An enhanced Dome light for your 'Burb

    Your classic Suburban is a large vehicle, and probably has the original anemic dome light. You can hardly see anything in the front at night, let alone in the back end. This is the solution to that annoying problem. This project puts a bright dome light at each end of the 'Burb. The special switch setup makes the lights bright with both on, dim in the front only, and off with the doors open during times when they are left open. (such as a job site) Below is the wiring diagram.  

The switch is a sub mini center off type. The lights HAVE to be mounted with rubber grommets to isolate them from the truck's frame. Put the mounting screws in somewhat loose to keep the rubber from squishing and shorting to ground, otherwise the lights will stay on all the time! The "dim" light is a small indicator light with a white lens. The tiny bulb will put out white light, but not much of it. You can see in the cab at night while driving, but it won't effect seeing out the windshield. The center off keeps the lights from turning on with the doors open. You can leave the switch in any desired position, because the door and headlight switches operate the dome light just like it does in a stock truck. With it on bright, both lights come on with an open door. Mount the slave light somewhere in the rear area. 18 gauge speaker wire works great for the run to the slave light. I removed the side trim and run the wire under it, then stuffed it in the ceiling rails to the center. The original dome wiring is all you need at the front light. The wiring from the door switches and fuse box is drawn for clarity of the circuits.

 

This is the dome light setup in my truck. I used the pillow block type compartment light you can get at Schuck's, Al's Auto Supply, etc. The swiveling reading lights have one side white, and the other is red for night map reading. The small light on the side is explained below.	A view from the rear. The cowboy hat is in a police car type hat holder. You can order one from Galls. They are a Police/Fire/EMT/Rescue supplier and have the best flashlights ever made too. The fans are cheap air conditioning. And, yes, I did chop a hole for the sunroof, but It's great!!
At the upper left is a Dialight indicator light. I have these all over my truck because they look 50's 60's and fit the truck's decor. I used this one to project light onto the dashboard. It has an amber glass lens, and is mounted with a 'P' clamp. I leave it on 24 hours a day, and it gives the impression of a street light on somewhere outside. It's not even noticeable unless it's turned off. Being the 1960's truck it is, everything on the dash isn't lit up in pretty reds greens & blues like a new vehicle! And I wouldn't want it that way either!	These indicator lights are found in old government equipment at surplus stores. You can still get Dialight (brand) from Allied Electronics, but the fixtures and lens are sold separately (mainly because there's hundreds of lens styles) and are rather expensive, therefor the surplus market is the first place to look.  Pictured is a few of the jewel lens that I have in various colors and styles. The glass dome ones look the best for an "old" look. The bulb is a GE # 47 and draws less then 1/5 of an amp.

   

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