Dome light swap from 97 to 04 type, possible...?
 

Hi all,

I have a base 97 with the old rocker type dome lights like this:

[IMG]http://www.****************************************************.com/mm5/graphics/00000002/porsche%20boxster%20interior%20dome%20light%20hous ing.jpg[/IMG]

and the crappy plastic tabs holding it in are broken so it's currently wedged in with a lump of tape.

I got my hands on a whole new convertable latch section from an 04 and it's got the newer dome lights that look like this:

[IMG]http://www.****************************************************.com/mm5/graphics/00000002/boxster%20interior%20light%20housing.jpg[/IMG]

Question 1 : What is the recessed button like thing on the left in the image? What is the small 'reset with a pin' type button below it for?

Question 2 : I hoped it'd be a straight swap, but the newer one has a much smaller connector on it, just 3 tiny header pins instead of the big flat blades on the old one.

Has anyone attempted swapping these before? I'm pretty sure I can rig up a connection between the old connector and the new plug with a few wires, assuming the 3 wire inputs are the same (ground, door open power, constant power). Can anyone confirm?

Old pins (and stylish wedge of masking tape retainer) :

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Hk...o=w515-h914-no

New pins :

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/M5...g=w515-h914-no

Thanks for any help!

Don't know about the swap.

The Reset with a pin is for the amber light that shines down
It adjusts from off to barely on to almost on

The "recess thing on the left" is a motion sensor that is connected to the alarm system so that if someone reaches into the car while it is parked and armed, the alarm will go off.

As far as I remember, it is mentioned in the manual: It is a push-button (ball pen will do) to adjust the amber "ambient" light brightness.

On the later cars, there is an infra red motion sensor to detect cockpit movement when the alarm is armed, but it is just behind that light:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9...s640/photo.JPG

I just swapped mine on a 2000 and it works great, even the little amber LED.

I did a swap.

1. The recessed button sets one of two intensity levels of the light that shines on your central console around your gear shifter. This light is not present in the early-style lamps. Because of this, the electrical wiring is different. In mine, I modified the recessed button to turn this light on or off as I believe that if left on, even on low intensity, it could drain the battery.

2. The small connector is easy to get in an electronics store. You then need to map which wire goes where cause, if I recall, the pin-out is not the same.

Good luck!

Is it possible to swap a 987 dome light into a 986?

I've got to check, if I have a motion sensor, too. Do those caps pop off easily?
Would it be possible to "activate" the alarm system without any further hardware?

Thanks for the help guys. Does the small ambient yellow LED light normally come on all the time (ie when driving also), or only when you open the doors/turn the main light on?

Wired it up successfully.

Cut the 3 pin connector off an small stepper motor in an Arduino kit I had lying around and it fitted over the new lights pins fine. Attached the other ends of the wires to small spades and pushed them into the old connector slots instead of hacking it off, in case I ever want to go back.

They have swapped the wire order around just to keep us on our toes:

old ---> new
left (door open power) ---> left
middle (ground) ---> right
right (constant power) ---> middle

The led also works, but really... what's the point, that thing hardly illuminates the rear view mirror, let alone anything in the cabin!

Thanks all for your help.

Congrats!

At night, if should be shining a bit of light on your shifter, cubbies, and ashtray/non-smoker tray.

As far as I can tell, the 987's dome light (at least on the pre-refresh cars) is the same as the later 986 style. Except for the HomeLink buttons being where the infrared sensors are on the 986, anyway.

After reading this post I ran out to my Boxster and checked my light. Odd... it looks like the more basic one. But, it has the same part number of the more modern looking light. Perhaps it is just the lens.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psffk3zb65.jpg

Thanks for your answer!
So no more infrared sensors? Or they relocated them?

Actually, I'm not sure. But I can test that tonight as I'll be visiting the folks and will pop the red clip on her '06 987 and get back with you on it. :)

Someone here tried the 987 to 986 swap and they weren't the same...didn't fit.

That's what I feared after checking on the connectors... :(

Just as a follow-up to my comment from yesterday, the 987 still does have the interior sensors but I'm not sure exactly where they're placed.

Do you think this connector will work?
Molex 3-Pin Connector Kit 0.093" 3 Sets

I've asked the seller to see if they can include the connector from the car, but I'd like to have a back up plan if they can't help me. A few years ago I would have taken the part to Radio Shack and found something, but they have closed most of the stores in my area and there aren't any close to me.

No I don't think so, looks too big. If you look at the last pic in the first post with the green PCB showing, it's the white connector there you need to fit on and it's quite small with tiny PCB type pins.

I think you'd have more luck with something like this (though I can't guarantee it's the right size, just looks more like it...) : https://buildyourcnc.com/Item/3d-printer-component-connector-female-2!54-pitch-newbiehack-connectors-female-2!54pitch-wrcon

I was lucky, I just found an old Arduino motor I had lying around that fitted and chopped it off.

