Connecting an Illuminated Switch for Independent Car Mirror Heating: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hello.
I was looking for a suitable section but I have not found a better one, so if there is one, please move the thread in advance.

I have the following problem - I install mirror heating in my car and I want to be able to turn them on independently.
A trivial matter, isn't it? Well, the switch I have is something like this:


Not exactly this one, but it looks the same (only connection descriptions are missing).

And now like this: when I do not connect, when the switch is on, I have 0.5 V on the receiver, while when I click and the backlight goes out, I have 12V on the receiver (this is how it should be) ...
How is it damn connected so that it shines when turned on?
Connection according to this scheme: I omitted the fuse in the drawing.

If your switch has three legs, in such a system, if you connect only two, it will work, unfortunately :D

In order for it to shine, the light source must receive both the plus and minus that it gets through the load. If you close the switch with full current to the load, you are shorting the ends of the light source.

But it can be arranged otherwise - if the light source is connected between the center and ground:

Hello,

in a similar topic - because I did not find the same - I connected the rocker switch in the car and everything works and shines, but it shines too brightly. in the evening it stings the eyes. Anyone have any idea how to darken it? I was thinking about some resistor (what?) On the ground ... but I don't know much about it, so I ask politely :)

I would like to add that the switch is connected exactly the same as in the picture above - the current is interrupted by the switch, and the mass is permanently connected.

Experiment with a resistor between ground and switch. First, let's say 1k?. Then you will choose the right one according to him. Of course, I assume that you have an LED in the switch, because if it is an invention with a light bulb, the resistor must be more powerful than the diode and a lot less resistance.

Thank you for your answer. I think there is a diode inside, because the switch itself is small.



Only the one in the picture is 250V and mine is 12V.

I still have questions how to fix such a resistor in the installation so that it does not detach or crumble, in the car it is known that it shakes a bit, especially on our roads. I do not know if there are any special housings or sockets for such a resistor?

daritos83 wrote:

I still have questions how to attach such a resistor in the installation so that it does not detach, does not crumble, in the car it is known that it shakes a bit, especially on our roads. I do not know if there are any special housings or sockets for such a resistor?

Solder into the cut wire and protect it with a heat shrink tubing (2 layers can be used) overlapping 20mm on the wire insulation on each side.

Thank you very much for your help

gwarych wrote:

If your switch has three legs, in such a system, if you connect only two, it will work, unfortunately :D

In order for it to shine, the light source must receive both the plus and minus that it gets through the load. If you close the switch with full current to the load, you are shorting the ends of the light source.

But it can be arranged otherwise - if the light source is connected between the center and ground:

thanks for the diagram - I will just make sure - R connected between the middle pin and the mass is the receiver - am I right?

Prorok78 wrote:

I will just make sure - R connected between the middle pin and mass is the receiver - am I right?

Yes, Ro is a receiver.

Hello ,
I am asking you a second question: how to choose a resistor for this 12V switch so that it shines a bit darker - half the brightness?



A colleague has already answered me, but he gave a solution for the diode, and there probably is a small bulb there because the switch heats up strongly and quickly.

I ask again because I don't want to do something wrong and avoid a fire in the car.

PS. does the resistor get hot during operation?

Thank you again for your advice

Then you have to experiment. It is not known what bulb is there. If you have a meter, you can measure the current consumption. First, take a resistor with a minimum power of 1W and a dozen or so - several dozen ? and try how it will work and how much it will heat up.

Hello. I have a problem. I purchased a 250V rocker switch. It is backlit. I installed it in the power strip because the old one broke. The old one ignited when I turned it on and the current flowed in the strip. And I installed the new one and the strip works, but the switch is on all the time, i.e. whether I put it on - there is a current in the strip or I put it in OFF - there is no current in the strip, it lights up anyway. Is it possible to mount it differently so that it only shines when it is ON? Please help. Maybe it's the fault of the switch itself?
The photo below shows this switch.

trex64 wrote:

Hello, I have a problem, I bought a 250V rocker switch. It is backlit. I installed it in the power strip because the old one broke. The old one lit up when I turned it on and the electricity flows in the strip. And I installed the new one and the strip works, but the switch is on all the time, i.e. if I put it on ON, there is a current in the strip and if I put it on OFF, there is no current in the strip, then it lights up anyway. Is it possible to mount it differently so that it only shines when it is ON ??

