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What is involved with Installing a Light.
#353357 January 08th 2010 8:57 pm
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The van I am buying will have a ceiling light in the cargo area way in the back by the rear doors and I believe another ceiling light between the drivers and passengers front seats. I want an aircraft style light on the ceiling in the middle like my current van has. It really is needed when I am looking for things.

I have no auto electric ability or skills.
I was considering going to an auto electric shop and having them do it.
What is involved in wiring up a light?
What should something like that cost?
Here are the lights

Last edited by 1Flyfisher; January 08th 2010 9:00 pm.

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Re: What is involved with Installing a Light.
1Flyfisher #353362 January 08th 2010 9:35 pm
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Check these folks out as well
http://www.trucknvans.com/Directional-Lighting-s/750.htm
As far as installing the lights if you're not comfortable with doing it yourself check out a local RV sales and repair place they should carry or can get lights to suit your needs and install them as they deal with stuff like this alot.Good luck


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Re: What is involved with Installing a Light.
SixShot #353369 January 08th 2010 10:13 pm
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Wiring up a light is not really very hard.If your van has or had a light, the wiring should still be there. If it's there and there are two wires, then one is a positive and the other is a negative.The lights you are looking at are also two wire lights with one lead being black for negative and white for positive.Just hook black to black and the white wire to the other remaining wire left.Now if you have only one wire up there then you will want to connect your negative to the body for a ground and the one wire up there will be your positive(power).And finally if you have no wiring for lights up there then run a power wire from a switched source with an inline fuse and run your negative to the body for ground.Get you a 12 volt test light. Any cheap one from the auto parts store will work.The aligator clip clips on to the body and you put the other end on the wire you are testing for power.Test with your doors closed and use your dome light switch.Maybe someone here has a diagram they can put up to give you a better picture.Also keep checking your fuses in the fuse box as you test. Hope this helps ya some...Al


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Re: What is involved with Installing a Light.
hotrod AL #353375 January 08th 2010 11:43 pm
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can u just swithch out the stock ones for the ones u like?

Re: What is involved with Installing a Light.
65dreamin #353382 January 09th 2010 12:48 am
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This is a new van new as in 2010. There is a light in the cargo area and a light in the drivers area on the ceiling.
I want to install a light in the middle.
There are no wires.


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Re: What is involved with Installing a Light.
1Flyfisher #353404 January 09th 2010 9:58 am
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remove one of the lights and there will be 2 wires one will be a constant positive wire, meaning its always live, and the other wire will be a ground to the door switches. Use a test light to find the positive (put the clip to ground and probe the wires, whichever one makes the test light come on, is your positive wire)
Solder a wire into that wire and run it to your new light, then connect the other wire to ground. If your light doesnt have a switch then you run a wire from the other wire on the original light to the other wire u have on the new light and join them. When u open the door the light will come on.

Unless its an LED light it wont matter which way you connect the wires.

Last edited by PMPWGN; January 09th 2010 9:58 am.

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Re: What is involved with Installing a Light.
PMPWGN #353471 January 09th 2010 5:57 pm
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Thanks guys
This shouldn't be too hard to do.
I didn't realize (DUH) I could TAP INTO the wiring that goes to the light in the rear cargo area. I figured I had to run a wire to the huzyagizmo under the dash or something.

This light won't be a come on when the doors open light. It will be a switch on and off light when I need it light.
Do you think that will make a difference with the wiring that is already in the ceiling? I can't imagine it would. When the light is switched off it would be off...but then again I have no idea about anything electrical.
I imagine the lights this van (GMC Savana 2010) will come with will be able to turn on or off and not just light up when a door opens. I hope so. The light I am buying is this LIGHTS

Do the wire need to be Soldered together? Or will twisting the wires together and putting electrical tape over the ends work?
I can probably borrow a soldering gun from a friend.

Last edited by 1Flyfisher; January 09th 2010 6:57 pm.

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Re: What is involved with Installing a Light.
1Flyfisher #353479 January 09th 2010 7:07 pm
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Got same light in my van from JC Whit,ya have to cut a hole almost as big as light,because of back of light havin mounts and swivels in it,I just took a pc of 3/4" wood and made a spacer like and stained it,then you only need small hole for wires in ceiling,will take few pics and post here tomarrow!O and they take a special shape bulb too....I got the silver ,Very simple to hook up!

Last edited by heavy389; January 09th 2010 7:08 pm.

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Re: What is involved with Installing a Light.
1Flyfisher #353544 January 10th 2010 5:53 am
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always solder and tape your connections, twist and tape is DODGY.

yes there will be a constant positive wire at the factory light, solder a wire into that wire, run it to your new light, solder that to the white wire, and connect the black wire to the body, use a ring terminal and attach it to clean metal.

the constant positive wire will be the one that goes straight to the bulb holder on the light, as the factory light is switched to earth, by either the switch on the light or the door switches, but you will be fine if you do it the way I said, the light will turn on and off with its own switch.


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