Courtesy lights... need opinions pls!

hoanger · 06-28-2006, 08:58 PM

Hey guys... I've become inspired by xtv-sidecar's courtesy lights and I went to the shop to see what they could do. they could either install a tube of LEDs along the underside but it would be noticable in my opinion... and there was an option of putting single LEDs through the holes... now i'm wondering..
would 1 LED be sufficient to light up at night?
would I need more than 2?
opinions please!!

NecroFX · 06-28-2006, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoanger

Hey guys... I've become inspired by xtv-sidecar's courtesy lights and I went to the shop to see what they could do. they could either install a tube of LEDs along the underside but it would be noticable in my opinion... and there was an option of putting single LEDs through the holes... now i'm wondering..
would 1 LED be sufficient to light up at night?
would I need more than 2?
opinions please!!

Well I'm not familiar with interior lighting with leds but
I'm having Courtesy Illumination installed in my new 06 CIVIC when it arrives
there are 3 leds total, no led bars, and led bars are too bright from what I've seen.

There will be one led for each area of lighting, one on the drivers area, one around the center console area and one on the passenger area (foot wells for both sides) so 2 would probably be good if you just want to do the foot wells, if you want to do the back, just add 2 more :)

Remember, I'm a rookie, noob, etc LOL

06blaksi · 06-28-2006, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoanger

Hey guys... I've become inspired by xtv-sidecar's courtesy lights and I went to the shop to see what they could do. they could either install a tube of LEDs along the underside but it would be noticable in my opinion... and there was an option of putting single LEDs through the holes... now i'm wondering..
would 1 LED be sufficient to light up at night?
would I need more than 2?
opinions please!!

I ordered these today...I'll post pics and let you know. I'm putting 1 in each foot well

http://www.cardomain.com/item/STGANLEDRD

hoanger · 06-28-2006, 09:25 PM

Great, thanks guys.
and 06blaksi, be sure to post pics ASAP
i really wanna know what 1 LED in each foot well looks like.
Does anyone actually HAVE 1 LED in the footwells?

PBJames23 · 06-29-2006, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoanger

Great, thanks guys.
and 06blaksi, be sure to post pics ASAP
i really wanna know what 1 LED in each foot well looks like.
Does anyone actually HAVE 1 LED in the footwells?

here you go... DIY Courtesy Lights

kickerjace used one LED for each footwell. I am doing this same setup, but my LEDs will be integrated with the map lights.

hoanger · 06-29-2006, 10:35 AM

OH thanks PBjames, I guess that doesn't look too bad
I'm still contemplating on whether the light in one area looks alright
compared to xtv-sidecar's LED's where it lights up the whole footwell
but I guess one LED is sufficient

PBJames23 · 06-29-2006, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoanger

OH thanks PBjames, I guess that doesn't look too bad
I'm still contemplating on whether the light in one area looks alright
compared to xtv-sidecar's LED's where it lights up the whole footwell
but I guess one LED is sufficient

It all depends on how much light you want under there. Personally, I don't like the floor lit up while i'm driving.

If you like it bright, then go with more than one LED.

06blaksi · 06-29-2006, 01:08 PM

That doesn't look too bad...mine will be red to go with the Si theme. I'm going to hook them up to the parking lights so it comes on with the red courtesy light that came with it

Way2Short · 06-29-2006, 01:56 PM

trust me, 1 led isn't going to be enough to light up anything. I have 3 single leds under my driver side dash and i can barly still see anything. The leds i have are weird, they glow but they specifically point the red color to one point. it don't glow everywhere, just in one circle spot.

hoanger · 06-29-2006, 03:17 PM

^ yeah thats what the guy at the shop told me, but from kickerjace's pics, they look pretty bright. and 1 LED seems sufficient, I mean, you don't want it really bright everywhere, I guess if you can aim the LED in the right spot, it would look good.

I'm gonna hook up a switch to it, for when I'm tired of it.
...
speaking of getting tired of it... Do you guys think its worth it to put it in and then say 3 years down the road, your so sick of it.. could you or would you put the effort to take them out?

