Courtesy light wire help

[Garrett Liley]

New owner of a sweet 98 K2500. Has diamond plate running boards so I got the led light strips for them. I got to the last wire, courtesy lights. I’ve looked on line at different schematics but can’t seem to find what I’m looking for. Does anyone know what wire I should be looking for so when the courtesy lights are on, it would power the led’s? I’ve tried the orange and the white wires and schooled myself on those. Not sure what the next step would be. Thanks in advance.

 

[LUDLOW]

Man I'm right here with you wondering the same damn thing

 

[BuildStuff]

Would one of those wires come from that little momentary switch mounted to the dashboard by the door panel? That is the switch that pops up when you open the door, it looks like a small plastic rod. I think that switch lets the courtesy lights know when the door is open or closed, so as to either turn said lights on or off. I would either trace those wires on the actual truck, or look for that switch on a diagram, confirm wire colors, perhaps probe for voltage at the right time.

 

[Garrett Liley]

I’ve messed with those as well. It’s got to be a relay way up in the dash that I can’t see.

 

[98chevy2500SS]

There is a fuse for the courtesy lights that should only come on with the doors I think, so you could tap into that by wedging the wire in where the fuse is at. It's #3 CTSY on the dash side fuse panel.

 

[Garrett Liley]

I’ll check again but I think that is hot at all times, I thought. Both sides. I’ve messed with it so much I forget what different situations I’ve done.

 

[BuildStuff]

Is this diagram useful?

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It says 'typical' 1996 and later courtesy lamp system. It would appear you may be looking for that orange wire coming from the interior lamp control module. I couldn't tell you where exactly that is atm.
Edit: after looking at the second diagram, it looks like you need the orange wire, coming from fuse#3 for power and the control wire which is white, coming either from lamp module or the keyless entry module, depending on which you have. The white wire appears to complete the circuit by providing ground through said module. I think.

 

[Garrett Liley]

So the orange wire is what I had the LED’s hooked up to originally. Lights came on but didn’t go out when the dome lights went out. Perhaps I didn’t wait enough time with my 10 year old asking me 20 questions. I’ll check it out again. I had also tried the white wire, it has power after the doors are closed.

 

[BuildStuff]

Did you use that white wire as the ground with the orange as power? There will be 12 volts on that white wire, but it appears to be the ground wire for that circuit, as when any of the jamb switches close, or the courtesy lamp switch on the headlight switch close , that white becomes a ground for said system since the other side of those switches ( which for all intents act like a wire) goes to chassis ground. I can't tell if you used the white as a power wire (since it will show 12 volts), or in conjunction with the orange.

 

[Garrett Liley]

for my LED running board lights it shares the ground with the running lights and blinkers. There’s only one wire to be hooked up for the courtesy light to come on. Hope I typed that so it made sense. I have tried the orange, light came on but didn’t go out when door was closed. Whe I tried the white wire, light comes on when door is closed and off when door is open.