electrical problem

Can anyone help, I am trying to fit extra lighting in the kitchen by using a sticky back LED strip with an electrical connection from the awning light switch, this is a standard arcatrave switch with a warning light,as regularly used by AS. Trouble is if I put the awning light on, the strip light goes off, can anyone tell me how to get both to come on together, there must be some way of doing it.

Brian

Don't know how you've wired it but LEDs are polarity sensitive - is it possible you've got it the wrong way round?

murph wrote: Can anyone help, I am trying to fit extra lighting in the kitchen by using a sticky back LED strip with an electrical connection from the awning light switch, this is a standard arcatrave switch with a warning light,as regularly used by AS. Trouble is if I put the awning light on, the strip light goes off, can anyone tell me how to get both to come on together, there must be some way of doing it.

Brian

So, what your're saying is that the new striplight is 'on' when the awning switch is 'off'!! something already wrong there.
New light black wire to earth, red wire to switched side of awning switch, so, when in 'on' position, BOTH lights recieve a 12v supply.

Hi Modelman,
I am aware that L E Ds are polarity sensitive and and they do work providing the awning light is off, but switch the awning light on and the L E Ds go off, I was hoping that an electrician out there could tell me what is happening and what if anything I can do about it.

Brian

Brian, not sure if your panel is a Sargent, if so go on their website and have a look at the CW diag for the panel and psu

Hi Murph
I think the first thing to do is establish the permanent 12 volt positive supply to the architrave switch using a multimeter or 12 volt circuit tester and operating the switch to see if the supply is maintained and is not affected by the switching if so this can be used to supply 12 volt positive supply to the switch on the LED fitting. Using the same method establish the negative or earth or ground as our American cousins refer to it, this can possibly also be found at the architrave as the negative supply the indicator lamp but once again do ensure that it is maintained when the switch is operated if not an alternative negative/earth/ground supply will have to be sourced and as this is common throughout the van should not be to difficult to find (famous last words).
If the terminals on the switch are numbered they are usually
1 12V + supply
2 Load
3 Negative -supply to indicator lamp.
Multimeters are a really handy tool to keep in the van as they can be used for a variety of tasks testing voltages,fuses,continuity of wiring,tracing circuits and charging problems etc a cheap model which would be fit for purpose can be purchased for under a tenner from Amazon or Maplin and could prove to be invaluable.
If none of the above works would it be possible to find an alternative supply from an adjacent existing light fitting this would be my preferred method if wiring could be concealed.
Hope this will be of some use. Cheers John.

Thanks for the advice chaps, but I have now solved the problem, by connecting to the silly rocking lens light that AS fit to light the step inside,(difficult to get at when standing in the van.) Both my strip lights and the step light both work properly now though I felt if the same thing had happened there it wouldn't have mattered as we dont normally use that light anyway. As you say a multimeter is a very useful tool, But does have limited use for those with only limited electrical knowledge.

Brian