Ford Transit USA Forum banner
21 - 40 of 109 Posts
Is this like the surlybill set up? pics? how did you ground it?
I'll butt in because I'm procrastinating rather do what I'm supposed to be doing. FWIW. Jaross' description sounds fairly close to what Surly did. Jaross doesn't mention a ground while Surly does.

The most basic circuit I'm thinking is the equivalent of cutting the blue/white wire, having one end in each hand, and then touching them together when you want lights and then pulling them away when you when them off. An SPST switch. Cut the blue/white wire. One end (doesn't matter which) connects to one terminal of the switch. The other end of the wire connects to the other terminal. That sounds like Jaross.

Surly is a bit more complicated and his switch has permanently on, permanently off, or controlled by the van's timer positions.(I need to learn a CAD program. The drawing is embarrassing - MS Paint). Let's see if this is what Surly actually did. The description was a bit confusing.
yeah no ground, just a simple switch that breaks the wire. I didn't want the bright blue led that came on my switch to light up, and it doesn't. I assume the ground would have supplied the led power..
 
yeah no ground, just a simple switch that breaks the wire. I didn't want the bright blue led that came on my switch to light up, and it doesn't. I assume the ground would have supplied the led power..
Here is the only photo I have


Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
 
I'll butt in because I'm procrastinating rather do what I'm supposed to be doing. FWIW. Jaross' description sounds fairly close to what Surly did. Jaross doesn't mention a ground while Surly does..
is it bad not to have a ground? switches in a house don't all have a ground? It sounds like its just a preference to give you more options for when the lights are on/off???
 
is it bad not to have a ground? switches in a house don't all have a ground? It sounds like its just a preference to give you more options for when the lights are on/off???
Depends. In Jaross's case, it doesn't matter to him. Without the ground, he just doesn't have the complete functionality of Surly's setup. So yes, you're right. More options with the ground.

House switches are supposed to be grounded for safety reasons that don't apply here.
 
A separate, independent lighting system in addition to the factory system would be ideal, then you can have it both ways. But you'd still want to be able to switch the factory system off. I'm putting a separate system on my cabinets, the overheads aren't very pleasant for camping use.
What I want to do is keep the OEM LEDs for the brightness when needed. Add red LEDs for night use. Audi's (again) used to have all switches with red LEDs and two overhead red LEDs that gave just enough light so you could still see things inside the car.
 
In the Transit, the controlling wire for the cargo lights is the negative, not the positive.
The negative (ground) is the one that completes the circuit when the doors are opened or the switch above the dash is operated. This may be puzzling to people with a little knowledge of home electrical systems. And if you're like me and were testing wires looking for the ones controlling the lights by having one lead on the chassis and the other on the wires looking for the positive, you'd be pulling your hair out. I started at the light fixture and checked the wires, and noted their color coding. Discovered that the negative (ground) was the one being affected by the door switches, not the positive, which was constant (but it is on a timer as well, maybe 30 minutes).

That's why I was able to split the controlling wire and add a wire to permanent ground to make an on-off-factory selector switch.

Splitting the positive wire to the lights would not allow the on setting, just automatic factory settings, or off. Unless you added a wire to a permanent positive (hot) source, like the battery, to an on-off-on switch. Easier to split and wire the controlling negative wire.

Also, I put the switch at the slider because that's the door I use the most, even for getting in and out. What it negates is control of the cargo lights from the overhead switch above the dash if it is in the "off" position; they won't turn on with the overhead light switch.
 
For those people on here that are still looking for a simple solution to the Transit cargo area lights that stay on for an extended period when any door is open, and that have no way to turn them off like the cab dome light has…here is the solution that I came up with.
I didn’t want to have to open up the main trunk of wires going into the cargo area to try to find the cargo area light wiring to put a switch in the cargo area. I wasn’t comfortable with messing with those wires back there…too many wires to make a mistake with!


While changing out my cargo area LED’s, I accidently touched one of the light socket contacts to the van’s metal framing, and blew the cargo area light fuse. So, getting into owner’s manual, and fuse box under the dash, to the right side of the steering wheel, I discover that there is a different fuse for the cargo area lights, and the cab area dome/map lights. So, a light comes on in my head….pardon the pun!...Why not put a simple little switch right there near the fuse box for the cargo area lights? So I got the parts as shown in my pictures, with a little bit of 16g wiring and made a fusible linked switch from my fuse box to little rocker switch right there near my fuse box. I looked into putting it more up on the dash, but it looked too difficult to get it into the dash and run the wires…my big hands couldn’t reach up much higher in the dash, and I am fine with it right where it is. I hardly ever even have that switch on, because I work out of my van during the day, and don’t need those lights burning during the day when I have the doors open.
I bought a switch from Hein at DIYvan.com that fits perfectly in the dash , then ran a couple wires down to the fuse block ( I think it's f35). Also added and inline fuse holder. Love be NV able to shut those annoying lights off when I don't need them, which is most of the time. Simple mod.
If you're just wanting to turn off the rear cargo lights it's so easy to add a switch to the positive feed at F32 in the Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel. Added the dash mounted switch in less than five minutes without cutting wires or drilling holes. Can change everything back to stock even quicker.
 
