Guys:
Following on from a few recent threads on general stuff re fitting Verada interior lights, has anybody here successfully wired their rear maps lights into the existing std centre interior light ie, by running wiring between roof and roof lining for pos and switched pos, and then just earthing to the metal behind the C-pilllar) ??

It seems to me I could spend ages taking apart the rear of the car to find the left and right looms, finding appropriate power, tapping into those, then finding an earth. But it seems to me that putting all the interior lights on the same circuit makes most sense.

My plans to look at looms etc for the c-pillar lamps came to nought over the last couple of days.

Your plan is tempting, but how are you going to run the power across under the roof lining?
In TJ Exec I had real hassle getting a very thin wire from top of drivers A-pillar to the central roof lamp (it was for a set of 4 LED lamps I put in front footwells and either side of centre console, shining into rear footwells). I had a "springy grabber" gadget which helped, but was nowhere near long enough. To get from that centre lamp to the rear 3/4 panels would be more hassle I reckon?

On Drivers side of car, lots of loom comes under carpet and scuff-plates, then up around wheel-arch before splitting into rear parcel shelf (audio) and boot (tail-lights etc)..... not far from drivers 3/4 panel was where the stray plug was found. BUT, I'm struggling to think what would be constant Pos and switched Pos in that loom. Possibly the boot lamp?

Running from ceiling lamp is becoming an increasingly attractive option. I really don't wanna drop the headlining (never done it in a 3rd gen), but it might be the way to go - I also have a ding in roof (courtesy of prev owner) so maybe I could give that a tap from the underside at the same time.

And the ceiling lamp will have constant power plus "doors open" power - so rear lamps can be switched individually (from constant power) by passengers, and come on with any door open.........

Would it be easier to tap into the ceiling lamp wires under the dash (or in drivers A-pillar), and run the wires along drivers side, then across under parcel shelf? For the cost of a few metres wire, it may be less hassle than poking above headlining, or pulling the headlining?

I was thinking of shooting down to Bunnings and getting one of those long semi rigid plastic strips that cable guys and house electricians use for feeding cable through tight spots. I should be able to feed this (with wire attached) in from the hole for the roof centre lamp, and then across to each C-pillar. That way I don't have to disturb the rooflining or go rooting around for wire and plugs under the dash.

Assuming I can do this though, can anybody see any fatal flaws with my idea of running everything from the existing roof light wiring loom???

My plans to look at looms etc for the c-pillar lamps came to nought over the last couple of days.

Your plan is tempting, but how are you going to run the power across under the roof lining?
In TJ Exec I had real hassle getting a very thin wire from top of drivers A-pillar to the central roof lamp (it was for a set of 4 LED lamps I put in front footwells and either side of centre console, shining into rear footwells). I had a "springy grabber" gadget which helped, but was nowhere near long enough. To get from that centre lamp to the rear 3/4 panels would be more hassle I reckon?

On Drivers side of car, lots of loom comes under carpet and scuff-plates, then up around wheel-arch before splitting into rear parcel shelf (audio) and boot (tail-lights etc)..... not far from drivers 3/4 panel was where the stray plug was found. BUT, I'm struggling to think what would be constant Pos and switched Pos in that loom. Possibly the boot lamp?

Running from ceiling lamp is becoming an increasingly attractive option. I really don't wanna drop the headlining (never done it in a 3rd gen), but it might be the way to go - I also have a ding in roof (courtesy of prev owner) so maybe I could give that a tap from the underside at the same time.

And the ceiling lamp will have constant power plus "doors open" power - so rear lamps can be switched individually (from constant power) by passengers, and come on with any door open.........

Would it be easier to tap into the ceiling lamp wires under the dash (or in drivers A-pillar), and run the wires along drivers side, then across under parcel shelf? For the cost of a few metres wire, it may be less hassle than poking above headlining, or pulling the headlining?

Dropping the headlining is the easiest thing ever in a 3rd gen, its held on by the handles above the doors and the visors, unscrew them and it falls right off. I recently swapped mine over, I would recommend doing that.

Nope,
I am about to do this as well, I bought the same lights, for the rear C pillar lights, are you using a template to locate the lights, as I was going to scale up some photos of some in a KH, but it would be better if I could get some dimensions, location is easy as the hole is already there in the C pillar.
Cheers,
HK

Dropping the headlining is the easiest thing ever in a 3rd gen, its held on by the handles above the doors and the visors, unscrew them and it falls right off. I recently swapped mine over, I would recommend doing that.
So you didn't have to remove the A-pillar trims or upper B-pillar trims too??

