Many people make the mistake of fitting a LB fuse box under the bed or in a cupboard. If you do this you then have to run wires from the front (those that were attached to the orginal fuse box) all the way back to the LB box. It is much easier and safer to run a thick wire from the LB to the front of the bus and site your LB fuse box right next to the OG one under the dash. Then all you have to do is transfer the terminals for the LB stuff (interior lights, sounds, water pump etc) from the OG box to your new LB box. It's dead easy.

Your 71 bus should be fitted with door switches.

 

[rubberdubber]

That should be quite easy, disconnect the current permanent live and insulate it. Then run a new permanent live from your leisure battery with a fuse and connect it up to the same place your old live was. Your lights will then work the same as before but use the leisure battery, as it uses the earth as the door switch rather than a live.

Thats what ive done and have run the new wires in along the channel on the side where the old ones are.

cheers - so have you run from live from the battery underneath to the front to pick up the old live? (i'm being slightly dim!)

Door switch? :shock: - didn't know there was a door switch? Unless it's year specific?

No need really, i just ran a new wire to the light from the leisure battery to replace the old wire, is alot easier and you have the reashurance of a new bit of wire rather than old. As for your door switch, i only have one on the drivers door but its the little black push button switch which you can see screwed onto the body by the front of the door with it open. If your light comes on when you open the door then you definately have got one

 

[lard]

Cheers! - I'm off to look for that - lights certainly don't come on with the door open at the moment so will be good to check

 

[71Westy]

Hmm. I have no door switches (US spec '71). And the ceiling lights are switched from the dash.

Now I had assumed that the dash switch supplied a switched live to the ceiling lights, which have their own on/off switches too, but only work when the dash switch is on. So my plan was to connect a leisure battery feed to the dash switch, instead of the current one.

My plan for the extra lights was to run a separate feed up to the ceiling. Although if I use LED lights, I could probably get away with connecting to the existing wiring and saving myself a bit of hassle. I can't see a neat way of getting a cable up from the floor area to the ceiling.

Cheers,
Nick

 

[lard]

Hmm. I have no door switches (US spec '71). And the ceiling lights are switched from the dash.

Now I had assumed that the dash switch supplied a switched live to the ceiling lights, which have their own on/off switches too, but only work when the dash switch is on. So my plan was to connect a leisure battery feed to the dash switch, instead of the current one.

My plan for the extra lights was to run a separate feed up to the ceiling. Although if I use LED lights, I could probably get away with connecting to the existing wiring and saving myself a bit of hassle. I can't see a neat way of getting a cable up from the floor area to the ceiling.

Cheers,
Nick

That's how mine are at the moment - I just replaced my existing rear light and cab light with LED's - you can get warm LED which looks exactly the same as the old lamps rather than the bright white ones - power draw is negligible, I too couldn't see a clean way to get up to the roof other than take out the panels and run in a post if poss, which will need to wait until I take the interior out - otherwise I could run power underneath and wire into the switch but may leave that, install some nice tasteful ambient lighting on the kick boards from the leisure battery instead and leave until I take out the interior next winter

 

[ibérico]

I have read this thread and I would like to know where I could find those "warm" LED lights that you mention. I only seem to find the white ones and they make the van so much "hospital " like!

 

[faux]

I am about to have a play with mine:

Running a wire from LB to front (fused).
Fitting a 3 way switch so I can run off LB or standard battery.
Wiring light from dash switch and stereo in line.

I have a zig unit in the RnR and this powers an additional light which I have a long cable on which will reach into the awning if needed but it comes up through the wardrobe.

 

[faux]

Done it this morning 8) ,

I didn't use a 3 way switch in the end just ran off the leisure. As you look up at the fuse box the interior light is the second from the left I think, I just pulled this off and ran the LB to the wire and also took the stereo to this as well. Works a treat.

 

[71Westy]

Right, all wired up this weekend. So I did as advised, and fitted the LB fuse box at the front. Ran a meaty cable from the LB in the rear. Then easy to hook up various things - stereo, feed for interior lights (going to use the redundant main battery feed to that for thewarning light for the extinguisher system when it arrives), and a feed for an aux socket on the dash. Just had to run one cable back for the fridge. Also fitted a 240V consumer unit, powered from the original (110V) hookup point (all new cable of course). Which now feeds a socket in the engine bay for the charger, and the mains sockets in the van.

Just got the split charge relay to fit now....

Nick