Dimmer Wire tap on 3rd gen

So, do I have this correct? See below....

 

Edit to add... close but no cigar. So I still need assistance.

I have it hooked up the way I have shown, from my understanding of other posts. I checked last night when it was dark and they didn't light. But when I drove it today when it was light, they were lit, although the other switches weren't. When I turned the lights on, the other switches lit up, and these went dark.

Also, there's another post on the forum where a member is making "daisy chain" in-line cables, so you don't have to cut factory wiring. I wish I had seen that post before I went at the wiring with my cutters. I still did a good job, but I did have to cut the wiring.

 

Howdy...did you ever figure it out? Just wired a CH4x4 switch for my LEDs and can't find the cable to connect the "Red2" wire.

 

Nevermind. The answer is in this thread. Dimmer cable is the green wire on the truck bed light switch.

 

I did:

GREEN - 12VDC (+) (low current, this is just to fire the relay coil, I have this wired via add-a-fuse to a switched circuit)
RED1 - to the relay coil
RED2 - ILLUM (+) - this is the cargo light green wire
BLACK - Ground

It functions as expected, although it is NOT dimmable.

Check this thread for more info: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/accessory-wiring-with-ch4x4-switches-switch-illumination.655239/

User caribe makaira was exceptionally helpful in making sense of it. Scroll to Post #12 on that thread for the actual switch "internals" wiring diagram.

I also came across a post where someone was making some connector "extensions" that would allow tapping without cutting the factory wiring. Had I seen that before I brandished my wire cutters and soldering iron, I would have pursued it. Sorry, don't have that link any more.

 

Awesome info. Thank you. Will continue tackling it Monday.

 

Thanks folks. This post was super helpful - especially the picture calling out the brown wire and implying the dash panel was easily removed. This got me right to the finish line on my lightbar using a relay and the same switch.

RZ Rob

 

Dashboard lights actually dim by varying the ground side potential. So the ground on the switch is not "ground" ground to metal somewhere, but needs to be the ground side of another switch illumination circuit. ie: the cargo light switch has a switch ground (I can't recall the color offhand), as well as an illumination ground (tan). This "illumination ground" is the ground you need to control your new switch illumination.

HTH

 

@caribe makaira

So by wiring up the ground to the regulated wire, did anyone get their cheap switches to dim? I just assumed they didn't.

Im about to take mine apart and use a simple piece of dimmer tape, but if they actually are dimmable, I'll do that instead.

$1 LIGHTDIMS Original Strength - LED dimming Covers for Routers, Electronics and Appliances and More. Dims 50-80% of Light, in Minimal Packaging Light (1 Sheet).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CLVEQCO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ZX5-Fb4DPD183

 

Some have been able to get it done...most have not.

 

I ended up putting a variable resistor on the positive for my accessory’s (boost gauge in my case) backlight and adjusting the resistance to match the light intensity to where I keep my other dash lights.

 

Yep. on the switch, green and red 1 are whatever you are switching. doesn't matter if it's positive or negative, all it does is complete the circuit.
Red 2 goes to the light green on any illuminated switch (ie: cargo light switch).
black goes to the beige or tan on any illuminated switch.

on all illuminated switches on the tacoma, green is "positive" and beige/tan is "negative."
Beige/tan does go to ground, but its easier to just tap the wiring at the switch.

However, not all after-market switches are dimmable. If your switch is not dimmable, it will look like "on/off" because when the voltage drops below a certain point, it will just go dark.

 

I’m interested in doing this but can’t find a write up on it. Do you mind explaining how you did it?