L.e.d

[artscot79]

okay guys i plan to add and led in the rear of the car that useless cubby hole behind the armrest just looks sad so i plan on putting a 3 l.e.d just like in the door handles however i want to have it so its either on permenant with the ignition or just when the headlights are on and i wont need to fit the extra courtesy light question i have is how do and where do i wire it to ie the live feed an earth as you know im more a grease monkey than an electrician but you sorted me out with footwell and door handles

[Lenny]

okay guys i plan to add and led in the rear of the car that useless cubby hole behind the armrest just looks sad so i plan on putting a 3 l.e.d just like in the door handles however i want to have it so its either on permenant with the ignition or just when the headlights are on and i wont need to fit the extra courtesy light question i have is how do and where do i wire it to ie the live feed an earth as you know im more a grease monkey than an electrician but you sorted me out with footwell and door handles

if you remove the switch panel below the climat control knobs their are some cables in their that will provide you with a live and negative feed that come on along with the interior lights when you switch on the parking lights etc.

ill get the haynes and tell you their colours in a momment mate,

nice little mod this, and what colour are you fitting in their ?

[artscot79]

might have guessed it would be you lenny lol i was just going to go with the same green i used on the door handles so it all matches the door of the pocket i will likely drill so the led is tucked away my mate put blue ones in his car its just too much for me blue everywhere the dash dials are green and red switches are green so thats why i tied mine in with the red front and rear footwell lights and green handles

[Lenny]

on the rear of the window heater switch panel their is a blank switch space on the right hand side closest to the driver,

at the rear of this blank their are some cables for an ESP switch,

the Orange/White feed

on this plug is the positive feed to illuminate when the lights are switched on.

and

the the large black feed on the climate control plug is a negative feed but you could also fit a ring terminal to the negative and fit it to a bolt on the handbrake plate mate,

the advantages to splicing it in to the interior light loom, is when you dim the interior via the dimmer wheel on the light control switch the additional lights will dim too,

[Lenny]

might have guessed it would be you lenny lol i was just going to go with the same green i used on the door handles so it all matches the door of the pocket i will likely drill so the led is tucked away my mate put blue ones in his car its just too much for me blue everywhere the dash dials are green and red switches are green so thats why i tied mine in with the red front and rear footwell lights and green handles

lol sorry mate,

ill wait longer before i try to help you next time. maybe 24 hours or somthing.

the green would look good, and its easier if you purchase one of those 3 smd strips and drill the holes to line up with the leds on the strip,

then using some electrical tape secure the led strip in to place.

great for storing and illuminating a bottle of love juice in the back seat lmao

[artscot79]

thanks lenny thats just what i needed.

i meant i knew when i wrote it it would be you that answered lol

[Lenny]

thanks lenny thats just what i needed.

i meant i knew when i wrote it it would be you that answered lol

you should have emailed me mate,

[artscot79]

you know i never thought of that thats what being tired does to you and being stuck at work for 13.5hrs my list is filling up drop links dmb badges and the l.e.d as well as a good polish wouldve been doing the ashtray garage door if i hadnt been outbid 55.99 for a used plain plastic one sod that just need to find a foci cc and il get one from there

[Stoney871]

You could also use the same connections to wire in an illuminated gear knob.

BTW I just bought a flap and ashtray off eBay for £40.

When it arrives I'll likely wrap it to match the rest I've done.

Also I see that the flap needs the 12v socket moving to fit in it- anyone know the exact procedure ?

[artscot79]

remove the driver side plate at the clutch side that gives you access push the 2 metal clips and push towards the interior remove the live and earth wire fit the ashtray by removing the gear surround and it slots in then fit the wires and sockets

[Stoney871]

You are a true gent.

Many thanks.

