Adam
Member
Registered: 1st May 01
Location: Hurstbourne Tarrant
User status: Offline
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Wiring up Map reading lights
I decided to do this because I tinted my curtsey light green, which gives a nice green glow to the interior at night, but if you ever need to look at something, there wasn’t enough light to see it [the time spent looking for dropped money is untrue  ]. I have wired the light up so that the map reading lights will work without the ignition, but on cars with these lights in originally, the map lights only work when the ignition is on, they also have a delay 10 second delay on the curtsey light, but this is cut when the ignition is turned on, and so is automatically cancelled due to it being permanently live. If you want this, you can simply run an ignition live wire to “15”
Firstly you’ll need a light [I know, it’s a shocker  ]. I got my light from a Mk 2 Astra GTE (see pic at the bottom) in a scrappy and it cost a few quid, but they might be available in High-spec Mk 3 Astras/cavaliers, or possibly Carltons/Senators. On the back of the light there are 4 connecters. These have written by them 15, 30, 31 and TK. (1)
15: Permanent live for map lights (or ignition live if you choose to run one to the back of the light)
30: Permanent live for curtsey lights
31: Permanent ground
TK: Door switch ground
The original connectors in the Corsa go onto 30(Red wire) and TK(Black wire). To save cutting into the red wire for a permanent live to 15, I used a “piggyback” crimp connector pushed onto 30 with a length of wire (Red) attached to it with another crimp connector on the other end of the wire, pushed onto 15. Another crimp connector (spade) was pushed into 31 with a length of wire (Black) attached to it and a ring crimp connector on the other end (2). There was a hole in the panel behind the light that could have been used as an earth with a small self taper, but as I was fresh out [Didn’t have the guts to put it in, in case I went through the roof skin with it  ], I took out one of the screws holding the plastic panel to the roof, and then put the ring connector behind it and re tightened the screw (3). You should now be able to switch the map lights on and off, and the curtsey light should come on when you open the door  .
My light for the Astra GTE
(1)
(2)
(3)
Courtsey light on
Map reading lights on
All three lights on
There are different types of map reading lights available, but I’m pretty sure the wiring to them should be the same as on mine (If you know different let me know, as im considering changing to a type with the movable spots from a carlton). Sadly I dont think this mod is possible on cars with the alarm sensor built into the curtosey light.
Rob
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