light for power windows

From : robin

Q: i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help .

Replies:

From : mac davis

on sun 28 dec 2003 232527 -0500 tbone fatchance@noway.now wrote just to add a further correction the how scary is that line is referring to the fuse after the dimmer not that you were correct lol. now i can see that the fuse is just trying to protect the dimmer from an overload and the main circuit is protected by another fuse. i understood it as mike was right how scary is that and thought it was very funny... and im sure that mike would also laugh and know that you were just kidding.... now to get a shop towel for this coffee that got sprayed on the monitor.. mac .

From : tbone

on sun 28 dec 2003 232527 -0500 tbone fatchance@noway.now wrote just to add a further correction the how scary is that line is referring to the fuse after the dimmer not that you were correct lol. now i can see that the fuse is just trying to protect the dimmer from an overload and the main circuit is protected by another fuse. i understood it as mike was right how scary is that and thought it was very funny... and im sure that mike would also laugh and know that you were just kidding.... the sad thing is that due to a few in this group it probably would not be taken as a joke so it was just safer to clarify it. now to get a shop towel for this coffee that got sprayed on the monitor.. lol sorry about that. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving .

From : tbone

first of all you should not be checking for continuity like this you should be checking for voltage. if you want to check for continuity ground one of meters leads and with the bulb removed and the lights off check each wire for continuity. does the ash tray light dim with your instrument lights does the light that illuminates your power window switch have one or two wires do you want the light in the pw switch to dim with the other lights if you can answer these questions then we can help you. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help .

From : mike simmons

were you looking for continuity or the presence of a voltage also was the bulb still in the circuit when you tested it im confused by your description. chryco service manager i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help .

From : mike simmons

i have a strong doubt that the circuit would be fused after the dimmer. i havent looked in an 01 sm but my 97 br was fused after the dimmer. i found it very convenient to tap into the fuse box for lighting on the gauges i installed in the a pillar. mike -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving robin sadly your explanation still isnt clear but let me suggest you check at the fuse block for the fuse that controls the i/p lights. you should be able to tap off this fuse to get the dimmed lighting that you want. mike first of all you should not be checking for continuity like this you should be checking for voltage. if you want to check for continuity ground one of meters leads and with the bulb removed and the lights off check each wire for continuity. does the ash tray light dim with your instrument lights does the light that illuminates your power window switch have one or two wires do you want the light in the pw switch to dim with the other lights if you can answer these questions then we can help you. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help o.k. lets start again and no verbal insults. im just looking for a place to get power for the illuminated lights of the power windows and the ashtray light looked like the easiest place execept for the wires going to it being to short.. i do know a little about wiring from older cars but these newer models it looks like if you breath wrong you screw up the computer. the ash tray light had two wires going to it and didnt even look like it was a bulb because you couldnt do anything with it except turn it upside down.. anyway to get away with trying to take the so called bulb out i guess the best thing for me to do is just cut the bulb out then check for power to the wires then resplice everything back together later. .

From : tbone

looking at the wiring diagram i see that you are correct. how scary is that sorry mike. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i have a strong doubt that the circuit would be fused after the dimmer. i havent looked in an 01 sm but my 97 br was fused after the dimmer. i found it very convenient to tap into the fuse box for lighting on the gauges i installed in the a pillar. mike -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving robin sadly your explanation still isnt clear but let me suggest you check at the fuse block for the fuse that controls the i/p lights. you should be able to tap off this fuse to get the dimmed lighting that you want. mike first of all you should not be checking for continuity like this you should be checking for voltage. if you want to check for continuity ground one of meters leads and with the bulb removed and the lights off check each wire for continuity. does the ash tray light dim with your instrument lights does the light that illuminates your power window switch have one or two wires do you want the light in the pw switch to dim with the other lights if you can answer these questions then we can help you. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help o.k. lets start again and no verbal insults. im just looking for a place to get power for the illuminated lights of the power windows and the ashtray light looked like the easiest place execept for the wires going to it being to short.. i do know a little about wiring from older cars but these newer models it looks like if you breath wrong you screw up the computer. the ash tray light had two wires going to it and didnt even look like it was a bulb because you couldnt do anything with it except turn it upside down.. anyway to get away with trying to take the so called bulb out i guess the best thing for me to do is just cut the bulb out then check for power to the wires then resplice everything back together later. .

From : tbone

just to add a further correction the how scary is that line is referring to the fuse after the dimmer not that you were correct lol. now i can see that the fuse is just trying to protect the dimmer from an overload and the main circuit is protected by another fuse. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving looking at the wiring diagram i see that you are correct. how scary is that sorry mike. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i have a strong doubt that the circuit would be fused after the dimmer. i havent looked in an 01 sm but my 97 br was fused after the dimmer. i found it very convenient to tap into the fuse box for lighting on the gauges i installed in the a pillar. mike -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving robin sadly your explanation still isnt clear but let me suggest you check at the fuse block for the fuse that controls the i/p lights. you should be able to tap off this fuse to get the dimmed lighting that you want. mike first of all you should not be checking for continuity like this you should be checking for voltage. if you want to check for continuity ground one of meters leads and with the bulb removed and the lights off check each wire for continuity. does the ash tray light dim with your instrument lights does the light that illuminates your power window switch have one or two wires do you want the light in the pw switch to dim with the other lights if you can answer these questions then we can help you. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help o.k. lets start again and no verbal insults. im just looking for a place to get power for the illuminated lights of the power windows and the ashtray light looked like the easiest place execept for the wires going to it being to short.. i do know a little about wiring from older cars but these newer models it looks like if you breath wrong you screw up the computer. the ash tray light had two wires going to it and didnt even look like it was a bulb because you couldnt do anything with it except turn it upside down.. anyway to get away with trying to take the so called bulb out i guess the best thing for me to do is just cut the bulb out then check for power to the wires then resplice everything back together later. .