06blaksi · 06-29-2006, 03:30 PM

I'd leave em and just pull the plug or cut the wire...they're only $15 and not worth taking them out.

I also think if you place them in the right spot with some sort of reflector (maybe tin foil) you can light up a broader area and I agree...it shouldn't be as bright as a light bulb just subtle light

tomasro · 06-29-2006, 04:10 PM

Generic LEDs only emit light in a 45 degree radius. So, if you get an oval tipped LED, then your image of the light will look like a circle. It's best to get a bunch of LEDs (maybe 4 or 5) per footwell, and maybe 2 for the center console.

Does anyone know where/what to hook up to make these LEDs interact with the map lights?

06blaksi · 06-29-2006, 04:46 PM

This is what I ordered

Bandito · 06-29-2006, 06:12 PM

LEDs, just like most other light sources, are designed for various lighting applications, so some produce spot beams (a small, focused beam of light) to highlight a small area and some are designed to cast a wider, more dispersed pattern to light up an entire area.

The Honda courtesy lights only use one LED per location--driver footwell, center console, and passenger footwell--but use a wide-dispersion pattern LED to flood the area with light.

If you look up the technical specs of the LEDs you plan to purchase, they should provide the output pattern of the light produced.

06blaksi · 07-02-2006, 06:44 PM

My lights should arrive on the 7th...I'll have pics posted by the 8th

Final_Impact · 07-02-2006, 11:14 PM

if you wanna light up the whole floor why not just go with a mini neon. same thing just tuck it under the dash so you cant see it. will cost around the same and be less hassle to install. but then again it is SOOOO much cooler to say you have LED's then it is to say you have neons. personaly i think neons would do the trick and be plenty of light. but thats me.

mark

edit:
also you wounldnt have hot spots like you will with LEDs so its all opinon.

**CameronJr9** · 07-02-2006, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomasro

Generic LEDs only emit light in a 45 degree radius. So, if you get an oval tipped LED, then your image of the light will look like a circle. It's best to get a bunch of LEDs (maybe 4 or 5) per footwell, and maybe 2 for the center console.

Does anyone know where/what to hook up to make these LEDs interact with the map lights?

Si LED Courtesy lights

Car78412 · 07-03-2006, 09:44 PM

I have the honda courtesy LED's installed on my ex coupe. One LED for each front passenger floor space and one in the center dash. They come on when the exterior lights are turned on. There is also an on and off button that will deactive them, located on the far left dash. The lighting is evenly spread and is quite sufficient. It looks very good and I am impressed how well it fits the interior lighting scheme.

cojaro · 07-04-2006, 01:23 AM

I got 1 per footwell, but right now they don't work, I'm having the hardest time trying to splice the LED wire to the headlight wire. Curses.

06-28-2006, 08:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
hoanger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 4,608 Jason iTrader: 1 / 100%	Courtesy lights... need opinions pls! Hey guys... I've become inspired by xtv-sidecar's courtesy lights and I went to the shop to see what they could do. they could either install a tube of LEDs along the underside but it would be noticable in my opinion... and there was an option of putting single LEDs through the holes... now i'm wondering.. would 1 LED be sufficient to light up at night? would I need more than 2? opinions please!!

06-29-2006, 04:46 PM	#13 (permalink)
06blaksi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Westchester NY Age: 40 Posts: 49,255 iTrader: 23 / 100%	This is what I ordered Last edited by 06blaksi; 06-29-2006 at 07:24 PM.

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DIY: Courtesy Lights to Dome Light w/PICS - Page 5 - 8th Generation Honda Civic Forum	This thread	Refback	01-06-2008 02:17 PM

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06-28-2006, 09:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
hoanger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 4,608 Jason iTrader: 1 / 100%	Great, thanks guys. and 06blaksi, be sure to post pics ASAP i really wanna know what 1 LED in each foot well looks like. Does anyone actually HAVE 1 LED in the footwells?

