Installing LED footwall strips.

[Typhoon]

How do I go about doing this?

I want to wire them upto the headlights, so when the headlights go on, so do they.

Thanks in advance.

 

[1812lsd]

Wire them to the light on the fag lighter.

 

[Luke.]

As above, though I would advise against this as it will be a huge distraction with the footwells lit up. On my 182 I wired them into the interior light so anytime I opened the door they came on.

as blue as they look my interior light LEDs were actually white..

 

[Kieran..]

how easy is it to do? id fancy wiring them up to the interior light

 

[Pride07]

how easy is it to do? id fancy wiring them up to the interior light

Very easy, you can buy 12V led strip lights on ebay. The strips come with an adhesive on the back so its easy as peeling off the backing, sticking it where you want it and wiring it.

 

[Luke.]

Very easy, you can buy 12V led strip lights on ebay. The strips come with an adhesive on the back so its easy as peeling off the backing, sticking it where you want it and wiring it.

Exactly this, they can be picked up cheap. Then you need a length of cable to go up to the interior light neatly, then you just wire it in. Job done..

 

[Kieran..]

Ahh I see I might have to look into this a bit more actually

 

[Xenons Online]

Why not use RGB strips, and a controller. This way you can pick and choose from thousands of colours and turn them on or off remotly. We've done loads like this.

 

[Chapster5]

Effort and money lol.

 

[Xenons Online]

Effort, its about 30 seconds more of a job as for money, your not looking at much more than it originally costs. It was just a thought.

 

[Chapster5]

Might be interested in one meself to be honest how do they adjust? Turn a dial?

 

[Dolan]

Iv just bined mine lol

I got a plug for the gag bit and wired them into that and hid all the wire and just had the plug coming out for the storage compartment and when didn't want it just tooked it under it. Cost 10-15 with LEDs wire and plug.

 

[JezzaMac]

I got a set off eBay for my old car, I wired them into the fag lighter and then try had a wee discreet switch that fitted inside the fag lighter which allowed me to easily turn them on and off which was pretty cool!

 

[Sleepy.]

As above, though I would advise against this as it will be a huge distraction with the footwells lit up. On my 182 I wired them into the interior light so anytime I opened the door they came on.

as blue as they look my interior light LEDs were actually white..

You've inspired me haha. Might do this.. question, which interior light did you rig them up to?? over head one by any chance orrr? cheers!

 

[TEE-2012]

Sounds good, looks good.

Anyone fancy drawing up a wee diagram for dummies (me).
A wee shopping list would be good too!
like what kind of wires and things?

 

[Chapster5]

Most of the LED kits you get come pre wired you just have to join the ends I a power source mate because they have to have a resistor on the positive leg pre wired comes with a resistor in place. Usually a red and black wire red goes to a power source and black to the ground (car body)

 

[McGherkin]

This thread is tempting me to install some strips as a rear interior light for when I need to look behind the seats.

 

[TEE-2012]

So say I wanted to run it from the battery, would it be - RED + wire to the switch to the led then Black - wire back to the battery?

I'm completely clueless with electrics.

 

[Wick]

Really like the ones wired into the interior light. Would also be really handy in the boot as the standard one is properly shoddy, and I always struggle to find things in the dark.

 

[pastieman]

I put orange ones in mine to match the dash lights and they come on with the side lights... They just give a nice glow at night and are not to bright to cause a distraction !!!

 

[Luke.]

You've inspired me haha. Might do this.. question, which interior light did you rig them up to?? over head one by any chance orrr? cheers!

Into the overhead one, just use a multimeter and check the voltages for when you open the doors. The nice thing about it is that they also dim with the interior light, so it's not just on and off..

Really like the ones wired into the interior light. Would also be really handy in the boot as the standard one is properly shoddy, and I always struggle to find things in the dark.

For the boot light I also ran a loom and cut a hole in the opposite side and then wired that in. With two LED bulbs the boot was very well lit..

 

[Chapster5]

So say I wanted to run it from the battery, would it be - RED + wire to the switch to the led then Black - wire back to the battery?

I'm completely clueless with electrics.

Spot on mate.

 

[Typhoon]

Urgh. Mine has two wires on each strip.

Phone blue coated, one clear. :/

 

[Typhoon]

If I take the centre console out and take a picture, could someone tell me what wires I wire it too for the lighter?

Because that lights up when the headlight does.

 

[Chapster5]

Have you not got a voltmeter mate

 

[Typhoon]

Nope. Could I just wire it to the battery and see what works?

 

[Dolan]

It will but they will be on all the time.

 

[Dolan]

Do what I said cost u 15 max for everything

 

[Chapster5]

Put a switch in the live between the battery and LED I'm working with a guy at work to use RGB LEDs and a dial to change the colour.

 

[Typhoon]

Finished it in the end.
Wired it up to the "Remote lock" button, created wiring to make it reach, and used plugs so I can unplug them to change them/remove them whenever necessary without having to unwire the whole lot.

Thanks for all the help/info you've given me.

Here is the finished product;

 

[TEE-2012]

right guys all the pictures are looking great but I have no idea wehre we're drawing power from, all my lights and wiring arrived today.
can someone please take pictures of where they've spliced into there wires and how the circuit is all connected because there isnt anything
on the net that shows you where or what wires to use. Im completely clueless and have been searching the net for days. Sorry for the rant.

 

[Typhoon]

Your LED strips, what colour(s) are the two wires on them?

Also, what year, and model clio do you have?

I removed the ashtray, pulled out the central locking button, and wired it to the underside of that.

Grey was earth, and blue (I think) was live.

 

[TEE-2012]

Thanks for the quick reply! the wires are light blue and clear. 2000 Mk2 PH1 clio.

 

[Typhoon]

So were mine.

Blue = Live.
Clear = Earth.

Blue > Blue.
Clear > Grey.

 

[TEE-2012]

right, so if im wiring a strip in the passenger side and a strip in the driver side, how does it all go together?
and how does this work with the central locking button, when are they on? when are they off?
you seem to be the man in know, bare with me mate.

 

[Typhoon]

I wasn't in the know, I just fiddled and worked it out.

Take the ashtray out, pop the central locking button out, find out which wire in the central locking unit is live, and which is earth.

Slice a little bit of wire off each (but not the whole way through) and attach the LED's, remembering on the LEDs that Blue is live, and clear is earth.

Hide all the wiring, remove back plastic on LED's and attach to underside of footwell.

They will then come on whenever the headlights are on.

You can also add a switch incase you ever want them off, or use the doorlight instead, so they only come on when you open your doors.

 

[TEE-2012]

magic! found the right wires!, probably going to add a switch, does that just cut in somewhere on the live cable?

 

[Chapster5]

Yups

 

[TEE-2012]

MAGIC! I've did it, thank you so much everyone. SPECIAL THANKS TO PHOON! looks great to me.

 

[Typhoon]

Yeah, just add a switch to the live wire.

I've got mine on connectors, so I can just "unplug" it whenever I feel I need to etc.

Maybe a better option.

That way you can remove/change the strips without having to rewire the whole lot.