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Footwell lighting help

12K views 24 replies 8 participants last post by  ct9349 
#1 ·
I would like to wire 4 led strips for footwell and rear seat lighting in my 07 DC. I would like them to come on and off and have the dim feature that the interior lights currently have. But I would also like to wire them to their own on/off switch. Is this possible? Can anyone help me with this?

I'm sure this is posted on here somewhere and yes I did search but couldn't find what I needed. So the generic "do a search" answer will be of no help.
 
#4 ·
Thanks guys. I figured I can get the dimming from tapping into the factory wiring for the bulb that is in place on the drivers side and that worked. Question. Will wiring 4 led strips to that overload it or will I be ok? Also how from this point could I get an independent switch? Where to get power and so on. As I'm sure you all can tell finding this stuff on my own is an impossible task. And reading that wiring diagram is Greek to me. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.
 
#5 ·
LED's typically draw between 20 and 40 milliamps each so it takes 25 to 50 of them to draw as much as a standard light bulb.
As far as the wiring, that depends a bit on how you plan to hook them up. Here's the simple answer:
1) Mount your switch
2) Connect your switch to the hot side of an existing bulb.
3) Connect the positive side of the led strip to the other side of the switch
4) Connect the negative side of the LED strip to a ground.
Remember that these wires are HOT when you have the door open so you might want to disconnect the battery to prevent damaging the main body ECU.
 
#6 ·
Check out my old thread about wiring up LEDs and It also shows how to wire them into the circuit that will cause them to fade off and on.

http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/tundra/170024-diy-bmw-style-leds-door-handles/

After you wire them up, you could put a switch in line to turn them off and when you turned the switch on, they would be fed by the circuit. They would not operate when the doors were closed though, because they would be dependent on the door light circuit to power them. I don't know how you could wire them to fade without using the interior lighting circuit. unless you know something fancy about diodes.

-Tim
 
#7 ·
I know nothing. Lol. Your thread is actually where I got the info to get them to fade in and out. I was wanting to add a switch to be able to turn them on and off when ever I wanted and still allow them to fade on and off with the door opening. Not sure If it can be done. I will wire them tonight and add the switch later if I get info. Thanks guys.
 
#8 ·
That can be done if you have the correct switch.
You need a Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) switch. It will have three terminals which should be labeled NO, NC, and C. Connect your LED's to common (C), the cabin lights to normally closed (NC), and 12 volts to normally open (NO). When the switch is OFF the LED's will dim with the cabin lights. When the switch is ON the LED's will be on bright. You will probably want to use switched 12 volts from one of the power outlets so the LED's won't kill your battery if the switch is left ON.
 
#9 ·
Let me start by saying if you Lose your patience with me I understand. So I'll pull power from one of the outlets to NO on the switch Got that. Wire my LEDs to the switch C (both wires?) cabin lights to NC (what cabin lights?). I'm off work at 5 and will try all this. Maybe with some trial and error I'll get it. Can I mess anything up in doing so? Being that the voltage is so low?
 
#10 ·
1) The positive connection from both LED strips goes to the common of the switch.
2) Cabin lights is what Toyota calls them. The wire that is connected to the dimmer goes to normally closed.
3) The low voltage doesn't dim LED's as well as it does regular incandescent bulbs but it will dim them.
4) LED's are polarity sensitive. If you connect them backwards the will not light at all. Usually they have the positive and negative connections labeled.
 
#12 ·
You will love it; I love my VLED strips. It simply plugged right into where the factory bulb was and sticking the strips up! Easy mod for sure!
 
#13 ·
Ok..... At home and have everything mocked up. Lights dim in and out all good. Switch is wired and turns lights on. However when I flip the switch it turns ALL the interior cabin lights on. I was wanting the switch to ONLY turn the foot well lights on. Is this possible? Or since I am tapping into the factory foot well light lines that dim on and off is this my only option?
 
#16 ·
If you want to turn them on any time then you have to wire them to something else. The under dash foot well light only comes on when you unlock the door or open the door, after you start the truck they stay off untill you open a door.
 
#20 ·
I am not usually one to quit. But. It's almost time to get the towel ready. Going to try again tonight. If I don't have any luck I'm just going to wire them to the factory footwell lighting and fore go the independent switch. Not to mention the limited avaiability of the low profile 7.5 fuses that I keep blowing. Thanks for all your help and advice guys. I hate to admit that I may end up letting this kick my a** but I just can't seem to get it.
 
#22 ·
The only reason the fuses are blowing is from wires accidentally touching while mocking everything up And also trying different set ups. I hate this. Usually im able to figure stuff like this out. (eventually). I haven't given up yet but it may be coming. Lol
 
#23 ·
The only reason the fuses are blowing is from wires accidentally touching while mocking everything up And also trying different set ups. I hate this. Usually im able to figure stuff like this out. (eventually). I haven't given up yet but it may be coming. Lol
Great luck man! I am surprised no one has done this before to cut down on your trials.......
 
#24 ·
After further review......... And speaking to the local auto wiring genius. I have decided not to try and wire them into the factory auto dim feature AND give them their own switch. He recommended only doing one or the other. So I have decided to just wire them independently to their own switch. When I get all the wires tucked and everything put back together I'll post some pics. Thanks to all who gave their input and help with this.
 
#25 ·
Brekke, did you ever finish this? I am looking to do sort of the same thing.

Can someone offer up some advice?

I have my footwells plugged into the footwell port, naturally. But I would like them to come on and stay on when I turn on my fogs.

I have no interest in the dimming feature.

If not with the fogs, an individual switch will do..

Suggestions? Bashing? Crickets?
 
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