Led ?
I looked at CCFL tubes when i did my Honda a couple of years ago. There is a how-to on the civic website. I read a lot on both designs and decided to go with the LED because of the ease of placement and not having to worry about someone in the back seat kicking the tube that is under the driver seat.Both look Great but LED is just so much easier to work with. IMO of course.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 344
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 344
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
That's correct, if you wire extra lights to work with the courtesy lights then they can also be turned on manually using the dimmer switch. But I assumed he wanted to be able to turn on his extra lights without the rest of the courtesy lights (map lights etc.) and that would require a separate switch in the ground circuit.
That's correct, if you wire extra lights to work with the courtesy lights then they can also be turned on manually using the dimmer switch. But I assumed he wanted to be able to turn on his extra lights without the rest of the courtesy lights (map lights etc.) and that would require a separate switch in the ground circuit.
yes i would like a seperate switch wired up to turn just the lights on my footwell on. I taped into the bluw white and white wire in the a pillar. but now I need a switch to turn them on whenever. how do I wire this up?
If you want that then you will need to wire in a switch like WhiteBird00 said in post #14.
yea I guesss Im not following that post or something. I dunno if I should still tap into those wires (blue with white white and black) or find a new place and wire the switch into that. will a 2 prong switch work or do I need a 3 prong?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 344
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
You have an LED or LEDs spliced into the blue/white and white wires. The wires coming from your LEDs should be set up so that the power (positive) goes to the blue/white and the ground (negative) goes to the white wire. I don't know what color wire you used but let's say your positive is red and negative is black.
You will need a single pole double throw (SPDT) on/on (not momentary) switch. It will have three prongs but not be illuminated. When the switch is in one position, the center and one end prong are connected and when the switch is flipped the other way the center and the other end prong are connected. In other words, the center input can be redirected either of two ways depending on switch position.
Cut the black wire from your LEDs and connect the end going to the LEDs to the center pin of the switch. Connect the other end (the part that goes to the white wire) to one of the end pins. Add a new piece of wire from the other end pin of the switch to a good ground. Now with the switch in one position, the lights will ground through the white wire and work just like the courtesy lights. With the switch in the other position, the lights will ground directly to chassis and will be on all the time.
You can get SPDT rocker or toggle switches from places like delcity.net for less than $5.
You will need a single pole double throw (SPDT) on/on (not momentary) switch. It will have three prongs but not be illuminated. When the switch is in one position, the center and one end prong are connected and when the switch is flipped the other way the center and the other end prong are connected. In other words, the center input can be redirected either of two ways depending on switch position.
Cut the black wire from your LEDs and connect the end going to the LEDs to the center pin of the switch. Connect the other end (the part that goes to the white wire) to one of the end pins. Add a new piece of wire from the other end pin of the switch to a good ground. Now with the switch in one position, the lights will ground through the white wire and work just like the courtesy lights. With the switch in the other position, the lights will ground directly to chassis and will be on all the time.
You can get SPDT rocker or toggle switches from places like delcity.net for less than $5.
That's correct, if you wire extra lights to work with the courtesy lights then they can also be turned on manually using the dimmer switch. But I assumed he wanted to be able to turn on his extra lights without the rest of the courtesy lights (map lights etc.) and that would require a separate switch in the ground circuit.
Last edited by Br3tticu$; Sep 20, 2011 at 05:11 PM.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 344
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Most LED lights will dim to a point and then shut off. So added LED lights connected to the courtesy light circuit will dim similarly to regular bulbs but will shut off a little earlier (after reaching about half brightness).
