Cabin light install

[rrrr]

After installing a dome light in my deuce and liking it, I decided to do the same for my 932.

The unit itself is grounded so all that's needed is a power wire. I decided to just tap into the battery directly and put a 5 amp fuse in line. Works great and you don't have to turn on the battery switch for it to work.

 

[srodocker]

nice mod. im planning on using some mini rv dome lights. a red/white set on each side. should be plenty of light.

 

[Digger09]

I just picked 1 of those up 2 weeks ago. I plan on installing it somewhere but I need to find a spot since I have a soft top.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I have these in my trucks. Working on a super efficient LED conversion now.

 

[DieselBob]

Nice install. I like the way you made a clamp style mounting and not having to drill holes. I wanted to get one that had the red and white lenses for my deuce until the price on them went through the roof.

 

[Blueduce]

I've seen a great idea for mounting these dome lights to soft tops between the horizontal stretcher bars behind your head. I had seen a pick a while ago but can't find it now. They had used a flat 1/16 thick galvanized plate. The ones with the pre-drilled holes . (you can find at Homers) they fitted it between the bars and cut it to allow enough extra so it could be bent 3/4 of the way around each bar. They used a few tap screws to mount the plate to each bar and painted it to match. They used black cable ties to run the power chord to the bottom rail.

I've also seen them mounted to the dash just to the left of the glove box but I like the plate mount better. The only drawback I can see to this would maybe be if you plan on going topless.

 

[nf6x]

Here is how I installed one of these lights in an M109A3 with a soft cab top. I no longer have this truck. I got it from Bruce Kubu, and it's the best looking MV I have owned so far.

Full sized picture is here. I'm not in front of a computer where I can resize it for attachment right now... Will edit post later if I remember.

 

[rrrr]

Nice install. I like the way you made a clamp style mounting and not having to drill holes. I wanted to get one that had the red and white lenses for my deuce until the price on them went through the roof.

I did drill two small holes in the support rib on the cab to hold the two metal strips in place and provide grounds for the light to work.

It is definitely nice having the light at night when you need to get all your stuff out of the cab.

 

[nf6x]

Here's an attachment of the photo I linked to earlier (the link still points to a higher-resolution version).

I like rrrr's installation. Nice and neat! I'd probably add a ground wire rather than relying on the hard top's interior straps, but I'm a belt-and-suspenders kind of guy when it comes to herding electrons.

Hmm, now I need to dig up another one of those dome lights. I sold the one in my picture along with the truck, and I'm going to want to put one in my new M925, I think. Maybe one in my HMMWV, too.

Edited to add: I might as well include a description in case it's not immediately obvious what I did. I noticed that the light housing fit nicely between the two rear horizontal bows under that vinyl soft top, so I came up with the idea of using padded pipe clamps ("P loops") to hang it from the bows. It worked nicely, was super easy, and didn't require any drilling. The housing does need a ground connection in this case, since the P loops don't provide electrical continuity, and I wouldn't expect the soft top bows to provide a reliable ground path, anyway. Any one of the four mounting bolts can provide the ground connection, with a toothed lock washer to cut through the lamp's paint and dig into the metal housing.

I haven't installed one of these under a hard top, and I'll probably copy what rrrr did when I do. Thanks!

 

[59apache]

my dome light - works good.

 

[JCKnife]

my dome light - works good.

I like that but my rifle holder is there so chose to do the zip-ties on soft-top frame as someone else pictured above.

 

[59apache]

i like the installation fron NF6X also, but most time i drive with open top. so i've decided this way, closing the top without moving the loops is not so funny.

 

[Vintage iron]

Great modification! I plan on mounting two in my M813. One for the navigator and one for the driver. Then I won't need my work light to see in the cab! I might even put one under the hood for emergancy repairs?

I have some APC dome lights in the classifieds if you need some for your truck.

 

[nf6x]

My HMMWV and my M923 (which is still waiting at the GL yard in Barstow) could each use one of these. PM sent!

 

[steelandcanvas]

I noticed that the light housing fit nicely between the two rear horizontal bows under that vinyl soft top, so I came up with the idea of using padded pipe clamps ("P loops") to hang it from the bows.,.

I zip-tied my light housing to the soft top support, but I like the "P Loops" better, looks cleaner than zip ties. My supports provided a good ground, so I just made a little ground jumper from the housing to the supports, and ran the hot to the firewall where I added a 15 amp self-resetting circuit breaker.

 

[nf6x]

Very nice! I like how you use the proper circuit breakers, Packard connectors, and Packard Y adapters. Nice and neat.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Thank you for the compliment nf6x! I'm very anal about any electrical mods on my truck and I enjoy making them look like a "motorpool installation". You probably can't tell from the photo, but the wire is even Mil-Spec.

 

[nf6x]

Where did you find the mil-spec wire? I've been using silicone rubber machine tool wire from my favorite industrial supplier. It's fairly close to the wire in my later-model trucks, but the insulation is a bit thicker, so it's hard to get into the Packard boots.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Where did you find the mil-spec wire? I've been using silicone rubber machine tool wire from my favorite industrial supplier. It's fairly close to the wire in my later-model trucks, but the insulation is a bit thicker, so it's hard to get into the Packard boots.

Erik's Military Surplus. I use a little spray silicone when assembling the wire through the boots, used liberally, it helps when connecting and disconnecting. Here's the link for the wire:

Prestolite Wire For Military Vehicles, 14 AWG, M13486/1-5