Fitting Led Footwell Lights To Cigarette Lighter Power- How?

[trikidy]

I'd like to install footwell lights in my car, initially I was thinking of hooking them up to the top map light so when the doors open, they light up.

But how hard would it be to wire it to another power source, perhaps the stereo or the cigarette lighter and have a push button in place in the cigarette lighter hole.

One like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PUSH-BUTTON-SWITCH-12V-CAR-DASH-RED-12-VOLT-ON-ILLUMINATED-/280739563113?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item415d61c669

I've not looked yet but would a power and a ground cable be easy to find by there? Surely I could disconnect the cigarette lighter and wire that to the lights and button.

Any advice is great, thanks.

[trikidy]

If you scroll to the bottom there is a diagram of a switch and how to wire it up, could I just substitute the battery for the live wire in the cigarette lighter?

http://forums.nicoclub.com/diy-interior-led-install-vents-center-console-cupholders-t372632.html

[trikidy]

Or would it be easier to connect to the fuse block like this tutorial shows?

http://forums.evolutionm.net/lancer-how-tos-installations/456175-install-interior-led-lights.html

[FOCA]

If you scroll to the bottom there is a diagram of a switch and how to wire it up, could I just substitute the battery for the live wire in the cigarette lighter?

http://forums.nicoclub.com/diy-interior-led-install-vents-center-console-cupholders-t372632.html

Yes, that would work, you would prefer it to have a seperate switch, instead of going off/ on with the doors opening?

Its probably best to take it off the cigar. lighter, they are high current and easy to connect to, it is seprately fused in case there is a problem

[trikidy]

I liked the idea of them coming on when the doors open, but then I also like the idea of having a button to press

Also it would be easier to wire up with a button by the cig lighter as I wouldn't have to feed the wire down the pillars from the map light.

What do you think about the piggy back fuse switched?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170709632237?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

Add that in to the cig fuse space and then I have a posi wire straight away rather than stripping and connecting, what do you think?

[trikidy]

Changed my mind again. I want to hook it up to the map light so when I open the door, it comes on- makes more sense as it will actually be useful to see!

Could I just crimp onto either end of the bulb holder as that would be a posi and a neg?

#Also how hard is it to remove the pillars to wire it through?

[trikidy]

This is turning into me asking questions to myself thread!

After reading this

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?30276-How-To-OEM-Footwell-Lights

It seems easier to tap into the map wiring than to the actual light as it would save removing the pilars etc.

So does the fiesta have wiring like the car in the tutorial? If so would it be under the glovebox?

[trikidy]

OR...

If I was to use the fuse piggy-back thing that I have linked to further up and stuck this in with the map light fuse, would the output act the same as the map light does?

EG is it the fuse that dictates when the map light turns on automatically? Because if this is the case then would piggy-backing this fuse lead to the same result? IE when the door opens it would activate the piggy back fuse and turn on my leds?

[Stoney871]

Piggybacking from the fuse would apply permanent power while the ignition is on as it's coming off before the door switch relays.

If you remove some of the door surround rubber seal and unscrew your sun visor mounts you'll get better access to run the wiring up the A pillar and across the head lining to the courtesy light lines.

[trikidy]

Thanks!

Is there no way of connecting to the wiring from the map light further down?

[trikidy]

Just had a look at the light, the negative wire is just a simple wire but on the positive wire there is two wires.

Which one will I need to crimp onto?

Pics

Pics

[jeebowhite]

Hopefully you have seen my PM mate, but basically, if you strip the ends of the LED wires, and touch them against the L shape connector (metal contacts) then you should be able to light the LED's confirming that the blue wire is positive and the black is negative.

[Stoney871]

Not to jump on Jeebos toes but bear in mind that the courtesy light has three positions on the switch- off, door/ignition/central timing module activated and manual on/permanent live.

The blue/orange one is the earth and the blue or black wires will be either switched or permanent live.

Get in your car and wait for the courtesy light to go out normally then take your courtesy light out and connect the negative wire on your footwell connection to the blue/orange and then with the doors kept closed try the live feed wire on your footwell wiring to the blue and black wires in turn.

If your footwell lights illuminate instantly then you need the other wire as that will be the one fed from the door switches/central timing module.

