I looked on line and here but i must not be searching correctly because i think the solution is simple but i cant figure it out...

What I'm trying to do is wire a light to a garage door opener switch so it is on all the time. I have 16 VDC going to the switch. I think I need to wire a high resistance light in parallel with the switch so that it limits the current to the opening motor when the switch is open but that doesn't seem right, how can i accomplish this?

 

i cant figure it out...

Nor can anyone else without more info .
Post a schematic of your door opener wiring.

 

The manufacturer's schematic is not likely to help much. Presumably, you have only two wires going to the switch. You have measured the open circuit voltage (switch open) and you read 16Vdc.

Now make a new measurement: Put your DMM in the Adc mode, and connect it across the switch and read the current that it takes to get the door moving.

Say that the DMM reads 100mAdc. That would suggest that it safe to connect something across the open switch which draws <10% of that reading, say 10mA, without effecting the normal operation.

Try it. Use an LED with a series resistor that limits the current 10mA or less. R = (16-Vf)/0.01 ≈ 1.2K. Most modern indicator LEDs will be more than bright enough with 10mA.

Good news. My garage door operator wall switch has the internal LED with only two wires going to it, so they are doing just what I described.

 

Attached is what i have, the inner workings of how the light illuminates without triggering the electric motor (when the button is pressed) is what escapes me.

 

Mike beat me to the punch. My recommendation is the same as his.

 

Attached is what i have, the inner workings of how the light illuminates without triggering the electric motor (when the button is pressed) is what escapes me.

The Light goes out during the time the button is pushed. Read above...

 

.... A high brightness LED with suitable resistor in series should work for that.

I beat ya, I beat ya...

 

ok so i was close, just didn't know how to do it, thanks