2014+ Interior dome light - back

[Sebi]

Hello,

Some genius at Mazda decided to save cost by removing the switch on the back dome light... my problem is that my son sometimes needs a light in the back, to get a snack or look at a book. But the back light cannot be turned on separately from the front. How complicated would be to put a light with a switch on from an older model (my 2007 has it)?

I assume there is no "live" power wire coming to the back, so I would need to fish a wire and connect it to the front dome lights.

Sebi

[Flagrum_3]

Hello,

Some genius at Mazda decided to save cost by removing the switch on the back dome light... my problem is that my son sometimes needs a light in the back, to get a snack or look at a book. But the back light cannot be turned on separately from the front. How complicated would be to put a light with a switch on from an older model (my 2007 has it)?

I assume there is no "live" power wire coming to the back, so I would need to fish a wire and connect it to the front dome lights.

Sebi

Two easy solutions, either take the bulb(s) out of the front dome or get a flashlight.


_3

[Hyperion]

Depends on how electrically competent you are. Unlike the rest of the car which is common ground, the dome lights (at least in 1st and 2nd gen) are common positive, and turn on when a ground is connected. What you could do is add a show switch that connects to a ground and bypasses the little circuit board they have in there.
It would probably be easier in the long run to avoid any electrical gremlins to just remove the circuit from the oem wiring and add your own positive power supply straight from an always on fuse or a fused connection to the battery.

[shawnmcw]

Another alternative would be to get something like this?

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mini-led-pushlight-nightlight-0526850p.html#srp

This way no wires or electrical work needed

[Sebi]

Depends on how electrically competent you are. Unlike the rest of the car which is common ground, the dome lights (at least in 1st and 2nd gen) are common positive, and turn on when a ground is connected. What you could do is add a show switch that connects to a ground and bypasses the little circuit board they have in there.
It would probably be easier in the long run to avoid any electrical gremlins to just remove the circuit from the oem wiring and add your own positive power supply straight from an always on fuse or a fused connection to the battery.

Thanks, so I could in theory get the dome light with the switch from an older model, connect a ground from any metal piece around the dome light, connect that ground (negative) wire to the switch? Then I can use the existing wire and connect it to the "door" position of the new switch, and the new ground to "on" position?

If I read correctly, the positive is always on, so I don't need to fish a wire and get a positive from the fusebox.

I prefer a clean solution, therefore I won't add/remove stuff...

[Hyperion]

Thanks, so I could in theory get the dome light with the switch from an older model, connect a ground from any metal piece around the dome light, connect that ground (negative) wire to the switch? Then I can use the existing wire and connect it to the "door" position of the new switch, and the new ground to "on" position?

If I read correctly, the positive is always on, so I don't need to fish a wire and get a positive from the fusebox.

I prefer a clean solution, therefore I won't add/remove stuff...And if I read that correctly, yes.

[Sebi]

And if I read that correctly, yes.

Super, thanks for your help!