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?

 

[Toast]

I think im going to go do them in about 15 minutes, Just thinking tho, Would tapping into the Rear window wiper switch be a good idea? It only works when the car is on

 

[MustangP51]

I think im going to go do them in about 15 minutes, Just thinking tho, Would tapping into the Rear window wiper switch be a good idea? It only works when the car is on

I wouldn't tap into the rear wiper, without some testing with a multimeter. Just use the cigarette lighter you will be happy that you can use the lights when the car is off, trust me... it can set the mood in some circumstances lol

 

[Toast]

safsadgjdsgnaebjhgwenjmgweng a,ew

Happened again lol
So, Forth time is lucky hopefully

For some reason, Whenever i go to flip the switch, BOOM, I get sparks and mini flames lol

I made sure no wires were crossed, Like, Quadruple checked, and everything worked fine with a 6v battery. But yes. Again, another failed attempt lol

So back to the start =(

 

[shortstack]

dont run any - wire to the switch, is that where the sparks are coming from? that will tell you where they are bridging at. somehow the + and - are touching, make sure the + wire is going where it is suppose to and same with the - wire

 

[0Exploda0]

Very awsome thread thanks Mustang gg. Gonna replace my door light with these...gonna fiberglass in the holes and drill like 4 holes for the leds to poke out I hope I can blend in the fiberglass to match the texture of the current door panel. Figured Id get some epoxy let it set a lil bit so it a lil hard so I can imprint the current texture on the panel and press it onto the fiberglass. Ive been thinkin it would work but have yet to try it yet. I'll post pictures soon just need to get some fast setting epoxy for the fiberglass so I can stamp the texture on it....Ive done tons of work on planes with fiberglass just kinda of a wierd project lol havent played with textures yet. any ideas?

 

[seth247]

bad idea. Even set up a little that epoxy will stick to the panel like nobodys buisiness.

Might get some clay from a hobby store and imprint the texture then bake it in the oven...

 

[0Exploda0]

Ya but ive played with it b4 kinda thought it wouldnt work but ya the clay sounds good... so what just heat it up until it's hard? that'll work I hope lol thanks

 

[seth247]

It might work if you put little non stick spray on the panel but I wouldn't chance it.

I've never worked with clay but the person at the hobby lobby or whatever will know.

I never thought of using another medium to transfer a texture to fiberglass. Good idea. :biggthump

Oh and welcome to the forum!

 

[0Exploda0]

Ya thanks ya I do alot of work on planes at my father inlaws shop I do all his fiberglass stuff, but alot of it stays hidden its more so a structural repair. I wana make a center console but gotta work up the ideas and what other stuff I wana incoperate into the center console. or I can build onto the explorer one I dunno yet. Kinda wana put a light in the back of the explorer theres nothing back there. figure 6 leds would light it pretty good huh wana use the light ficture for the doors that have the lense glass it in and make it smaller then put the leds in. it will look sik if anyone needs any glass work hit me up Ill help ya.

 

[seth247]

There is a sticky in the second gen modified section about glassing a panel into there dash that is interesting.

 

[0Exploda0]

Ya I think thats the one where I got the idea from. I just recently joined but always searched here for stuff b4 lol. that guy did a really good job on his stuff. I kinda wana put a dvd player in the center console but behind it for my daughter to watch while we drive to bfe to visit my dad lol. that would be sick lol

 

[seth247]

kinda off subject but I would recomend a jensen flip out DVD/CD stereo.

I have there top model and it's great. You can even send a difersnt source to the back seat. So you can listen to radio in the feont and they can whatch movies in the back.

Keeps you from getting pulled over cause of video playing in the front. (illegal in most states)

 

[0Exploda0]

Ya but mine plays dvds but no screen just need a 7" lcd to install in the back. which is why I wanted to make my own console then I could put 1 in front and 1 in back and no one would ever know. I realy want a gps though ive seen a couple rigs with extremley nice ones and im jealous lol. you know that **** isnt cheap either lol. I hear the jensen is really nice compared to the blapunkt one, buddy of mine at college bought one and it crapped out in less than 4 months and best buy wouldnt warranty the whole thing he had to pay extra for a diff unit ontop of what they didnt cover. >< I support local buissnes but not when they screw the lil guy.....shop new egg lol. im orderering my leds tmrw and my other stuff so I can really have at the inside of my xploda lol mustang the leds was a golden find bud thanks lol awsome info never thought of it kudos brotha

 

[Jzop]

someone probably already asked this question, but has anyone tried tapping into the door light relay, so when you open the doors the LEDs under teh dash go on. just wondering cause i would have to accidently leave them on plus haveing to turn them on and off everytime i get out or when ever i use them is a little annoying.

 

[scubadogg86]

well there is two things to do you can eather tap into the illumanation for the radio so they turn on when your lights are on or you can tap into the relay for the doors i havnt personally but if you have leds you are fine i left mine on , 8 of them for a wekend and the car started perfectly on monday

 

[MustangP51]

someone probably already asked this question, but has anyone tried tapping into the door light relay, so when you open the doors the LEDs under the dash go on. just wondering cause i would have to accidently leave them on plus haveing to turn them on and off everytime i get out or when ever i use them is a little annoying.

Tap into one of the black/blue wires coming out of the dimmer switch to have them come on with the door lights.

 

[Nixthebomb]

OK so I really wanna do this, but do not want to forget to turn them off, where is a good place to tap into for an ignition source only. Could I just just splice into the iginition wire of my radio, or do I nee to do it somewhere else. like this

 

[MustangP51]

If you wired it exactly how your diagram shows it will work.

 

[Nixthebomb]

so just splice the dome light with a diode and the radio ignition wire together and hook them up to the LED boards. right?

 

[MustangP51]

Actually after thinking about it for a minute. I would also add a diode in the wire coming out of the radio harness before the switch.