JohnnyGlock
New Member
I am very new to electronics as a hobby and was wondering if someone out there can possibly point me in the right direction.
I wired in some custom LEDs replacing my car's stock incandescent bulb. It looks awesome, but then I found out that the car's circuitry is such that the glovebox light is always on (with the headlights on)!!
I would like to wire in some kind of switch so that the light is only ON when the box is OPENED and OFF when the box is closed.
Trying to figure this out, I picked up some "momentary tact" switches (**broken link removed**), and a "detect switch" (**broken link removed**) from radio shack. I like the detect switch because it's small and I think would be best for this application, but it's rated for only 5VDC/1mAh. So how can I use it in my car?
I also picked up some transistors, as I heard they can be used as switches, and I got some photocells to experiment with them. But as it turns out the photocells resist TOO much (they need too much light to lower the resistance enough to light up the LEDs). And since these lights will most likely only be on at night, I'm guessing that's not a good idea here?
Finally, I saw a magnetic switch alarm at the dollar store (one of those types where you fasten onto windows and doors), so i picked one up, thinking that I can use the magnetic switching mechanism detached from the speaker/alarm. But when I tried that, I realized the two wires going to the speakers, alternate SOMETHING (voltage? current? idunno), I guess because the speaker membrane has to oscillate back and forth to make that shrieking alarm sound, so when I tested with an LED it would just blink really rapidly and I think it might have killed it completely.
What would be my best option here? Thanks again for your help in advance.
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I wired in some custom LEDs replacing my car's stock incandescent bulb. It looks awesome, but then I found out that the car's circuitry is such that the glovebox light is always on (with the headlights on)!!
I would like to wire in some kind of switch so that the light is only ON when the box is OPENED and OFF when the box is closed.
Trying to figure this out, I picked up some "momentary tact" switches (**broken link removed**), and a "detect switch" (**broken link removed**) from radio shack. I like the detect switch because it's small and I think would be best for this application, but it's rated for only 5VDC/1mAh. So how can I use it in my car?
I also picked up some transistors, as I heard they can be used as switches, and I got some photocells to experiment with them. But as it turns out the photocells resist TOO much (they need too much light to lower the resistance enough to light up the LEDs). And since these lights will most likely only be on at night, I'm guessing that's not a good idea here?
Finally, I saw a magnetic switch alarm at the dollar store (one of those types where you fasten onto windows and doors), so i picked one up, thinking that I can use the magnetic switching mechanism detached from the speaker/alarm. But when I tried that, I realized the two wires going to the speakers, alternate SOMETHING (voltage? current? idunno), I guess because the speaker membrane has to oscillate back and forth to make that shrieking alarm sound, so when I tested with an LED it would just blink really rapidly and I think it might have killed it completely.
What would be my best option here? Thanks again for your help in advance.
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