Ma light and switch

[Vicfreg 790]

I have a reproduction  Daniel carpenter map light assembly for my Deluxe Dash.

I wired it up just to make sure it worked properly, and the switch is not what I would consider reliable.

You almost have to fiddle with the switch to get it to operate properly, and sometimes, it actually causes a direct short.  
 

I have the three wires hooked up correctly. In one position, the door jamb switch operates the light, and the in the other position, the switch turns the lamp on regardless of the door jamb switch position. 

It  just doesn’t work every time.

Any experience, lessons, learned, suggestion, would be welcome.

I’m probably just going to swap out the switch.

 

 

 

 

 

[Mach1 Driver 596]

Vic, the original map light was only turned on by the switch, or the glove box door- is that the door you are referring to? The car doors had nothing to do with it. This is a schematic, I can get you the wire diagram if you need it.

[Vicfreg 790]

Excellent schematic!  
Agree

I didn’t install a glove box switch, so I ran that wire through my door jamb courtesy light switch circuit so the map light comes on when you open the door if the map light switch is in the “off” position.  

This works fine as the courtesy light circuit is also switched to ground to turn the courtesy lights on when the car doors are open.

The issue is the poor quality of the SPDT switch that came with the repo map light switch.  It operates intermittently.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

[Vicfreg 790]

Old switch, note exposed copper contact material

New switch from EBay US parts seller

UL listed industrial switch