[artscot79]

i only know because ive been trying to get one but i draw the line at 40 pounds i wont pay what some are asking and some are starting at £55 :o

to better describe for others remove the kick plate near the gearknob side 1 torq screw and slide the panel out the way this is where a knee pad comes in handy but get on youre knees ooer and look into the gap you will see the 12v socet extending into the aperture (big words lol) there is 2 metal spring catches on it push these in and push the socket towards the interior and it will slide out some take a bit of force but thats fine now you have the red leve and black earth visible you can pop these out remove the gearknob surround i find pushing each opposite side inwards is easier and move up no need to take the gearknob etc off youre ashtray will slot in this space feed the red and black wires through and push the ashtray home connect the wires to the socket and pop it into place replace gear surround and feel smug.

[Stoney871]

I will post a photo how-to-guide when the bits arrive and are wrapped.

Once again cheers for the tips Arthur.

[artscot79]

only part needed is "Receptacle and housing optimum aluminium 1438185 @ £64.20 inc vat " realy simple yet effective in interior styling but very expensive .

1 . remove the gear knob simply twist it off

2 . pull of the gear stick surround just pull it and it will un clip

3 . remove the kick pan]el down on the left side next to the clutch pedal if memory serves its just one torx screw under a blanking cover which just pulls off then pull the kick panel off

4 . now unplug the cigarette lighter then push the lighter unit through and out of its hole and feed the wires through that hole

:P

[Lenny]

looks good mate,

i like the gear knob too

[Mike77]

Ohhhh, that's different than the one I bought, mine is just a full storage compartment with no fixing for the 12v socket. So mine is now defunct behind the garage door :-/ suppose I'll live lol.

[Stoney871]

The one you got must be for the 2.5.

As the 12v socket is located on the centre console not the cubby hole, as you say it's now blocked.

I was lucky enough to get one designed for the mk2, sorry I don't mean to rub it in.

[artscot79]

you can make it fit if you measure the original socket hole and recut it or drill it into the new storage alternatively just move it by extending the wires to the side console nearthe handbrake etc you dont need an st ashtray the focus cc uses the ashtray with the socket in it

[Stoney871]

If anyones interested, this one has just popped up on the radar.-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Focus-RS-ST-Carbon-Fibre-Ashtray-Mint-condition-/320944481368?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4ab9c82458

[artscot79]

saw it ill bet it goes for at least 50 quid

[Stoney871]

Probably a lot more, anything ST goes nuts.

[Stoney871]

Well anyway, as per another post i've updated on i've fitted my ashtray.

Everything was easy apart from getting the socket out of the old position.

I had a hell of a job removing the socket from the black sleeve it's held by in the old position due to a totally useless bulb holder which does not have a bulb or contacts in and being black would not let light through anyway.

Nothing that a bit of butchery with a pair of pliers didn't solve in the end.

Now fitted and looking good but i will probably have to revisit the project in the next couple of days as i need to move my aux cable as it comes out just above the flap and gets in the way.

I reckon that if i put it through the same route as the 12v socket wiring then it will look smarter and mean no loose wires showing when the flap is closed.

Another good thing is that the 12v feed for the socket light dims with my dash lights and also is perfectly positioned to allow a tap off if i ever get around to fitting an illuminated gear knob.

I'd just need to find a suitable earth wire/point.

Anyone know which of the wires to the 12v socket is the ground line?

[Lenny]

Anyone know which of the wires to the 12v socket is the ground line?

if the wires are

1 x Orange

1 x Black

then the black is the earth mate but to be sure,

you could wire up a light or led,

then put the negative of the light to the body of the car then the positive to the black cable on the 12v socket,

if the bulb illuminates then its not the black

[Brigante]

Ohhhh, that's different than the one I bought, mine is just a full storage compartment with no fixing for the 12v socket. So mine is now defunct behind the garage door :-/ suppose I'll live lol.

Alright mate have you seen what I've done to mine? Easy job and now I've got my power socket back in the cubby hole without needing to relocate it, I've got the same garage door as you.

[dondryder]

okay guys i plan to add and led in the rear of the car that useless cubby hole behind the armrest

What is this plastic panel called? Is it easy to find on on eBay?