You might also be able to use the single pins, something like Single Pin Connector Set (1 set) - Servos and Stuff

Or even a simple PC fan connector, like https://allpinouts.org/pinouts/connectors/motherboards/motherboard-cpu-3-pin-fan-connector/ , although that would take a bit of filing to get rid off the ridges and make it fit, better to get a flat one if you can.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a PC power supply that I use when I test my electronic work. I'm pretty sure it has some 3-pin connectors on it. If the guy who sold me light cannot provide the part from the car, it looks like I have several viable options for making this work.

qualityporscheparts have the newer ones for sale for $52.50 OBO

01 Boxster s rwd Porsche 986 Black Interior Dome Roof Light 99661821002 48 485 | eBay

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zdIAAO...3B/s-l1600.jpg

I purchased the part from another vendor and should receive it next week. Right now, I need the part to modify the wiring harness in my car so it will work with the updated part.

By the way - Oldskool - can you clarify a point in your instructions?

When you say:
old ---> new
left (door open power) ---> left
middle (ground) ---> right
right (constant power) ---> middle

Are you referencing the connector in the light or (male end) or the connector in the car (female end)?

Thanks

Um, can't remember, it was a year ago, haha! Guess it would have been in the car side, as I just plugged the 3 pin connector into the light side then put male spade connectors onto the ends of the connector wire and stuck them into the slots in different combinations until it worked :)

One thing I never got working 'properly' is the little yellow LED, mine just goes on and off with the main light. Not sure if you can get this working so it's on all the time when the ignition is on, but I didn't bother looking into it too much.

Thanks. My part is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, so I'll have an opportunity before the weekend to see if anything I have on had will fit in the connector. If not, I'll probably start contacting the folks who are parting out Boxsters and asking if they will cut the connector and a bit of wire out of their cars. I think the part design changed at some point in the 2001 MY. So I may have to check 2002-2004 cars to be sure I obtain the connector.

If you still need assistance once the part arrives, take a picture of each side of the circuit board and I'll be able to tell you what to connect to what. ;)

Thanks - I'm likely to need some guidance. I think I still owe you a favor for your assistance with my litronic project.

If I remember, I had to short the ground and "constant 12V" to get it to work. Then rethinking it, I used the little switch as an on/off instead of intensity switch...

...and for over a year it's stayed off as it's not really all that useful.

The company that sold me the light assembly told me that they were also going to send me the connector from the car. I'll post some pictures when I receive it. Looking at the part may help explain how the part works.

Do these show you enough? I probably won't receive the connector from the car until the weekend.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1476925645.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1476925670.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1476925691.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1476925710.jpg

Almost...can you pop the circuit board out and get a picture of the other side (with bulb out) so I can trace the circuits?

The uninformed
 

But what is the advantage ??

I'll try tomorrow night.

1. I couldn't find the part like the one in my car for a reasonable price.
2. The newer part has a metal clip that holds it securely in place. The original part had plastic tabs. Mine broke when I took it out to change the bulb. The two sellers I contacted told the lights they had also had broken tabs.
3. There is an LED on the newer part that provides "ambient illumination." Not a big deal, but I always like novelty.
4. My old one is held in place with double-sided tape and it shakes loose after about 30 miles of driving. Living with that would start my car on the path to becoming a "beater."

Never mind...got it. ;)

In your first picture:

Top pin = 12V+ constant (the existing wire from your old light, red with black stripe).
Middle pin = switched ground ("" brown with yellow stripe).
Bottom pin = constant ground ("" brown wire).

BTW, your new connector will have the same color coded wires in the correct orientation. Just match up the colors. ;)

Thanks - I was hesitant to pull it apart.

My connector arrived yesterday courtesy of the nice folks at SpecializedGerman.

Particlewave and Oldskool's guidance was very helpful. I just cut off the connector, matched the wire colors, and used solder and shrink tubes to connect everything. I pulled the fuse (on my car it as in position C3) for the interior lights before cutting wires. Here's a picture of the light assembly showing the connector and wires:

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1477155501.jpg

Here's the connector and wiring in the car. I cut off the brown connector:

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1477155572.jpg

It's probably hard to tell due to the lighting, but the updated light and the original connector in the car have black/red, brown/yellow and brown wires. They are in different orders, but as Particlewave noted, just match the colors and it will work.

Here's the result with the "ambient lighting" LED switched on:

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1477155716.jpg

I'll experiment a little with switching it on and off. I doubt that it draws enough current to have a major effect on the battery. If anyone else runs into a problem with a broken "dome" light I recommend this upgrade.

Thanks to all who provided comments.