06-29-2006, 10:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
hoanger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 4,608 Jason iTrader: 1 / 100%	OH thanks PBjames, I guess that doesn't look too bad I'm still contemplating on whether the light in one area looks alright compared to xtv-sidecar's LED's where it lights up the whole footwell but I guess one LED is sufficient

06-29-2006, 01:08 PM	#8 (permalink)
06blaksi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Westchester NY Age: 40 Posts: 49,255 iTrader: 23 / 100%	That doesn't look too bad...mine will be red to go with the Si theme. I'm going to hook them up to the parking lights so it comes on with the red courtesy light that came with it

06-29-2006, 01:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
Way2Short Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 1,857 iTrader: 22 / 100%	trust me, 1 led isn't going to be enough to light up anything. I have 3 single leds under my driver side dash and i can barly still see anything. The leds i have are weird, they glow but they specifically point the red color to one point. it don't glow everywhere, just in one circle spot.

06-29-2006, 03:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
hoanger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 4,608 Jason iTrader: 1 / 100%	^ yeah thats what the guy at the shop told me, but from kickerjace's pics, they look pretty bright. and 1 LED seems sufficient, I mean, you don't want it really bright everywhere, I guess if you can aim the LED in the right spot, it would look good. I'm gonna hook up a switch to it, for when I'm tired of it. ... speaking of getting tired of it... Do you guys think its worth it to put it in and then say 3 years down the road, your so sick of it.. could you or would you put the effort to take them out?

06-29-2006, 03:30 PM	#11 (permalink)
06blaksi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Westchester NY Age: 40 Posts: 49,255 iTrader: 23 / 100%	I'd leave em and just pull the plug or cut the wire...they're only $15 and not worth taking them out. I also think if you place them in the right spot with some sort of reflector (maybe tin foil) you can light up a broader area and I agree...it shouldn't be as bright as a light bulb just subtle light

06-29-2006, 04:10 PM	#12 (permalink)
tomasro Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Carlos, CA Age: 25 Posts: 1,445 Turner iTrader: 2 / 100%	Generic LEDs only emit light in a 45 degree radius. So, if you get an oval tipped LED, then your image of the light will look like a circle. It's best to get a bunch of LEDs (maybe 4 or 5) per footwell, and maybe 2 for the center console. Does anyone know where/what to hook up to make these LEDs interact with the map lights?

06-29-2006, 06:12 PM	#14 (permalink)
Bandito Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 5 iTrader: 0 / 0%	LEDs, just like most other light sources, are designed for various lighting applications, so some produce spot beams (a small, focused beam of light) to highlight a small area and some are designed to cast a wider, more dispersed pattern to light up an entire area. The Honda courtesy lights only use one LED per location--driver footwell, center console, and passenger footwell--but use a wide-dispersion pattern LED to flood the area with light. If you look up the technical specs of the LEDs you plan to purchase, they should provide the output pattern of the light produced.

07-02-2006, 06:44 PM	#15 (permalink)
06blaksi Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Westchester NY Age: 40 Posts: 49,255 iTrader: 23 / 100%	My lights should arrive on the 7th...I'll have pics posted by the 8th

07-02-2006, 11:14 PM	#16 (permalink)
Final_Impact Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Millersville. Pa Age: 24 Posts: 14 iTrader: 0 / 0%	if you wanna light up the whole floor why not just go with a mini neon. same thing just tuck it under the dash so you cant see it. will cost around the same and be less hassle to install. but then again it is SOOOO much cooler to say you have LED's then it is to say you have neons. personaly i think neons would do the trick and be plenty of light. but thats me. mark edit: also you wounldnt have hot spots like you will with LEDs so its all opinon.

07-03-2006, 09:44 PM	#18 (permalink)
Car78412 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 125 iTrader: 0 / 0%	I have the honda courtesy LED's installed on my ex coupe. One LED for each front passenger floor space and one in the center dash. They come on when the exterior lights are turned on. There is also an on and off button that will deactive them, located on the far left dash. The lighting is evenly spread and is quite sufficient. It looks very good and I am impressed how well it fits the interior lighting scheme.

07-04-2006, 01:23 AM	#19 (permalink)
cojaro Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Memphis Age: 20 Posts: 1,217 iTrader: 1 / 100%	I got 1 per footwell, but right now they don't work, I'm having the hardest time trying to splice the LED wire to the headlight wire. Curses.