Dome light - gradual dimming "theatre dome effect"

[andruxa]

Just finished reading 75+ messages regarding the dome light dimming effect, but did not see any messages from someone who actually got that to work. If someone built and successfully installed one - can you let us all know here in forum? I am eager to build one for my X...

 

[EliteConcept]

what it seems like you need to do is this
Hunt down the power wire going to the dome light(s) and splice the wire and add in a capicator. How big i am not sure but i would just try various sizes from like radioshack. They are pretty cheap.
Just a thought good luck!

 

[jgilbs]

dimming module

i could easily build a dimming module where you plug it in and it dims the light - you would not need to wait for the capacitor to charge. if there is any interest, email me, and i might consider producing them for about $30/piece

 

[EO]

You could? How about actually building a few first, and then offering them for sale...

 

[jgilbs]

its really not that hard. just take a PNP transistor hooked up to a cap(acitor). that way, even if u have the light on for an instant it will work, the cap recharges when its off, so it will always work. if you just stick a cap stright inline with the light, it would have to charge up, and depending on how long the delay is, it might not be charged enough with a short pulse of current. but by using a transistor, you could have it always charged and ready for use.

 

[EO]

I understand, and I'm not saying you can't do it, but...theory doesn't always equal practice! Most switching transistors can't handle large current draws (and remember there's more than 1 interior light), so either you have 1 module with a fairly large power transistor that you need to heatsink to keep cool (and are all interior lights on the same circuit?), or you use 1 module per light, except not all caps discharge at exactly the same rate...

Just throwing out some engineering considerations.

(And so far you're up to < $4 in parts. $30?!? j/k)

 

[jgilbs]

(And so far you're up to < $4 in parts. $30?!? j/k)

hey shipping is a *****!(from where i buy them i have to pay shipping and then i send them out and have to pay shipping again) and hey its all what people are willing to pay

but seriously, you would just have a bunch of outputs to each different light all connected to a single output from the transistor. i have several high power transistors that were relatively cheap($.75/each - they can handle 15A)

right now i dont have time to design a circuit because i have to build a robot for a competition on saturday. but perhaps next week i will post more details/ pics of the finished product

 

[andruxa]

I would be interested in buying the unit from you once I know it will work on second generation X. Yesterday I was at a local shop that installs electrical aftermarket features (alarms, sound, video) - they said it is a very painful and expensive thing to do on explorer, since all electronics are controlled by couple of modules, and that domelight actually talks back to the module everytime it goes on or off, so slamming some simple series of 2-3 electrical parts right before the dome light (and each other light in doors) will not work. But then again, he added that anythingis doable, and I will call him back tomorrow after he does some research on that...

 

[MO_GUY]

i thought the concensus was that all you need to do is put a few resistors on whichever lights you want to fade out? the power will slowly drain out and the lights will dim

 

[jgilbs]

no you will need to use a capacitor if not a microprocessor to achieve this effect. if you use resistors, you lights will always be dim.

 

[tripleoption]

I've got the Centech Fader Box ($20) sitting right here in front of me. I never took the time to install it. There are 4 wires you need to connect...I'll have to find the directions somewhere to remember what they're for. If anyone can tell me which wires under the dash go to the dome lights, I'll get this project rolling in no time. It's finally warm enough to go out and do this.

 

[andruxa]

Let us know how you made out with that Dimmer Kit, as I am anxious to get one myself.

 

[PUR PONY]

if anyone gets anything to work i want one!!!! so please let me know. saleenlimited@yahoo.com

Thanks

 

[ldspartan]

Count me in too, if someone can get a device to do it. I do a lot of work with real theatrical lighting, so the lack of dimming in my car is continually bothersome .

--
Phil Genera
(pg@fivesevenfive.org)

 

[andruxa]

Bump, just checking if anyone has new info on topic or possibly got it to work...

 

[Nate1]

Just an update... I think you will find running a capacitor in parallel works just dandy... but you need quite a few micorfarads per lights, so you are probably talking about 4-5 small caps on the light lines.
They charge basically instantly, you wont have any problems if you just hook them up parallel so they act like a mini-battery.
The more microfarads, the longer the dimming will last.
-----Nate

 

[andruxa]

Who else thinks that will NOT work? Do not have an option of explainig why I think it won't work at this time, will try to post ASAP.

Anyone heard of that actually being done on GEN2 Explorers?