Vanity visor buttons to operate lights!

[AlaskanJack]

Another thread was discussing places to put or hide switches that have been added into Explorers. I was thinking about these vanity visors I saw that have buttons for garage door openers.

So here is the question could someone wire these buttons to operate lights? I don't know if they are wireless or what but I think it could be a real cool way to hide the extra light or whatever switches that get put into cars.

 

[Alec]

I don't think that will work. The switches probably just have a power and ground to them and do not send a wired signal anywhere, they transmit from the actual switch. You may be able to tap into the ground for a signal, but I don't think it would work very well.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Well I think that you could run a wire to it to send power out or set it up as open/closed circuit wire. I found one of these on ebay I may just buy it and figure out a way to wire it up. Oh I just realized what you were saying. Its a transmitter yes. But I am saying wire it to be a switch maybe a push button or rocker switch. I don't know if those are soft or hard plastic. If they are hard I'm sure you could turn them into a push button on/off.

Do you agree that it would look nice and be sharp if it could be done?

 

[Alec]

It would look nice if it can be done, but I don't know if you could modify them in that way. They are designed to be momentary signal switches, and whenever they are powered they would send a radio signal.

 

[AlaskanJack]

AWWWWW Cruddddd!!!!! Now I've got to figure out a way to make this work. Off I go to the wrecking yard tomorrow and Radio Shack.

I don't have time for another project but I will work on it until my mind is mush. When there's a will there a way.

 

[Alec]

Good luck, hope you can prove me wrong

 

[98BlackXSport]

If they are just switches that close a circuit, then of course it would work. You would just have to use a proper relay. The switch in the visor would just turn the relay on...the relay will turn whatever lights or what have you on. Hope this helps.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Originally posted by 98BlackXSport
If they are just switches that close a circuit, then of course it would work. You would just have to use a proper relay. The switch in the visor would just turn the relay on...the relay will turn whatever lights or what have you on. Hope this helps.

would it work this way: [push button lights on then push same button lights off.] If I used a relay? Would a relay be able to open and close in a cycle like that?

 

[98BlackXSport]

If you push the switch and it stays on, then you push it again and it is off, then it will definately work. If it just supplies a single pulse, then you may have to find a relay that will be able to work with that or some other circuitry. It can definately be done.

 

[FrankRizzo]

You could probably do it, but you have to buy the homelink stuff. They have lighting controllers - but they are for the home....and they are expensive....

I never got around to programming the lights in the house, but my garage door is on the home link.

Here's the webste for homelink lighting:

Dead Link Removed



Here's the generic stuff:

Dead Link Removed

 

[AlaskanJack]

I am talking about using the buttons on the visor to operate [turn on an off] driving lights on the vehicle.