From : gary glaenzer

sounds like somebody needs a crash-course in basic electricity g were you looking for continuity or the presence of a voltage also was the bulb still in the circuit when you tested it im confused by your description. chryco service manager i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help .

From : robin

first of all you should not be checking for continuity like this you should be checking for voltage. if you want to check for continuity ground one of meters leads and with the bulb removed and the lights off check each wire for continuity. does the ash tray light dim with your instrument lights does the light that illuminates your power window switch have one or two wires do you want the light in the pw switch to dim with the other lights if you can answer these questions then we can help you. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help o.k. lets start again and no verbal insults. im just looking for a place to get power for the illuminated lights of the power windows and the ashtray light looked like the easiest place execept for the wires going to it being to short.. i do know a little about wiring from older cars but these newer models it looks like if you breath wrong you screw up the computer. the ash tray light had two wires going to it and didnt even look like it was a bulb because you couldnt do anything with it except turn it upside down.. anyway to get away with trying to take the so called bulb out i guess the best thing for me to do is just cut the bulb out then check for power to the wires then resplice everything back together later. .

From : mike simmons

robin sadly your explanation still isnt clear but let me suggest you check at the fuse block for the fuse that controls the i/p lights. you should be able to tap off this fuse to get the dimmed lighting that you want. mike first of all you should not be checking for continuity like this you should be checking for voltage. if you want to check for continuity ground one of meters leads and with the bulb removed and the lights off check each wire for continuity. does the ash tray light dim with your instrument lights does the light that illuminates your power window switch have one or two wires do you want the light in the pw switch to dim with the other lights if you can answer these questions then we can help you. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help o.k. lets start again and no verbal insults. im just looking for a place to get power for the illuminated lights of the power windows and the ashtray light looked like the easiest place execept for the wires going to it being to short.. i do know a little about wiring from older cars but these newer models it looks like if you breath wrong you screw up the computer. the ash tray light had two wires going to it and didnt even look like it was a bulb because you couldnt do anything with it except turn it upside down.. anyway to get away with trying to take the so called bulb out i guess the best thing for me to do is just cut the bulb out then check for power to the wires then resplice everything back together later. .

From : tom lawrence

hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help you were measuring continuity through the bulb. of course theyll both show continuity. at any rate the kinda brown wire is the +12v the black/orange is the ground. .

From : tbone

i have a strong doubt that the circuit would be fused after the dimmer. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving robin sadly your explanation still isnt clear but let me suggest you check at the fuse block for the fuse that controls the i/p lights. you should be able to tap off this fuse to get the dimmed lighting that you want. mike first of all you should not be checking for continuity like this you should be checking for voltage. if you want to check for continuity ground one of meters leads and with the bulb removed and the lights off check each wire for continuity. does the ash tray light dim with your instrument lights does the light that illuminates your power window switch have one or two wires do you want the light in the pw switch to dim with the other lights if you can answer these questions then we can help you. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i just put some power windows in a 2001 ram 1500 plain jane. i wanted to illuminate the switch when i turned on the lights. i thought no problem. so i went to the ash tray light. thats where i was gonna get the power from. it had two wires going to it. one was kinda brown the other was black with orange. i didnt know which was the hot so i hooked the ground of the meter to one wire and the hot from the meter to a fuse. it showed continuity. so then i hooked the ground of the meter to the other wire of the ash tray light and the hot of the meter to a fuse. i also got continuity. what gives why would both wires show a reading can anyone help o.k. lets start again and no verbal insults. im just looking for a place to get power for the illuminated lights of the power windows and the ashtray light looked like the easiest place execept for the wires going to it being to short.. i do know a little about wiring from older cars but these newer models it looks like if you breath wrong you screw up the computer. the ash tray light had two wires going to it and didnt even look like it was a bulb because you couldnt do anything with it except turn it upside down.. anyway to get away with trying to take the so called bulb out i guess the best thing for me to do is just cut the bulb out then check for power to the wires then resplice everything back together later. .

From : mike simmons

just to add a further correction the how scary is that line is referring to the fuse after the dimmer not that you were correct lol. now i can see that the fuse is just trying to protect the dimmer from an overload and the main circuit is protected by another fuse. whew!! ;^ mike -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving looking at the wiring diagram i see that you are correct. how scary is that sorry mike. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i have a strong doubt that the circuit would be fused after the dimmer. i havent looked in an 01 sm but my 97 br was fused after the dimmer. i found it very convenient to tap into the fuse box for lighting on the gauges i installed in the a pillar. mike -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut o