how to install a new oil pressure light

**HAVABEER** · 05-05-2011, 10:08 PM

hi everyone, i want to install a new oil pressure light on my little suzuki engine as i'm not sure where in the loom the original one is. i'm just not to sure how to go about it. all i want is just a simple setup to let me know about my oil pressure.

i'll be getting a new oil pressure switch, i just need to know electrically how to install it. and it doesn't have to go to the original dash light, even just an LED mounted somewhere.

is it just 12 to switch, switch to LED, LED to ground?

thanks for any info provided as i'm still learning my way through car electronics.

**pandaah** · 05-05-2011, 10:13 PM

its usually earth to switch, switch to led, led to 12v..... dont wanna have all these powered wires around your engine..

**HAVABEER** · 05-05-2011, 10:30 PM

ahh k thanks. do i need a resistor anywhere in there anywhere?

**CrUZida** · 06-05-2011, 09:52 AM

With a LED you will need a resistor, with a globe you wont.

**RT40Corona4AGTE** · 06-05-2011, 04:21 PM

unless it is a 12V LED.

but correct, 12V positive to LED/GLOBE, LED/GLOBE is then grounded via the oil pressure switch (through the engine block).

**CrUZida** · 06-05-2011, 05:06 PM

touche `

**RT40Corona4AGTE** · 06-05-2011, 05:29 PM

no pun intended cruzida

**HAVABEER** · 12-05-2011, 07:02 PM

so i did this. i tapped in from the car stereo power. run it to one side of my globe.... earthed it on the oil pressure switch. and all was good was worked and would go off when i started the engine. how ever just before when re installing the car stereo i noticed the charge light wasn't coming on. did the silly thing and started her up and ran fine. went to take off and POOF tons of smoke comes out from the dash and all the +wire going to the light had burnt/melted. globe still seems intact and all the electricals are working and now that i've removed it the charge light as come back on

keep in mind this is a fairly dodgy car wiring job in the first place and the light terminals are very close to the stereo bracket surround things, is there a chance the light as earthed on the stereo an melted? what would cause the + side to melt but the - side is fine.

**CrUZida** · 13-05-2011, 09:51 AM

The -ve side will almost always be untouched.

The most likely explanation is that the +ve side of the globe has touched the stereo bracket as you said.
Always make sure anything +ve is insulated with at least electrical tape.

**lexsmaz** · 13-05-2011, 10:38 AM

As Cruzida has said you need to Always insulate power wires & as you mentioned it has melted from the globe back indicates that it shorted in that area & the way that oil pressure switches are wired up the circuit is electrically broken when the car starts up, so there is no power going through the light when the car is runing which again points to your lack of insulation as being the issue ..

**HAVABEER** · 13-05-2011, 06:04 PM

Yeah it's just the style of globe I bought it has 2 screw terminals on the bottom and I like people have said earthed out. Guess I'll put some tape over it