Nope,
I am about to do this as well, I bought the same lights, for the rear C pillar lights, are you using a template to locate the lights, as I was going to scale up some photos of some in a KH, but it would be better if I could get some dimensions, location is easy as the hole is already there in the C pillar.
Cheers,
HK
pm me your address and I'll make you a template :)

Guys - I popped this yarn into another post too.... but I did mum's TJ Exec today.

I had C-pillar trims with courtesy lamps from wreckers, and got about 30cms of loom below each courtesy lamp too.

In the end, I crimped a spade lug onto the Earth (Black) wire from each Courtesy Light, and screwed this into a convenient screw hole behind the C-pillar trim.

Using Crimp Joiners, I extended the Rear Passenger Courtesy lamp "power" and "door switch" wires across the car to Drivers side Rear Courtesy lamp - made a Y-junction of these wires.

I then ran the "power" and "door switch" wires forward above the drivers side doors, tucking well up under headlining, esp near rear grab handle (to avoid squashing wires when grab-handle screwed down). You need to pop the Drivers B-Pillar trim at the top, but don't need to remove it.

I removed the drivers A-pillar trim. The "power" (red) and "door switch" (red/white) wires run up the A-Pillar as a figure-eight cable, on their way to the centre roof lamp. You need to seperate a few inches or more of the figure-eight cable to allow joining-in your wires to rear of car.

I used the "splice" type wire joiners in the A-pillar - the type where you lay the wires side by side in a plastic housing, then squash a metal plate in with pliers - slots in the plate pierce the insulation of each wire and provide the electrical contact. By staggering these splice-connectors a few inches along the wires, you can easily fit them under the A-Pillar trim.

I just found there was plenty of wire to play with under the A-pillar, and was much more accessible than at the centre-lamp. Running wires back along drivers side by poking up the edge of the headling at door rubbers was also easy-as.

Very happy with the rear lamps! :D :)

Well, today it was the turn of my TJ Sports to get the rear courtesy lamps wired-up.

This TJ (II) Sports had a bit of loom come up the rear passenger wheel-arch (off the floor loom, I guess) and this MUST be intended for the rear courtesy lamps - it had 3 wires terminating to correct style plug for the courtesy lamp unit, and the wire colours were exact match - Green/Orange, Black, Red/Black. However, attaching this piece of loom did nothing and I couldn't be bothered tracing it back to see where it went. There was NIL corresponding piece of loom in the drivers side.

I did the same install as described above for mum's TJ Exec.
a/ Ran earth from each courtesy lamp to body panel behind C-pillar trim.
b/ Ran "Power" and "Door Switch" wires from passenger courtesy lamp across to Drivers side courtesy lamp, and made a Y-junction of each of these wires.
c/ Ran a wire for "Power" and "Door Switches" above the headlining above doors on drivers side - remove rear grab handle and just "pop" the top of B-pillar trim. Poke wires up from under edge of headlining.
d/ Remove Drivers A-pillar trim. Seperate a length of the "figure-8" cable which runs to ceiling lamps - its one wire Red and the other wire Red/White. Use "splice" connectors to join "Power" for courtesy lamps into the RED wire in A-pillar, and join "Door Switch" wire into the RED/WHITE wire in A-pillar.
e/ Replace A-pillar trim. Tuck edge of headlining back in to door rubbers. Bump the top section of B-Pillar trim into its clips. Replace C-pillar trims (AFTER checking lights are "go", of course).
f/ Open doors and gaze with wonder when rear courtesy lamps light up. If I had a beer, I'd probably go for the ring-pull about now. Except its freezing and windy.

I happened across a pair of red LED bulbs, but think they will be too dim to use in rear courtesy lamps. CBF trying them just now. I have red bulbs in the front footwell lights of the Sports, which aren't too bad - keep the generally red/black interior theme going and are fairly practical too. I doubt if red LEDS in the rear courtesy lamps would provide useful illumination, and might make the car resemble a brothel.

If anyone has LED in rear courtesy lamps and finds them usesul, please drop a line with details.

Got mine done on Saturday too. In the end I found it easiest to mount the earth to the c-pillar and run the active wires (using a bent coathanger) above the rooflining to the centre roof light. Splicing in some extra wire length at the roof light gave me enough wire length to splice the c pillar maplight wiring. Doing it this way meant all I had to do was remove the rear grab handles and the top section of door opening rubber