I am looking to install "puddle lights" (LED strips) under the inner edge of my doors on my 2012 Mazda 3. The goal is to have the lights come on when you open the door and go off when you close the door.
On this vehicle the computer (body control module) monitors the door latch switch to know if the doors are open or closed.
When the doors are closed, the circuit is closed and it has a ground. When the doors are open, the circuit is open and I measure 12V at the latch on one side (obviously ground on the other all of the time).
I assume this goes through some high resistance in the computer as I am reading 12V because there is no current flow (no current flow = no voltage drop).
I am trying to find the most elegant, and simple way of using this input to trigger my LED lights. They will draw no more than 250mA when they are lit.
Here you can see what I am after. I've done this before with great success on circuits that are normally open.
On this vehicle the computer (body control module) monitors the door latch switch to know if the doors are open or closed.
When the doors are closed, the circuit is closed and it has a ground. When the doors are open, the circuit is open and I measure 12V at the latch on one side (obviously ground on the other all of the time).
I assume this goes through some high resistance in the computer as I am reading 12V because there is no current flow (no current flow = no voltage drop).
I am trying to find the most elegant, and simple way of using this input to trigger my LED lights. They will draw no more than 250mA when they are lit.
Here you can see what I am after. I've done this before with great success on circuits that are normally open.