anyone wired up courtesy lights in the footwells?

[mickstoke]

thinking about wiring some courtesy lights in the footwell like the newer cars so that they come on with the interior lights! whats everyone think?

 

[vrahikai]

thinking about wiring some courtesy lights in the footwell like the newer cars so that they come on with the interior lights! whats everyone think?

I've also been thinking of doing just that. Been looking at some 12V led-strips to do the actual illumination but would need help to figure out the wiring. I guess one could splice the wires to the above head courtesy light and draw power from there.

Any electricians aboard?

 

[vrahikai]

Well, took the plunge and picked up two sets of white led strips while visiting the local automotive supermarket. These have 12 leds each, fixed to an waterproof strip of tape(ish) material with adhesive on other the side. They are extremely slim, only about 3mm high (25cm in length).

Let's see when I have time to do anything with them.

 

[wezzel98765]

would it not be best to relay them in to the door opening wire that is attached to the courtesy light above the mirror. Then there won't be as much strain on the standard wiring

 

[jez4130]

I did this in a saxo I had, unfortunatly the strips weren't really bright enough to properly light up the footwell, post some pics when you get it sorted. should look good in white.

 

[vrahikai]

would it not be best to relay them in to the door opening wire that is attached to the courtesy light above the mirror. Then there won't be as much strain on the standard wiring

Propably yes. Will have to find out where these wires lurk. They should run somewhere along the door frame.


Took a look at the lights I bought. Seems ok. Hopefully they are brighter than the ones you used Jez. After all, they were advertised as "Super Bright".


Here's one of the strips. It has 12 diodes embedded in a plastic strip and about 2m of wire attached:

Closeup on the diodes. As can be seen, the components are completely enclosed inside the plastic, so the element is advertised as waterproof:

And a closeup of the conductors. Quite small I would say. Will be a b**ch to solder:

 

[jez4130]

they're way better than the ones I had, you got them fitted yet?

 

[vrahikai]

they're way better than the ones I had, you got them fitted yet?

I wish. Haven't had the time yet. Got some handy looking snap-on splice clips for the wiring though.

 

[Sparky]

Very interested in this idea. Good thread and great idea.

 

[Floodie]

I think these guys have unfortunately died of old age since they posted it, shame

 

[Sparky]

even if they haven't they clearly have no time on their hands at all LMAO tbh I usually look at the dates but 2009 doesn't seem long ago until you think about it

 

[bmh.01]

Would be easy enough to do, LEDs won't draw enough curent to worry about relays etc just pick a feed up from the interior light and depending on the type of leds they should fade up/down which the interior light too.

 

[jenic]

Would be easy enough to do, LEDs won't draw enough curent to worry about relays etc just pick a feed up from the interior light and depending on the type of leds they should fade up/down which the interior light too.

Was just going to post exactly that :approve:

 

[kerry-w]

How do you remove the interior light? Just pul it down? On the other PH1 the roof was buckled so it had pushed the light out for me so all was needed was for me to unplug it :rasp: don't wanna go breaking this one really.

 

[Clio_Al]

How do you remove the interior light? Just pul it down? On the other PH1 the roof was buckled so it had pushed the light out for me so all was needed was for me to unplug it :rasp: don't wanna go breaking this one really.

don't know if it is the same with your car but on mine the is a little hole sort of thing you can use to
pry it out then just unplug it

 

[lamborgini8]

I have the same model Clio as you mate, mine was simple. On the right hand side, closest to driver side, there's a little notch in the plastic that you can just stick a flat head screwdriver in and the light pops out.

Be careful though, mine didn't pop out first time and I scratched it a bit. Heres a picture of mine showing what I mean.

 

[Sparky]

I did this the other night, YES NIGHT!
Bought footwell lights and never really used them, only for finding crap out of my girlfriends handbag on the passenger floor, it goes negitive constant positive then negitive (Dependent upon doors), I also wanted the option to have the footwell lights on with the door shut, so I bought from maplin for £3ish a break before make switch, I wired the two negitives to the switch then the positive went straight to the lights so effectivly

Door dependent negitive Positive Negitive
| |
---------BREAK BEFORE MAKE SWITCH--------------

This way I can choose whether it works on the doors or whether to override and have them on,
Another bit of useful information is if you leave them on all the time they turn off with the central locking.

Took me about 1 hour most, You could solider on the end of the of the light (the three points but risk melting the plastic, drill holes in the light and solider the inside or finally choc block the 3 wires before the light)

Good luck peoples!

 

[Sparky]

Diagram didnt work too well

Door dependent neg........ positive ..........Positive Negitive
..............| .....................................................|
--------------BREAK BEFORE MAKE SWITCH--------------
.......................................| < Negitive to leds

Positive goes straight to leds

If this is the wrong way round it wont work

 

[Will.]

Pics of the mrs.

 

[Sparky]

Excuse me?

Every post on this forum is always ruined by a comment like that william...