DIY Guide: Wiring lights along w/ the dome light.
#1
DIY Guide: Wiring lights along w/ the dome light.
Goal: To add lights (anywhere) that turn on when you open the door. Just like the dome light, and then off again, when the dome light goes too. These lights also turn on, like the dome, when you use your remote and unlock the doors.
Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself, nor FITFREAK.NET endorse, recommend, encourage nor take any responsibility for the outcome of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk! Ohh, I always wanted to do one of those.
This is a rather short guide. It's mostly about WHERE to add the wires to get the power you are looking for. HOW and WHERE you put the lights is up to you. I'm not going to tell you exactly what to do. Be creative, go crazy, send pictures.
Firstly, you need to have access to your fuse box. If you can't get to that on your own, you probably shouldn't be trying this project. You will also want to remove the dashboard under cover for more room to work while your down there. The green plug in the upper left corner is the magical plug you want.
Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself, nor FITFREAK.NET endorse, recommend, encourage nor take any responsibility for the outcome of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk! Ohh, I always wanted to do one of those.
This is a rather short guide. It's mostly about WHERE to add the wires to get the power you are looking for. HOW and WHERE you put the lights is up to you. I'm not going to tell you exactly what to do. Be creative, go crazy, send pictures.
Firstly, you need to have access to your fuse box. If you can't get to that on your own, you probably shouldn't be trying this project. You will also want to remove the dashboard under cover for more room to work while your down there. The green plug in the upper left corner is the magical plug you want.
The green w/ red striped wire in the upper right of the plug is the ground. THAT is the spot that is switched on and off along with your dome light.
The plug in the lower left corner of the switch is an always on power. For JUST adding lights to work with the dome light, this is an easy spot to plug in. Power on bottom left, Ground on top right. However, it's the ground on the top right that is switched on and off, that's the important one.
I took this plug out, and managed to simply slide other wires into the plug along with the hot and ground wires. I used a volt meter to make sure the wires where powered and then just taped them to the cables that where running to the plug in the first place. So far I haven't had any problems with this solution.
Now, what and where you want to put on the other end of this wire is entirely up to you. I used and do recommend Oznium for your lights. I started with some cold cathodes from them and put them under the dashboard. Simply connect the positive and negative terminals from a transformer and plug the lights into that.
This picture is out of focus, but shows the color well. The darker it is, the better they show up. At 9AM, you really can't tell the lights are there. I attached my lights to the "dashboard under cover" with some sticky backed Velcro. This works really well, and nothing has fallen or moved so far. (3 weeks and counting) (**eventually these did fall. Zip tie them in like the comments below suggest)
Here you can see my 2 12" cathodes under the dash. If you are going to do this yourself, don't bother using 2 12". One is plenty. Having the second one doesn't add anything at all. The red and white wire you can see on the right hand side is the one I fished over to the passenger side, and hooked up another one there.
If you blow a fuse when your playing with the new lights, It's the "backup" fuse under the hood. Much thanks to this thread
Hopefully that all made sense and will help someone out. I spent hours figuring it out. Now you won't have to.
Last edited by jl0r; 06-24-2013 at 11:27 PM. Reason: updated links to photos.
#3
nice but i'd suggest tying those down better. since it's underneath i'd drill a few holes in the plastic and run some zip ties. i'd hate for that light to drop over your pedals.
just a safety suggestion.
just a safety suggestion.
#4
I had just posted the same thing in another thread couple of nights ago from what I saw from my Helm Service manual. Glad to see that I wasn't reading it wrong and it in fact works. Great DIY. This should help a lot of people.
#7
That is probably a great idea. I wasn't sure how permanent this install was going to be. When I drill holes and zip them in, I'll only do it with one light. Two really aren't necessary, the 2nd doesn't add anything.
Kentris, I sent you a PM.
#8
May be a stupid question, but since I don't the answer to, I'll ask :P
After you wire it up like that.. when you turn on your dome light (manually switched on), do your 'additional lights' turn on also? Or do the 'additional lights' only turn on with the doors
After you wire it up like that.. when you turn on your dome light (manually switched on), do your 'additional lights' turn on also? Or do the 'additional lights' only turn on with the doors
#9
Nope. Thats why the dome light has a switch to start of with. So I guess if you want the whole thing to turn on, u'd have to wire up the lights to the dome light switch itself, which would be cool. But I don't know how to run the wires through the roof liner and down the left side of the windsheild.
I went out and bought me a pair of "Pilot" brand LED strips from autozone. $20 each. 15" LED strip has them tiny LEDs in it. It's flexible and does have a adhesive backing on it. There's a total of 18 LEDs on it. I will get pics of it when I get it installed...
Last edited by TomiGunz; 01-08-2007 at 02:02 PM.
#10
Most car's footwell lighting do not light up when the dome light is turned on manually. But if you want to do this, you'll have to run a wire up the driver side a-pillar and across the front of the headliner to get to the dome light, where the "On" position of the switch is grounded directly from that switch to the roof. (curtain airbags are above the doors and not in the a-pillar, so you should be ok).
Alternatively, if you just want to be able to turn on your new footwell light without the doors being open, and not neccessarily with the dome light "on" switch". Then just wire in a SPDT (one in, two selectable out) switch and hook up one out to the green/red wire and the other out to ground. The in for the switch would be the ground wire from your new light (in case some still don't understand this circuit and are just follow step-by-step guides).
Hope this helps
Alternatively, if you just want to be able to turn on your new footwell light without the doors being open, and not neccessarily with the dome light "on" switch". Then just wire in a SPDT (one in, two selectable out) switch and hook up one out to the green/red wire and the other out to ground. The in for the switch would be the ground wire from your new light (in case some still don't understand this circuit and are just follow step-by-step guides).
Hope this helps
#11
Thanks for the write up. It was really easy to do. I pulled the plug out and stuck the wires in the plug, taped it down secure, and pluged it back in. Works wonders.
I need to go back and press down on the lights so it'll adhere better. It was cold outside and the flexible LED lights weren't so flexible. The driver's side looks crappier cuz it was stiff. The passenger side looks better cuz I put it in front of the heater then installe it. Which I shoulda done with the driver's side. Wires are tucked away with none exposing.
Fun stuff!
I need to go back and press down on the lights so it'll adhere better. It was cold outside and the flexible LED lights weren't so flexible. The driver's side looks crappier cuz it was stiff. The passenger side looks better cuz I put it in front of the heater then installe it. Which I shoulda done with the driver's side. Wires are tucked away with none exposing.
Fun stuff!
#12
I followed your directions this afternoon and have my neons installed! Thx so much for posting this DIY and recommending the Oznium lights, they look awesome! If you come up with any other lighting ideas please share and thx again!
#14
I have some for back there, but I never figured out any good way to mount them. Please let me know what you figure out!
#15
I haven't checked the bottom of the seats, but what if you use the hard side of velcro. I wonder if it'll stick to the seats. If not, just be an old lady and use a needle and thread!
-Tomi
-Tomi
#17
Hooking up neons to running lights
So I've seen you guys hook neons up to the dome, but how do I hook them up to my RUNNING LIGHTS? Don't want to just go cutting wires and shit...trying to save myself $80 (buying the repair manual). Any advice would be very appreciated.