Under dash LED lighting

I wanted to do this for a long time, and I finally got some time last week. Very cheap only cost about $8.00 used 5 15,000 MCD 5mm Blue LEDs on each side, mounted on project boards that can be found at Radio Shack. I Highly recommend this, it gets a lot of attention and is a nice accent to any vehicle. This is practice for my chassis under glow project Im doing this spring. What do you guys think?

 

[MustangP51]

Good work on the lights man, I like it. I been putting lights under the dash of my cars for 10 years now, never used LED's before though. I just always used the 3 dollar side marker lights you get in the trailer and towing section of the part store. Pretty simple to hook up, just find a ground for each of them (I soldered a piece of wire onto the lug in the plastic housing to make it easier) and take the power wire and wire it straight into the headlights in the fuse box, so they are on with the headlights. No switches needed and I never had one burn anything up, ever. You can get them lights in red orange and blue and even purple if you hit a truckstop, and since those are the most common colors people use for accent lighting, I never had any issues. I always wondered abotu LEd's tyhough they look pretty bright in the pics, do they get distracting at all when your driving with them?? My marker lights I dont even notice anymore I'm so used to them, but everyone else does when they get in the car.

Haha IK I love the truck stop parts/accessories stores. I can drive with them on, no problem but it does affect your night vision a bit, so I usually have them off.

Toast I check my Haynes manual for a color code for the wire, and as usual Haynes did not come through for me. I think Haynes manuals are better used as back up toilet paper.

 

[Toast]

Hahaha, Alright, I guess I'll attempt to figure it out once it warms up from this -40 weather
Trial and Error I suppose =)

 

[Garretthomas]

allright i think i got this figured out ill post a video of it when im done thanks for the ideas!!

 

[Toast]

What do you mean by Diode?

Im working on figuring a way to wire them in right now
And I think I got it all figured out, other than which wire is for the door ajar lights

And would using the Ashtray light as a power supply work?

 

[Bill Kemp]

A diode only allows electrical current to flow in one dirrection. It keeps one circuit from "backfeeding" another.
Ashtray light would be a "constant 12V power source" when the headlights/parking lights were on.

 

[Toast]

Where would i Buy a diode? and is there any specific one i need?

 

[Bill Kemp]

The only one I ever bought was at Radio Shack for a headlight harness. I think they are rated on volts/amps.
Mustang P51....Help!

 

[MustangP51]

Yes Radio Shack is where I bought my diodes.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062575

Those would be more then adequate.

I don't use any diodes less then 1 amp for anything

 

[Toast]

Awesome! So, I think im almost ready to go at this
I just need to figure a power supply
So the ash tray light would only work when the headlights are on. So is there a super simple one to tap into under the dash?

 

[cableguyjjs3]

I dont have them installed in the Sploder yet, I just bought it a few weeks ago, haven't had the chance to get them in yet. I have them in my T-Bird, i went out and took some pics of it tonite, but you can't see a whole lot, must be they are to dim for my camera, I dont know. I do know they look good when I'm sitting in it, and they are fairly bright then. Not to bad to throw any kinda glare on the windows, or to affect night vision, as I suspected the LED's are. LikeIsaid, they are wired straight to the headlights, so whenever they are on the lights are on, and I have never had any trouble driving, even on my 12 hour overnite driving marathons I have done numerous times over the years. Actually it's kinda weird, I got so used to them being on, when I drive a car without them, it takes a bit of getting used to at nite, not sure how to explain how or why, it's just weird, I dunno, maybe it's just me whos weird lol.

 

[MustangP51]

Awesome! So, I think im almost ready to go at this
I just need to figure a power supply
So the ash tray light would only work when the headlights are on. So is there a super simple one to tap into under the dash?

I forgot, did you want them to be off of a switch, or come on with the dash lights?

 

[Toast]

I was hoping to have them on so when i open the doors they come on automatically
And have a switch to turn them on and off

Would it be easier to just run a switch to turn them on? and forget the tapping into the dome light?

 

[MustangP51]

Yea the switch would be the easiest, but I did find the color code for the dome lights. It is a black/blue wire coming off of the dimmer switch. However there are 3 black/blue wires and I don't remember which one it is.

I would use the cigarette lighter wires for your power source if you are just going to put in a switch.

 

[navarretg]

I have been meaning to do this mod on my Ex for the longest time and I have a couple of questions. First thing I want to ask is, do I need to buy a resistor in order to use leds in my license plate light or dome lights etc.?? Will the leds just be plug and play? Thanks for your help

 

[Blackhawk_Mech]

I ended up buying the premade autozone LED lights of my S-10 last year. I have since put them in my wifes Hyundai since all her interior lights are blue anyways.

I want to try to switch over all my lights inside the X to red like the Mazda 6, I hate the standard green, and most all my interior lights have burnt out anyways. This thread will be helpful since I have little experience wiring or dealing with electronics.

I like how your set up was much cheaper and brighter then the ones I bought.

 

[MustangP51]

I have been meaning to do this mod on my Ex for the longest time and I have a couple of questions. First thing I want to ask is, do I need to buy a resistor in order to use leds in my license plate light or dome lights etc.?? Will the leds just be plug and play? Thanks for your help

If your buying just individual LEDs (3mm, 5mm, 10mm, etc) then you will need a resistor for each LED to drop the vehicles 12v voltage down to the operating voltage of the LED. However If you buy "Plug and Play" LEDs that just plug into the bulb socket then no you will not need to add a resistor because they already have resistors in them.

 

[Toast]

Man o man, Sorry about all the Questions
Just want to make sure I dont wreck anything when i do this lol

So. Heres how It should go right?

Take out my Stereo to access the cigar lighter? Cut into the red wire(Obviously disconnect the negative lead to the battery).

Then the Lights will be under the dash. grounded out. and then the positive wires connected to each other to one Positive wire. then run that to the switch in my dash. THen the switch continues to the positive wire from the lighter?

 

[seth247]

another cheap way to get some nice under seat lighting is CCFL.

cold cathode florescent lighting

made for modding desktop computers they are hella bright and about 4$ a peice depending where youget them.

beware though, they are cheap and made in china.

 

[seth247]

and another good way to get power for them is to use an "add a circuit" adapter.

it plugs into your fuse box and gives you a fused source for your lights.

also if you pick the right fuse in your fusebox you can set it up so that the lights wont work with out the key in the ignition.

saving you from battery drain by accident.

 

[MustangP51]

Man o man, Sorry about all the Questions
Just want to make sure I dont wreck anything when i do this lol

So. Heres how It should go right?

Take out my Stereo to access the cigar lighter? Cut into the red wire(Obviously disconnect the negative lead to the battery).

Then the Lights will be under the dash. grounded out. and then the positive wires connected to each other to one Positive wire. then run that to the switch in my dash. THen the switch continues to the positive wire from the lighter?

You got it chief