Door Light switch

[Guest outlaw car man]

Trying to understand how a door light switch works installed on a classic car.

The one I have ( 1930s vintage repo) has a single led into it, and is insulated from the body by a rubber gasket. ( should be anyway )

I have a ( single led/ one wire) positive into it, but how can it ( single led ) make contact without being grounded. If I have the positive led going into it, then directly to the dome light, the dome light of course stays on.

What am I missing other then a brain ???

Remember, it's insulated from anything but the ONE wire coming into it.

No good on electrical !

Thanks

[F&J]

[quote has a single led into it, and is insulated from the body by a rubber gasket. ( should be anyway )

]

If the door switch only has one wire, then it should not be insulated from the metal door post. The single wire is for grounding the circuit.

The power feed wire goes to the light itself, and then when the door opens, a contact is made inside the door post switch to make a ground.....so that's why the switch body needs a good ground.

[Rusty_OToole]

It is connected to the ground wire from the light. The switch is supposed to be insulated when pushed in and grounded when released.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Do not know what car you have, but another scenero[sic] is that the LIGHT is already grounded. The switch is insulated at mounting. The wire to switch is HOT. Switch is open when the door is closed. Closed, completing circuit when door is open.

Ben

[Guest outlaw car man]

Thank all-

I'm still confused - The DOOR switch only has one wire coming off it- OK.

The LIGHT switch , as an example, has a wire coming in and a wire going out. I understand this . Push the button up lights ( yes grounded at the dome lights- car has two) ) lights go on circut is made, push button down, lights go off circuit is closed.

The door switch should basically be the same, a basic light switch except using a button. Door open, button out, lights on, circuit made. Door closes, button in, lights off, circuit off . OK ?

However the button has , came with, a rubber gasket to insulate it from the body. So, it's just a different configured light switch.

The single wire throws me- ( I think you've figured out I'm a newbie at this ) If it works similar to a light switch, then it SHOULD have power feeding into it & then power feeding out of it to the dome lights WITH ANOTHER WIRE just like the light switch, right ?

Where am I ??? What a trouble it is figuring this out. Doesn't make sense compared to the light switch....... frustrated.

I'm working on a 1933 Buick 90. Very basic & simple usually-

Appreciate the help here-

OCM

[dictator27]

Where does the wire to the door switch come from?

Terry

[Rusty_OToole]

Does the rubber gasket insulate the switch when the button is out?

[dictator27]

Hi OCM

There is no way an insulated switch can work with a single wire. Are you absolutely sure the switch is correct? It isn't missing a connection/contact? There isn't another wire in the door post?

Terry

[Larry Schramm]

Is it possible that one of the terminals broke off the switch. Some later switches actually had two terminals.

[Guest outlaw car man]

Think it's solved - I called the company that supplied the switch- We went over it- Yes, it is a one terminal switch -

The two terminal switches for my 1933 Buick, and others I guess, aren't made OR you find an original and punt !

What we figured out, is I have to Rube Goldberg a positive into the switch body, still insulated from the car body, and then run the SINGLE wire out to the dome lights.

Basically I have to use this single terminal switch and make it into a double connection switch.

Not sure how I'm going to do this, but like everything else in these old birds, have to improvise or get a time machine-

THANKS for all the comments, appreciate it. Wish me luck, shouldn't be to bad ?