[trikidy]

Thanks for that, I have just disconnected and tested it by connecting one part of the L and then the other.

It would appear that the black wire is the constant live, and the blue and black wire is the temp live when the door opens and the brown and blue is the negative!

So I am getting somewhere!

It is only logical that the wires in the light come from the fuse box, seen as I blew it a couple of weeks back! So I looked under the fuse box and found all of the wires coming from the fuse box.

I think I have found the brown/ blue and the blue/black that I would need coming from the fuse box, see pic.

So to save me wiring directly from the map light and having to remove the pillars to wire it down the car, could I not just cut and crimp the wires down at the fuse box and just use it from there from the LEDs? This would be much easier as they would be going where the wires are now!

[Stoney871]

Can you guarantee that they're the right wires?

One option to test could be to put a scotchlock on the cable in the bundle you want to check and then use a circuit tester between the scotchlock and the end of the wire by the light?

[trikidy]

I haven't looked properly as I won't be doing till later in the week, do you mean like cut the wire so the light should no longer work and test the light?

That would work wouldn't it? Do that for both wires as the circuit wouldn't work without a posi and without a neg, if it's not the wire I can crimp them back together.

How would I test it with a scotch lock? Sounds better than cutting wires!

[Stoney871]

Crimp on the scotchlock then use a tester from the scotchlock to the end of the wire you're hoping it is and if it's the same wire you'll get continuity.

Make sure the ignition is off first though.

[FOCA]

I haven't looked properly as I won't be doing till later in the week, do you mean like cut the wire so the light should no longer work and test the light?

That would work wouldn't it? Do that for both wires as the circuit wouldn't work without a posi and without a neg, if it's not the wire I can crimp them back together.

How would I test it with a scotch lock? Sounds better than cutting wires!

You can fit a scotchlock without actually cutting wires - a short length of surplus insulated wire could be connected to the scotchlock to test the feed/ wire you are connecting to

I had an idea about the interior light/ footwell lights - if you connected your footwell lights where the bulb connects (instead of either of the feeds) on the top front interior light, the footwell lights would come on when the door opened AND when you switched the interior light on manually

[Stoney871]

You could cut the wire but if it's the wrong one you could be cutting and crimping half of the loom.

It would be a quick way of knowing though.

[trikidy]

You can fit a scotchlock without actually cutting wires - a short length of surplus insulated wire could be connected to the scotchlock to test the feed/ wire you are connecting to

I had an idea about the interior light/ footwell lights - if you connected your footwell lights where the bulb connects (instead of either of the feeds) on the top front interior light, the footwell lights would come on when the door opened AND when you switched the interior light on manually

I like that idea, but how would I go about it?

It looks as though the wires send the current across a bit of metal that the bulb holder is connected to, so I'm a bit unsure where I could stick my wire!

Also stoney, would scotchlocking the wire affect it? Doesn't it break it a bit? Also a multimeter would work as the tester right?

[FOCA]

I like that idea, but how would I go about it?

It looks as though the wires send the current across a bit of metal that the bulb holder is connected to, so I'm a bit unsure where I could stick my wire!

Also a multimeter would work as the tester right?

You could wrap the wire round the "bit of metal" or solder it, some multi-meters have continuity testers with beepers, the ohm meter or voltmeter could also be used, depending on how you use it

I will leave you in Stonys capable hands, now that ive had my "eurika" momment! (with the "multi-mode" switch)

[Stoney871]

The scotchlock just cuts a V into the insulation and shouldn't do more than make contact with the wire core.

A multimeter (or AVO in old terms) will do the job when set to check continuity.

[trikidy]

Super, thanks guys!

I don't have a solder, will have a closer look tomorrow if wrapping it around the metal bit is a possible option because I do like the idea of being able to put them on constant like the light..

Any suggestions on how to do it would be great- like specifics :D

[trikidy]

Just want to check one more thing guys, I have butt crimps- can these be used like scotch locks to join two wires with one?

For example I have a posi and a neg wire, can I then hook up two LED's, so 2 LED posi to the posi and 2 LED neg to the neg?

Like this

[Stoney871]

That's perfectly fine.