15 replies to this topic

[Newfordowner]

Hello I've recently bought a Ford focus 1.8 TDCI (58 plate) and was wondering if it was possible to hook wires up to an empty switch located on the demister panel (picture below) which would then be used to tun interior lighting on and off?

Thank you

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[Preee]

Yes it's possible , are you talking about over head Curtesy lights or new lighting your going to fit?

Your car is a Mk2.5 as we call it.

[Newfordowner]

Ahh my mistake And im planning on fitting lights in the foot wells

[Preee]

Then yes a simple job of running the positive through the switch first , so your thinking of keeping the footwells on all the time and nto auto off with curtesy light?

[Newfordowner]

I thinking on all the time unless manually turned off, the courtesy light is broke in my car need to go to scrap yard to fetch a new switch/button. Thank you for helping me out the minute ive figured out and installed the lights ill get some pictures up

[Preee]

Ok cool , there are some great LED strips on Ebay , that work well as Footwell lights , if your going to have them on all the time , you don't want them too bright

[Newfordowner]

I used to have some for my old car (clio) but they didnt last very long, any recommendations?

[Preee]

If you have the bulb holders in place you can go for these , they come in various colours

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4aa6e1f1c1

or you can search for the SMD LED strip type which you can cut down to any length

[Newfordowner]

Yeah I was looking at SMD LED strips, quite cheap and easy to install. Not sure whether to get green or blue though. Final question (hopefully), if I pop down to the scrap yard a pick up a button (switch) for the demister panel is it quite easy to pop in it?

[Preee]

Yeah I was looking at SMD LED strips, quite cheap and easy to install. Not sure whether to get green or blue though. Final question (hopefully), if I pop down to the scrap yard a pick up a button (switch) for the demister panel is it quite easy to pop in it?

Yes very easy to pop in , using a tiny flat screw driver you can pop out the spare blanks , run your wiring , check it all works and then push in the switch . Removing a Switch on the other hand you have to actually get the panel out as they fit a lot tighter and clip in.

using a multimeter you can which pins on the switch will work for the wiring , you can also loop off the interior lighting of the other switches to light the switch up the same.

Only thing i can't remember is if the switch "acts" like a normal type switch , meaning i'm sure they work on signal switching , or pulse switching .So pressing sends a pulse to the GEM which switches the part on/off , so the heater switch may not be any good to use as a normal switch.

[Newfordowner]

Ok thank you, you've been a massive help!!

[Preee]

Your welcome.

before buying a switch test one of your heater switches and see if i'm correct about them not being a standard switch type , could save you some money buying one.

If you look through my guides below , they will tell you how to get to the switches to get them out.

[Newfordowner]

Ok cheers i've already looked at Guide on Soldering SMD LED lights which is very usefull, i'll give the rest a read

[Newfordowner]

Hello Preee you mentioned that it was possible to hook up the LEDs so that they came on and off with the courtesy light, I was just wondering how this was possible

[artscot79]

if you have the bulb holders in the footwell it will do this automatically if not lenny has a guide i think on buying a led ignition ring that connects to the interior light then you simply splice leds into the wiring for the footwells i wouldnt have the footwells on all the time for one they will burn out quickly and secondly the police do not look favourably on it