Car Boot Lamp Warning Circuit

On many cars, the boot light will not go out until the lid is properly closed. It is all too easy when unloading the car, to leave the lid ajar. If you are unlucky and the car remains unused for some time, the next time you try to start it, the lamp will have drained the battery and you will no doubt utter a few appropriate words. The circuit described here will give a warning of just such a situation. A mercury tilt switch is mounted in the boot so that as the lid is closed, its contacts close before the lid is completely shut. The supply for the circuit comes from the switched 12 V to the boot lamp and through the mercury switch. When the lid is properly closed, the boot lamp will go out and the supply to the circuit will go to zero. If however the lid is left ajar, the lamp will be on and the mercury switch will close the circuit.