Dome light just won't work

[melhilburn]

Could this be a result of a faulty headlight switch?

[tincan1966]

Do you have power to it? Make sure there is a ground wire from the H/L switch to the body.

The orange wire at the dome light should have constant power and the white wire goes back to the the H/L switch to ground it.

Does the panel dimmer function for the dash lights of the H/L switch work?

[1963c-10]

Know its probably been checked, but have you checked the bulb? Are you getting power to the socket?

[kieth]

There are 2 wires to your dome light, 1 is a +(positive), the other - (ground) the headlight switch when actuated provides the ground to turn on the light.....check that ground or your switch could be bad. Kieth

[melhilburn]

THis may sound crazy but how do I determine which wire is the ground wire - This is not a joke I promise - I really won't to learn how all this electrical wiring works - Help needed and welcomed

[melhilburn]

And no the panel dimmer function does not work

[tincan1966]

On the two wires to the dome light-
Orange is the constant 12V+ power feed
White is the ground wire back to the Headlight switch.

If the dimmer function of the switch does not work, there is a chance the headlight switch is bad.

If you remove the dome light assy from the cab- use a test light to see if you have power to it. If you do, then use a jumper wire from the white wire to a good ground and see if the light comes on..

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by melhilburn

Could this be a result of a faulty headlight switch?

Answer to your question: yes; it could. When you rotate knob to extreme counterclockwise, do you feel it sort of "snap into a 'position' " as it reaches its extreme? And have you tested your bulb, as new does not necessarily mean good? Assuming a stock bulb, you can do so by running a known hot wire to one contact lug on bulb-end while grounding the other end. Hope this is not insulting; but you said you want to learn, and I'm not sure where to start.

To check switch: First disconnect battery!!! Remove bulb. Using an ohmmeter, with dome switch in off position, check for continuity between ground to each terminal in socket. There should be continuity to ONE of the terminals, and NOT to the other. [The one without continuity is the one that becomes hot* when the dome-knob is turned on.] Now, while probing between between the terminal (that had no continuity to ground) and the wire at the switch going to dome light, there should be continuity WHEN the knob turns to extreme counterclockwise position. When looking for wire at switch that goes to dome light, note for a same-color-of-wire at the switch as the one connected to the bulb-terminal that becomes hot*(see above).
sam

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by luvbowties

Answer to your question: yes; it could. When you rotate knob to extreme counterclockwise, do you feel it sort of "snap into a 'position' " as it reaches its extreme? And have you tested your bulb, as new does not necessarily mean good? Assuming a stock bulb, you can do so by running a known hot wire to one contact lug on bulb-end while grounding the other end. Hope this is not insulting; but you said you want to learn, and I'm not sure where to start.

To check switch: First disconnect battery!!! Remove bulb. Using an ohmmeter, with dome switch in off position, check for continuity between ground to each terminal in socket. There should be continuity to ONE of the terminals, and NOT to the other. [The one without continuity is the one that becomes hot* when the dome-knob is turned on.] Now, while probing between between the terminal (that had no continuity to ground) and the wire at the switch going to dome light, there should be continuity WHEN the knob turns to extreme counterclockwise position. When looking for wire at switch that goes to dome light, note for a same-color-of-wire at the switch as the one connected to the bulb-terminal that becomes hot*(see above).
sam

CORRECTION TO ABOVE

** PLEASE DISREGARD ALL I PRINTED ABOVE--I WAS MISTAKEN, AS ONE TERMINAL IN THE SOCKET HAS CONSTANT 12 VOLTS; AND THE SWITCH FUNCTIONS ONLY TO PROVIDE A GROUND. I JUST VERIFIED ON MY OWN TRUCK(after reading tincan1966's correct reply:thanks, tincan)**

Thanks, tincan1966, for showing me(indirectly & without embarrassing me)my errors. I'd never have thought the switch merely provided ground!

I apologize for my error(s). My bad!

HTH,
sam

[melhilburn]

No problem from me that for sure - This may sound crazy but how is the switch grounded

[Hx16457]

The switch is mounted to the metal dash, so metal to metal makes ground
Posted via Mobile Device

[melhilburn]

Well doesn't get much simpler than that - I Thank you all