Add red LEDs for night use.
Is a myth. It really is just very low intensity light for not effecting night vision. The old red covers dimmed the amount of light enough. I'd recommend going for a 3000k LED light strip, and use a dimmer to reduce the intensity a lot.
 
Is a myth.
oh.... (sigh, disappointed). Maybe that's why Audi isn't doing all red light interiors anymore. More likely the stylists wanted a change.

I'll still probably do that just because it looks cool then and still don't like even dimmed white light at night (could be brainwashed by that myth).
 
Shutting cargo lights off with doors open

2015 Transit Connect:
we hated the idea that the lights stay on with the doors open. This would have been a deal breaker as we use it for dog competitions and the doors have to stay open.

On a whim, we hit the high beam paddle twice and they all shut off. Seems to work, but you still have to open the drivers door after opening the tailgate doors. The two cargo lights stay on. There must be a better way without installing switches.
 
I put 4 switches on the stock lights and wired
them to house battery -

used regular 110v light switches mounted close to ceiling

to switch lever used heat shrink to attach a wood dowel

wood is extension to switch to make much easier
to reach - it hangs down - down is off

can turn on roof light from bed
 
I was originally going to add a switch to the fuse, but installed a SPDT on/off/on switch by the slider entrance above the passenger seatbelt.
In the wire loom along the top driver side wall, the white/blue stripe wire is the switched ground for the cab lights; they receive a constant positive. I pulled a couple of the cab lights and they are all wired with the same markings, which split into forward and rear wires where the wires to the forward cab lights come out. I cut the WH/blu wire forward of the split, ran two wires to the switch by the slider (one SEND from cab side of wiring, the other RETURN to cargo side of wiring from center post on my switch. I added a constant ground to the other other post on my switch. I can have the cargo lights operate normally, have them off all the time, or on as needed. About 45 minutes of work; less than a beer.
Thanks Bill but where is the split? I unraveled straight across from the side cargo door and there are 3 wh/blu wires. I have a partition (work van), so is it in the cab area? Thanks
 
The split into forward and rear wires? It's about at the area between the first ceiling crossmember and the cab. Just follow the wire back from the first crossmember overhead lights toward the front of the cab. Look for where there is only one WH/blu wire instead of 2 or 3(?). There should be a "lump" where they splice the wires together. You want to split it between the cab and that lump.
 
The split into forward and rear wires? It's about at the area between the first ceiling crossmember and the cab. Just follow the wire back from the first crossmember overhead lights toward the front of the cab. Look for where there is only one WH/blu wire instead of 2 or 3(?). There should be a "lump" where they splice the wires together. You want to split it between the cab and that lump.

Thanks again
 
I was originally going to add a switch to the fuse, but installed a SPDT on/off/on switch by the slider entrance above the passenger seatbelt.
In the wire loom along the top driver side wall, the white/blue stripe wire is the switched ground for the cab lights; they receive a constant positive. I pulled a couple of the cab lights and they are all wired with the same markings, which split into forward and rear wires where the wires to the forward cab lights come out. I cut the WH/blu wire forward of the split, ran two wires to the switch by the slider (one SEND from cab side of wiring, the other RETURN to cargo side of wiring from center post on my switch. I added a constant ground to the other other post on my switch. I can have the cargo lights operate normally, have them off all the time, or on as needed. About 45 minutes of work; less than a beer.


Man, been looking for this everywhere. LOL

Thanks
 
I have had my new van for about six weeks. So far no trouble with the lights on in the interior. They shut off after a while when I am on a job and leave the doors open. Only problem I am having so far with the lights is they shut off, it’s getting dark around 4-430 in the day. I find I have to shut the slider and open it again, then the lights come on and I can look for what ever parts I was in need of.
No dead battery or starting troubles just yet.
I think I’ll wait to see how I do. If it gets to the point I have to shut them off I will wire up a separate switch like has been described in other posts.

Miketheplumber61
 
I have had my new van for about six weeks. So far no trouble with the lights on in the interior. They shut off after a while when I am on a job and leave the doors open. Only problem I am having so far with the lights is they shut off, it’s getting dark around 4-430 in the day. I find I have to shut the slider and open it again, then the lights come on and I can look for what ever parts I was in need of.
No dead battery or starting troubles just yet.
I think I’ll wait to see how I do. If it gets to the point I have to shut them off I will wire up a separate switch like has been described in other posts.

Miketheplumber61
If you look at the mullion on the left side of the slider opening, you will see the button, no need to open and close, just push the button.

I had my battery die at a 2 day job close to home (short drive time minimal charging) , those AGM batteries suck. They used to die real easy in my Sprinter as well.
 
I took all the bulbs out and have a few LED 'tap lights' to use. Not risking the chance of a dead battery. Maybe I should read the manual so I can see how to jump start it!

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk
 
I took all the bulbs out and have a few LED 'tap lights' to use. Not risking the chance of a dead battery. Maybe I should read the manual so I can see how to jump start it!

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk
I did the same light switch mod as the first post in this thread, now I can shut off the lights for all day jobs.
 
21 - 40 of 109 Posts
Top