LED Accent Lights

Rather than the interior lights, i think i'd rather tap the exterior lights, so you don't have to drive around with an interior light on all the time, which could get annoying at night (the only real time you want the lights on, anyways). I would imagine that finding the correct wire wouldn't be too difficult if you've got a multimeter handy. just get the wires coming out of the stalk on the steering wheel and move them into different positions, see what equates to what. From there on out, it would just be a fairly simple matter of running the wires.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 28 2006, 08:28 PM) [snapback]325331[/snapback]</div>

I would also like to know how they are installed. I would also like to see some puctures. I've been thinking about adding some red neon to mine but havnt decided yet.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 29 2006, 01:59 AM) [snapback]325454[/snapback]</div>

I found the thread but the pics are gone.

 

there is probably room for a short neon just in front of the plastic belly pan on the passanger side I'd say 8" max long and 3/4" in diamater. What ever that works out to in those Trudeau inches. Way easy on the Classic but it doesn't see you coming in the dark the way the SKS does.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 30 2006, 01:09 PM) [snapback]326154[/snapback]</div>

drop the belly pan figure out how many on each side go to R+P or Active and buy the LED's drill the holes to fit them and figure out what the current draw is on the whole bunch calculate the resistor required, run the wiring and glue the whole wire assy and the LED's in with RTV Silicone and then hook the resistor into the wire from the interior light circuit and thru the firewall in a grommet down to the wire harness off the belly pan. A sunday worth of work in your garage.

 

I've added a variety of LEDs to my Pri, but not your exact setup. I would break the project down into parts:

What effect do you want from the lighting? Dots of light? patches? A glowing cloud? Colors? You'll need to round up LEDs that are appropriate to the job. I would get ones that are already set up to run on 12 V DC and that are already waterproof.

You need to decide where to tap in for power. Do you have any existing lights that already behave exactly as you want the undercar lights to behave? If so, run a line to them for your positive power connection. Consider giving the new lights their own fuse if practical. Because you are going LED you could probably skip the relay. You are not (well I think you're not) drawing that much power. If you can tap in to a fuse under the hood that would be good because you won't have to run a wire into the inside of the car.

You have the mechanical problem of fastening stuff onto the bottom of your car. I can't give you any details because I have a Classic, you have one of the new Pri. I don't even know if you have plastic or metal. Your basic options are:

Screw into
Glue onto
Hang from
Magnet on
Drilled down from above, just the nose of the light protuding. (Hardest to do, ruggedest result)

You will want the components to be protected as much as possible against water, salt, ice, scrapes, and debris. Look for recesses, existing fasteners you can use, existing structures you can run cable ties around. The electrical wires will also need to be be very well secured.

Once you answer all these questions, you basically have your project.

 

>thanks for the response.

You're welcome.

>The lights are designed for the exterior of the car so I'm sure it's waterproof and such.

Excellent.

>However, it'd be nice to have some plastic shield since it's easier to clean the plastic than each individual >unit (10 in all, 5 a side). Also, it's mounted via double sided tape (which is quite strong considering the one I >have for the footwell lighting from Toyota Japan is strong)

If it's designed for there it should work. Clean off the spots where the tape will go as best as you can, so you get a good bond. I have LEDs glued to the exterior of my car with silicone. It won't take mechanical stress (scraping) but otherwise is holding up nicely.

>but I won't feel confident so screwing as a backup seems likely.

The main concern with screws is to find spots where there isn't anything important above where you want to drill the hole. For me this involves a lot of climbing back and forth, locating reference marks that show from both sides and measuring out from them. Take a couple aspirin before you start. I would suggest that just before you put in your sheet metal screw you take a tube of silicone sealant and squirt as much into the screw hole as will go. Some will ooze back out when the screw goes in. Use this to seal over and around the head of the screw. What you are doing is trying to add a moisture barrier that will have a chance of lasting the life of the car, and have a chance of working even if the screw is removed. Use galvanized or zinc plated sheet metal screws. Stainless would be better, but I don't think they exist.

>The biggest problem is that I looked under the car and it seems like a neon tube would fit better than the >lights I intend to add because neon tubes give a flood light so it doesn't really matter where it's mounted >cause there'll be light underneath the car regardless.


You can buy LEDs in a long tube. Reference:

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?s...earch&fgtp=

If the link gives you trouble go to http://www.ebay.com/ and enter the search string "led undercar light"


>With the accent lights, I'm looking at 5 patches of light per side so they HAVE to be aligned properly and >there doesn't seem to be a place under the car close to the edge where I can have all 5 properly mounted >and aligned.

I understand. I noticed that the lights in your link were spaced only between the front and rear wheels of the SUV and with a uniform spacing. Looked OK on him, but you don't have to do that. What happens if you go all the way out to the edge? Would under the doors perhaps work? Around the wheel wells? Backlighting the tires? Towards the front and rear bumpers? If they are symetric from front to rear you can change around the number and spacing and still look good.

I'm getting tempted to go crawl under a new Pri that has taken to parking in my neighborhood lately. Do you think the owner'd understand? (G)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kenmce @ Oct 14 2006, 10:35 AM) [snapback]332707[/snapback]</div>

I'd bet he would if you asked him.

 

[attachmentid=5336]Sorry to hear "my" neon pix disappeared. I'll repost them... how's that.



As not having a place to mount the neon or led's for that matter the easiest solution was to remove the plastic panels beneath the left and right sides of the car. They're just screwed on with approximately 8-10 screws/bolts on each side. That exposes a void from front to rear appoximately 3" wide like most other cars have. I'm sure there's a small hit to MPG due to aerodynamic influences but I thought it would be worth it.



As far as the hookup goes I suggest contacting someone at your nearest Circuit City. That's what I did. It's all under warranty and came be removed without evidence of its installation.



Hope that helps.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BMcGraw @ Oct 15 2006, 08:11 PM) [snapback]333214[/snapback]</div>

I like it!

Knowing that everything is not for everybody....I don't want all of them for me, but I have to get some for the front grill.

Thanks


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BMcGraw @ Oct 15 2006, 08:11 PM) [snapback]333214[/snapback]</div>

Clear Plastic is your answer. It would protect the bulbs and it would be easy to clean too.