Hella Illuminated Switch

[JGBimle]

Iv been wondering about this for a while but such a minor problem I never took time to figure it out. I have two switches for my Hella 500s. They are the round green switches that come with the lights that Im sure some of you are using. They are supposed to be illuminated but neither of mine ever are illuminated and Im wondering if others have this problem or if there is a certain way they need to be wired to illuminate.

An illuminated switch would be very nice to have so If anyone knows of other round similar size illuminated switches let me know.

Thanks!

 

[Airmapper]

Are there 3 prongs on the back? If they are illuminated they will have 3 prongs, 2 for the trigger wire (+ in and + out) [assuming a positive triggered relay] and the 3rd is (-) ground for the little light inside the switch. If it's not grounded the switch won't illuminate. If you set up a ground triggered relay it won't work either.

I have one at home, if I can remember I'll look at it and check if it's illuminated or not, I made my own switch panel and didn't use it.

 

[JGBimle]

Its three prong and I do have the switches grounded. I can try a better ground maybe

 

[NMTerras]

mine didn't illuminate either, grounded.

 

[Airmapper]

I got mine out and it lit up. Not the brightest bulb in the box but it glowed.

My first guess is they are cheap junk as to why they don't light up for you guys. But on the same note I've used several junky cheap illuminated switches, and if you don't overload them they work fine. You guys are using relays right?

Could be a few things if they plain aren't broken, and you can take them out to test. Either your ground isn't going to ground, as in whatever you attached it too isn't in contact with the rest of the vehicles metal bits, or you have a switched ground connection, not likely unless you did something special with the wiring.

 

[JGBimle]

I had kinda thought all along they might just be cheap but I have two in the truck so Id have thought at least one would work. I think my dad has a tester Il try out. Im leaning towards just buying two different switches I like better

And very off topic but just saw in your sig you have a couple Broncos...are there pics in your build? I love Broncos haha

 

[Airmapper]

If your going with new switches, I really like the Off-On-Off (SPDF) switches, reason being you can wire them 2 ways in one. I did this on my Bronco's set of Hella's. I have a Blue LED over a On-Off-On switch, the upward ON is auto, if I have high beams on this supplies power to the switch which triggers the relay. Middle is Off, no AUX lights. Downward On is On anytime, but only if the key is on (keep me from running the battery down.) The blue LED comes on whenever AUX lights are on, in auto mode this also is a high beam indicator, in manual On, it's a reminder. Actually it's a bit too bright, I didn't realize it would light the whole cab.

And yes I have Bronco pics. :smiley: Mind you they are nowhere near being finished. I had a thread here, it has links to the albums: LINK (The '70 Bronco has photos of my switch panel, and some of the custom wiring. I disassembled and re-built a OEM late model Ford fuse/relay box to run all the major electrical systems.)

 

[Muadeeb]

Blue tends to be extremely bright. It has something to do with the wavelength being so short and refracting off the lens of your eye and hitting the VERY sensitive receptors at the edge of the eye. I have a phone charger with a blue LED and have it turned so the light goes to the passenger's feet. It's so bright I could read by it.