It is possible - swap the wire going to the sockets with the wire coming from the mains plug.

thanks for the answer. I'm glad it can be done But, unfortunately, it does not get to the end yet. Sorry, but I'm a bit green at this, so please do not be discouraged, just explain. I made a diagram of how it was more or less subbed. Please advise, according to my diagram, which cables to change for this to work, i.e. that the switch lights only when it is ON. Please help. Greetings.

My diagram, how I made it more or less:

Hi

And I will ask about something else, namely I have a switch like the author, but I would like to connect it to the relay of additional lamps in the car, but so that it lights up with the lights on and shines all the time, whether it is ON or OFF - is it to be done?

Krzykku wrote:

And I will ask about something else, namely I have a switch like the author, but I would like to connect it to the relay of additional lamps in the car, but so that it lights up with the lights on and shines all the time, whether it is ON or OFF - is it to be done?

There is a way to do it, but you have to put this switch on the ground side.

OK, thanks, but could you elaborate on the topic further? ie where to connect what?
I checked how such a switch works and there is a plate in the middle that shifts pins 1 and 2 or in the second position 2 and 3, respectively. Assuming that a bulb is connected under 1 and 2, where should I connect the light circuit to the light bulb was on?

Krzykku wrote:

I checked how such a switch works and there is a plate in the middle that shifts pins 1 and 2 or in the second position 2 and 3, respectively. Assuming that a bulb is connected under 1 and 2, where should I connect the light circuit to the light bulb was on?

The switch with light bulb shorting contacts in your application cannot be used.

Hello, please help.
Here is my Vectra C alarm switch.



I would like to be able to turn on / off the wired bluetooth kit with it.
In fact, I have two, one is originally mounted in the board and works with an alarm, and the other I wanted to use as a bluetooth power switch in a separate installation.

My question is whether this switch is good for this.
The original alarm switch works with the alarm and blinks slow / fast depending on the arming of the alarm.

I want to use the second such switch for aesthetics.
I would not like to push some ordinary switch with backlight into the board - this is the final version.


Is it possible to connect it so that it shines after turning on the powered bluetooth kit (I understand that it will not blink because the alarm itself gives it a signal and therefore it blinks).

Thank you

burczynski82 wrote:

I would like to be able to turn on / off the wired bluetooth kit with it.
In fact, I have two, one is originally mounted in the board and works with an alarm, and the other I wanted to use as a bluetooth power switch in a separate installation.

Not enough information - what kind of contact arrangement?
The switch is bistable?

this is what the contacts look like




one button is already at the top, there is free space at the bottom after removing the cover



and this is what the ALARM button looks like after removing the front, there are two LEDs, I don't know why, only the one underneath works for me - red
(maybe in the richer version, the second yellow LED is for something)

Hello, and I have another question about the switch that the author gave, if it only separates the phase wire to 230V, there is no option for the LED to light?

FINIX_47 wrote:

and I have another question about the switch provided by the author,

The author wrote about a car switch with three terminals and 12V backlight.

FINIX_47 wrote:

if it only splits the phase wire to 230V,

We do not use car switches with diode illumination for 230V installations.

FINIX_47 wrote:

there is no option for the LED to be lit?

Use a 230V rated voltage switch with neon lamp.
In a situation where only the ends of the cut phase conductor are available, the neon lamp can be made to glow, but only when the switch is open.

I just have a 250V 3A switch and here my question is whether there is an option to connect on the phase wire itself so that the LED lights up. If you need to get an additional cable to this, there was no question because I feel sorry for the babrac.

FINIX_47 wrote:

I just have a 250V 3A switch and here my question is whether there is an option to connect on the phase wire itself so that the LED lights up.

It is, but will be lit in the "off" position.

I understand and how the wires come then, I will describe it as the 0- contact as the first, the diode as the second, I- on as the third.

FINIX_47 wrote:

I understand and how the wires come then, I will describe it as the 0- contact as the first, the diode as the second, I- on as the third.

The neon lamp with the resistor must be switched on parallel to the switch.

One of my old themes. But thanks to the help I was able to connect. Of course, it was about 12V and not 220