hey everyone-

I have enlisted Darkknight1999's awesome services for a custom molded VAFC where the overhead light used to be on the windshield top trim. I will obviously be loosing the overhead light, which really sucked to begin with (can not see ANYTHING down in the footwell areas). I have decided to go ahead and do some interior accent lighting with some LED's.

I know that MacGyver had a thread on here about how to wire some up, but I was wondering if I could possibly use the power source for the old overhead light to power a series of 4-6 LED's (bright white, 2-3 in each footwell). If I could wire this up, I could probably use the old light's switch to control the LED's (could hide it, or have it molded into where the hardtop defroster would be located).

Does anyone know if this power source could be viable for running the LED's? I am not sure on their power draw, so I do not know if this circuit is too small or too large. I know I will have to custom solder the resistors onto the LED's to get the right color of light.

Any inputs are welcome. I am mainly looking to retain the stock lighting functionality (lights on when doors open, but switchable to turn on and off as well). I just thought that the stock overhead light harness and switch as the power / switch for the LED's? If not, what would I need to modify to make it work?

*edit* Well, I finished the LED install today, and I got all of John's parts in the mail today. They look great. I have installed everything, but the tweeters and the VAFCII are not hooked up yet (want to re-snake the doors). Here are 2 pics, showing before the LED install, and after the LED install. I used 4 total LED's. Each one has 3 lenses, 2 that shine out at 60* angle and one straight down. Looks great. Bright white. The pics came out a bit blue, but I think that is the camera. The first one is also a bit blurry, but you get the difference in light... *edit*

Before LED's:

After LED's:


Thanks again!

John

 

That would certainly be a viable source for running leds or small neon tubes. If you are using "raw" LEDs do not forget to run the proper resistor with them. If you eBay the LEDs they usually come with.

Also keep in mind that the bigger led's (5mm and 8mm) don't necessarily put out more light than the 3mm units, and the 3mm units are easier to mount in most cases.

I haven't done this in my S, but I have done it in my previous car (3000GT). Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

What else would I need to add onto the power lines, other than the LED's and the resistors? I knew about the resistors to begin with, hence
. I was wondering if there was anything else to it, other than solder the LED/resistor combo to the power line behind the switch? Seems a little too easy, especially since the overhead light harness is long enough to run behind the dash with no modifications.... I am wondering why no one has done this before (maybe there is something that I am not thinking of)...

If you have a wiring diagram for the circuit (so I can see where everything needs to be in relation to what), that would be amazing... Or if you could just describe it from the switch on.

Thanks again!

John

 

LEDs draw much much less power than incandescent bulbs.

 

I know. I have found MacGyver's old thread, and am going to use it as a base wiring diagram. I am probably going to work on it over the weekend a bit.

Thanks

John

 

Just a thought but why not run neon tubes? generally easier install and more uniform light paterns

 

Pics or ban! Hurry up man, I want to do the same thing. Since I installed my rear view monitor, I lost my dome lights, and its dark as hell in there.....I need some good solutions!

 

I am waiting on John to get me my trim pieces back. He promised them this week sometime. I want to do it all at once. I think I may just pre-make a harness with the LED's on it (pre-measured wire runs), and solder it all together, so all I have to do is plug and go.

I am wondering how many LED's would be needed. Anyone know the lumen output of a standard 3mm super-white LED?

Dave- I wouldn't wait on me... I am currently working on the S, my house (roof is half off... and hurricane season is in a few weeks), and I am getting married in 3 weeks. Needless to say, I will not be moving quickly. This thread was to see if there were any weird electronic issues that I would need to know about when making a harness for the unit. If it is viable, maybe John could offer it in conjunction with thes monitor...

John

 

Alright everyone. My order has been shipped from Kinetic, so I am going to start this project up again this week. I hope to have it completed by sunday. I am simply going to canibalize the OEM light switch housing, keeping the reading and courtesy light switch row only. I am going to extend the wire output in this assembly into 2 branches, one for the passenger footwell and one for the driver footwell. I am going to use one of these products (LED strips, not sure which one yet.... the guy is local, so I am going to go and check them out) for the actual lighting.

I now have an AP2 center console, so the switch row will be dropped into the console cover, just forward of the shifter. The radio door will fold over it. Trying for an OEM look.

http://www.cfrlights.com/sdc.html#Un...20Light%20Bars

John

 

Alright everyone, I got the harness all fabbed up and everything. I take a few V readings, just to make sure that everything is good. I accidentally soldered my door-power to the wrong PIN out of the overhead light connector (switch ground is green/yellow and I soldered it to the green/black out of the harness, when it should have been to black/white). I know that black/white is the correct power, as I checked it before changing (when from harness ground to black/white harness hot, and got 13.6V). I pull the harness to re-solder it, and when I plug it back in, I try some more checks. This time its reading 0V. I figure it may have been the solder job, so I try and get a few readings up in the harness, just to verify that the solder is seeing power. No power at the harness. At this point, I just say screw the harness, I will just hard-wire it in, as the harness appears to be giving me the problems. I cut and take some readings before the harness, and there was 0V going into the harness! So I am thinking I may have blown a fuse. My 12v accessory light, and all other interior lights are still functional (guages and top/hazards). Anyone know if the door-power is on a separate fuse? Anyone know what fuse that is? I am going to be poking around looking for a fuse with a green/yellow leading from it.

Will have pics up when I finish.

*update* I found a Helms manual, and apparently the dome and trunk lights are controlled by fuse #24 under the dash. I have yet to pull the fuse, but my trunk lights are also out, so I am 99.999% sure this is the problem. I should have everything in tomorrow after work. I will take a few pics, if I can remember. I will see if I can get some night shots too. I am also thinking of adding 1 red LED to each side, for a little accenting....

Thanks

John