DIY: Courtesy Lights to Dome Light w/PICS

[J-Ro]

Originally Posted by PBJames23

No I haven't done the mod yet, I just posted a schematic for the wiring. I have an idea of a spot to tape into. This may seem stupid, but i was thinking about tapping the dome light wire leading up the a-pillar. Here is a pic...

I made some progress this past weekend. I took out the console in front of the moonroof and found that there are two harnesses; one is a 2-pin and the other is a 9- or 10-pin. I tested the two-pin one (light blue/dark blue wires on mine) with a voltmeter and found that it's the one I want, so I'm going to be getting my hands on some wiring diagrams soon so I can figure out where it goes to under the dash (I'm sick and tired of blowing 7.5A fuses ). Once I do that, I'll get 'er done and post pics... along with my S2000 start button, once it ships

J

[PBJames23]

Originally Posted by J-Ro

I made some progress this past weekend. I took out the console in front of the moonroof and found that there are two harnesses; one is a 2-pin and the other is a 9- or 10-pin. I tested the two-pin one (light blue/dark blue wires on mine) with a voltmeter and found that it's the one I want, so I'm going to be getting my hands on some wiring diagrams soon so I can figure out where it goes to under the dash (I'm sick and tired of blowing 7.5A fuses ). Once I do that, I'll get 'er done and post pics... along with my S2000 start button, once it ships

J

Nice work! I just ordered 6 varad leds last night, and I'm gonna make a trip to radioshack later this week for wiring. Hopefully they'll get here before this weekend so i can attempt an install.

[PBJames23]

Hey J-Ro, any luck with the project yet? I have everything i need to install the leds, i just need to find the dome wires.

[J-Ro]

Originally Posted by PBJames23

Hey J-Ro, any luck with the project yet? I have everything i need to install the leds, i just need to find the dome wires.

No, not yet unfortunately... I was supposed to get scans of a few pages of the service manual this weekend, but I haven't seen them yet. I'm going to have to start hassling some people
I really want to get this done because it's starting to get cold out.
On the plus side, I finished machining some aluminum bezels to hold the LEDs under the dash. I'll try and find the pictures I took when I get home; they're nothing spectacular, but keeps it from looking like I just drilled a hole and shoved an LED through it

[Zesti1]

Originally Posted by J-Ro

No, not yet unfortunately... I was supposed to get scans of a few pages of the service manual this weekend, but I haven't seen them yet. I'm going to have to start hassling some people
I really want to get this done because it's starting to get cold out.
On the plus side, I finished machining some aluminum bezels to hold the LEDs under the dash.

I checked out the service manuals last night and I think I found what your looking for......Ill scan the pages tonight and send them off.

Sorry about the delay...

[PBJames23]

Hey i just go my led's today. I don't plan on lighting up the footwells so i don't need anything too bright. They are varad ilk101's. I already have varad's in my dome lights and i'm very happy with them.





What did you guys go with for leds?

[panthro]

J-Ro

Check your PM

[J-Ro]

Originally Posted by Zesti1

I checked out the service manuals last night and I think I found what your looking for......Ill scan the pages tonight and send them off.

Sorry about the delay...

Haha, no worries........... give me a minute and I'll call off the goons

[J-Ro]

Originally Posted by PBJames23

Hey i just go my led's today. I don't plan on lighting up the footwells so i don't need anything too bright. They are varad ilk101's. I already have varad's in my dome lights and i'm very happy with them.

What did you guys go with for leds?

I have some 10mm LEDs that I bought off ebay... they're 5000 mcd, so I'm going to have to play with some resistors to clock back the brightness a bit.
Here are some pics of the bezels... turned on a lathe from 1" aluminum bar stock:

[Zesti1]

Originally Posted by J-Ro

Haha, no worries........... give me a minute and I'll call off the goons

HAHA. Pages are scanned!

[samx109]

is this brighter than cathode lights?

[J-Ro]

Originally Posted by samx109

is this brighter than cathode lights?

What's a cathode light???

[tomasro]

Originally Posted by J-Ro

What's a cathode light???

cold cathode florescent light = CCFL

[J-Ro]

Originally Posted by tomasro

cold cathode florescent light = CCFL

Oh.... still clueless, so I'm not going to try to answer that question

[ay01]

What about this kind of LEDs?

Blue one:



White one:



One piece of 30cm/15 LEDs costs around $8~9.

[samx109]

Originally Posted by J-Ro

Oh.... still clueless, so I'm not going to try to answer that question

these are cathoes:
DIY-Interior illumination

[J-Ro]

Originally Posted by ay01

What about this kind of LEDs?

Blue one:



White one:



One piece of 30cm/15 LEDs costs around $8~9.

That's really cool! Where did you get those?

[ay01]

Originally Posted by J-Ro

That's really cool! Where did you get those?

Sorry, I'm not living in the US. And it's the best thing I ever found in my country to install inside the car. The advantage of using these LEDs can be small size, thickness only 1.6mm,water proof, easy to attach(sticker on backside) and wide spreading light. And the price is accptable. With CCFL, should be brighter but you may have safety concern.

I apologize for my poor English if I'm not well understood.

[dmx]

damn man.. you guys go to school for this shhh?? I feel dumb..

/me walks out of DIY forum.

[J-Ro]

Originally Posted by ay01

Sorry, I'm not living in the US. And it's the best thing I ever found in my country to install inside the car. The advantage of using these LEDs can be small size, thickness only 1.6mm,water proof, easy to attach(sticker on backside) and wide spreading light. And the price is accptable. With CCFL, should be brighter but you may have safety concern.

I apologize for my poor English if I'm not well understood.

Seriously, is it possible to find me a set??? I'd pay you for them plus shipping, and I'd make it worth your while!!
Or do you know of anywhere else to find those?

Thanks!
J