Bed lighting question

Ok, so i want to put led strips in the truck bed, and I'm bring to figure out what switches to use..... i want to be able to do this for example: turn the lights on from the bed, and turn them off from in the cab if i forget to turn them off....

To do that i heard i need a 3 pole switch...

So my question is, what is a 3 pole switch, does that mean it literally had 3 "poles" the attachment point of the wires, or does it mean something else....

also, does anyone know if this is 3 pole?

http://www.oznium.com/gsw-45

 

can anyone help me out?

 

one more bump before i go to bed, don't mean to be obnoxious about it, its just really killing me! really want to do this mod, and for it to look nice and clean

 

last bump to see if anyone can help me...

 

Your link is a single pole switch, I think.

You need a pair of double-pole-single-throw switches.

When I did mine, I wired up an indicator light in the cab in parallel with the bed lights so I don't leave it on accidentally.

 

I uploaded a schematic picture to TW live, you can look at it there.

If you feel particularly ambitious, paste the photo back into this thread. But that's a pain via tapatalk.

 

Yup, that is a single-pole/single throw switch which will not do what you're looking for. I don't have a source for the correct switch, but here's something to explain what you're trying to do-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiway_switching

 

theres the schematic he uploaded to TW live, I'm starting to understand now....now if only i could find a stock looking double pole single throw switch

 

$10 Gardner Bender GSW-14 Electrical Toggle Switch, DPST, ON-OFF, 2 A/125V AC, Screw Terminal

http://www.amazon.com/GB-Electrical...WLK9/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1329591087&sr=8-5

So just a pair of these would do the trick? If so i could make it look clean by modding one of the dash switch hole covers

 

if you want to eliminate the oh shit, and if your going to use that for any amount of power consumption do not forget a relay, your cab switch can be powered from an ignition wire, and than that ignition wire could run through the switch to the power side of the relay kind of like this

 

any switch really for automotive use should have a dpst setting, but yes would work no problems

 

Im not really that adept in wiring, so what exactly would the relay do? just so I have everything straight

 

if youve wired amp's before its the same concept as that

soo the reason i like them is, it makes the source power not come from the switch, it also gives you overamp protection

so in theory you can take a power source from your ignition which will add minimal load therefore also isolating having to put yet another fuse in your ignition line

this way also make it so you take power directly from your battery and run your own fuse sizing according the max current on the lights

i can draw a little better diagram if you like, which may make it a little less confusing, im not using any technicial PI&D symbols because to the untrained eye they can be confusing

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxl1B0tpq6U&feature=related

you should watch some of these videos, gives you a better idea of automotive relays

 

alright, thanks a lot!!! i'll check them out when i get back to my dorm

 

Personally, I went straight from the battery, so no need for a relay.

This is because I don't want to have to go around to the cab and stick a key in the ignition, just to load/unload the bed at night.

Yes the downside is they can drain the battery. This is why I put an indicator light in the cab, so I don't accidentally bump the switch and leave them on.

 

That's the correct diagram. The correct term for the switches you need is "single pole, double throw" or "SPDT" There will be three terminals on the switch. They come with or without a center "off" position. For your application, get the one without the center "off". You should be able to find a plastic rocker switch in that configuration.

 

Awesome! so just for reference, the one i linked above won't work for that correct?

 

I alway get DPST and SPDT but the diagram on Wikipedia right now shows DPST as the one needed.

In any case, you'll be able to tell by looking at the switch. It will NOT have a built in indicator light, and it WILL have 3 terminals (not 4) on the back.

 

Yeah, the one you linked appears to have only two terminals. SPDT will have three terminals if it's an unlighted switch.

SPDT normally does not have internal indicator light. And if you find one that does, it likely won't work right for what you're trying to do. It's possible to find one with a light that can be independently wired, but it's hard, and you're better off just going unlighted with a seperate indicator if desired.