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Interior Light dimming wire

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Old Sep 25, 2006 | 09:07 AM
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Interior Light dimming wire

I am in the process of installing a Uniden BCT-15 Scanner in my 1999 F-250 PSD. My question is: Which wire from the light switch controls the dimming of the interior lights. If you could tell me the color, that would be very helpful. Thanks in advance.

-Chris
 
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Old Sep 25, 2006 | 12:53 PM
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I'm not for sure...but I think it is blue with red tracer. Maybe someone can confirm this
 
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Old Sep 25, 2006 | 12:59 PM
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Thanks for trying, hopefully someone will know.
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 01:32 AM
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MINE IS A BLUE/RED TRACER. on a 01 Excursion. i tried to get the overhead console to not dim in my excursion by cutting the wire, but it did not work, it just went out.
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 10:46 AM
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Arrow Really . . .

Originally Posted by RACERX7775
MINE IS A BLUE/RED TRACER. on a 01 Excursion. i tried to get the overhead console to not dim in my excursion by cutting the wire, but it did not work, it just went out.
No kidding . . . The only way it will get power is thru that wire. You need to jump the reostat (dimmer) so it get the fully amps all the time vs the reduced due to the dimmer.
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 10:59 AM
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there was a post somewhere that someone posted that to get the overhead console not to dim if you did ________??? i now cant remember. i just want the console not to dim. if i jumped it, would it be at the high dimmed bright. not the same as it would be with the lights off right?? i want it so at night with the lights on, the console is on bright as if the lights were off. follow me? i think i just confused myself... thanks. do you know what i would have to do and where i would jump it at. i would hate to start probing wires and jumping and blow something up.
 

Last edited by RACERX7775; Sep 26, 2006 at 11:01 AM.
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 11:13 AM
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Arrow Errrr . . . . HuH?

Yes that was confusing . . . at best. But I think you want the overhead console to be on bright all the time when the lights are on. Correct?

To do that you need to take the wire you cut, Blue w/ red tracer, and splice it to the parking lights wire, not the turn signal wire (they both go to the front head lamp) but the running light wire. They will be on constantly w/o dimming. I have an '06 F 250 PSD and I don't think the wire colors are the same.

Look at the front left running/turn signal wires at the headlamp plug to see the colors and then look for that one at the switch. Test it and you then use a blue splicer tab to hook into it and that should do it.
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 11:33 AM
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will this only make the console stay bright? or will it have an affect on the rest of the dash? thanks for sort of understanding.
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 11:42 AM
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Red face Think about it . . .

I think you answered your own question . . .

DID THE DASH LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN YOU CUT THE BLUE/RED TRACER WIRE?

If so then yes, if not then no.

If YES then run a seperate wire to the head console from the running light wire.

If NO then use the Blue w/red tracer.
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 11:50 AM
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RACERX7775, I do think as you that the wire should be cut, not connected to the parking lamps. Were the lights turned on when you cut the wire, if yes when you turned the lights off did the console again go on??

My best guess is that you cut the wrong wire, did you check all connectors to see if there is another wire that looks the same?

Does the console dim up and down with the dimmer control or does it just plain go to a dimmed fixed amount? If it does not respond to the dimmer control then the wire color would be different than the blue/red.
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 12:27 PM
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Exclamation

Looks like this thread is !
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 01:26 PM
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Question

Ok, it looks like we're a little bit off my subject here... The scanner that I am trying to hook up has a red wire going to the battery, a black wire going to the grounding point, and an orange wire to control the dimming feature on the screen. Looking at the switch in the dash, there is a rotary **** for dimming the interior dash lights while the parking lights/headlights are on. What is the color of the wire coming from the back of the switch that controls the dimming. Does anyone have a link to a wire guide for the super duties? Thanks for the help once again.


-Chris
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 02:09 PM
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Lightbulb

Well it looks like I have found the answer to my own question by doing some lengthy searching. I never really thought about it before, but this would be the same wire that many of you would wire guage lights into for the A-pillar. Here is what I found:

The dimmer wire is lite blue/red.

From: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...re#post3871337

Can someone confirm this, since this is the only place that I found it. Thanks.

-Chris
 
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 02:26 PM
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Talking As stated earlier . . .

Both Bearhunter and racerx7775 said that several messages below, guess you didn't believe them eh? The needs at least 3 confirmations I'm guessing . . .
 

Last edited by Lonewolftx; Sep 26, 2006 at 02:28 PM.
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Old Sep 26, 2006 | 02:32 PM
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Smile

haha Yeah, I did need the confirmation 3 times before I go and cut into that mess of wires. Thanks all for your help.

-Chris
 
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