Tapping into theft light...
#1
Tapping into theft light...
ok so after my 'close call' you could say i want to do some more preventative measures to protect my stuff w/o spending a couple hundred on an alarm when the stuff in my truck is maybe 400$ in value...
so i want to mount a small LED either on top of my rearview or under it (if that dimmer tab isnt in the way)... i want to to flash with the theft light becasue that only comes on when the truck is off and i dont want a flashing light non stop...
so bob,john, anyone else, how hard would it be to run a wire tape to the powersupply of the theft light then up to the led? im assuming it will require taking off the dash which im not looking forward to and running some 20ga? wire.... any input would be appreciated...
and lastly because i know someones going to say it... i dont want to spend the money on an alarm, id rather put it towards and efan or my new bike...
so i want to mount a small LED either on top of my rearview or under it (if that dimmer tab isnt in the way)... i want to to flash with the theft light becasue that only comes on when the truck is off and i dont want a flashing light non stop...
so bob,john, anyone else, how hard would it be to run a wire tape to the powersupply of the theft light then up to the led? im assuming it will require taking off the dash which im not looking forward to and running some 20ga? wire.... any input would be appreciated...
and lastly because i know someones going to say it... i dont want to spend the money on an alarm, id rather put it towards and efan or my new bike...
#4
Here's Frank's version of the how-to also:
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=24880
And here's Bob's:
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=4386
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=24880
And here's Bob's:
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=4386
#10
Theft light comes from the PCM. I don't know where he tapped it. I ended up tapping mine behind the gauges -- not a great place to pick it up but I had the gauges out to replace lamps anyway at the time (on the first vehicle I tested it on, not on mine -- I did this first and I STILL don't have door lock LED's in my truck, lol)
#11
#12
AFAIK, nobody has done multiple LEDs off the Theft light circuit on 2000-back. That is because the RAP or PATS Module switches the hot side using an internal current limiting resistor. There is no practical way to incorporate the additional current limiting resistors that would be needed for any LEDs added in parallel.
For 2001+, the PCM switches the ground side of the Theft LED and that works just fine with additional LEDs and their resistors.
If you want blinking LEDs, you'd be better off just buying self flashing LEDs and wiring them to a different circuit.
For 2001+, the PCM switches the ground side of the Theft LED and that works just fine with additional LEDs and their resistors.
If you want blinking LEDs, you'd be better off just buying self flashing LEDs and wiring them to a different circuit.
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FullThrottle02
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07-24-2008 02:01 PM