LED Ambient Footwell Lighting...
#41
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Interesting you would mention the drop in voltage, I two wires from under the console, one for the hot, one for the ground, up to behind the radio. I spliced each of the two footwell LEDs into those wires. All worked fine, except the passenger side seems to be dimmer than the drivers side. DId you tap into two seperate wires for your power source? Or both into the same wire in the PRND321 harness?
Also, I was thinking about putting the cupholder LED in the center, but actually from the side as opposed to facing up. I thought more about losing the cupholders if putting in the back, and also I've been thinking about getting one of the SHR chrome cupholder inserts and thought the LED might be in the way of that...
Also, I was thinking about putting the cupholder LED in the center, but actually from the side as opposed to facing up. I thought more about losing the cupholders if putting in the back, and also I've been thinking about getting one of the SHR chrome cupholder inserts and thought the LED might be in the way of that...
#42
Shelby GT350 Member
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Interesting you would mention the drop in voltage, I two wires from under the console, one for the hot, one for the ground, up to behind the radio. I spliced each of the two footwell LEDs into those wires. All worked fine, except the passenger side seems to be dimmer than the drivers side. DId you tap into two seperate wires for your power source? Or both into the same wire in the PRND321 harness?
Also, I was thinking about putting the cupholder LED in the center, but actually from the side as opposed to facing up. I thought more about losing the cupholders if putting in the back, and also I've been thinking about getting one of the SHR chrome cupholder inserts and thought the LED might be in the way of that...
Also, I was thinking about putting the cupholder LED in the center, but actually from the side as opposed to facing up. I thought more about losing the cupholders if putting in the back, and also I've been thinking about getting one of the SHR chrome cupholder inserts and thought the LED might be in the way of that...
I had originally tapped into the wire for just the right footwell light o light just the cupholder and that is where I had the problem with the footwells lights turning off with the cupholder light on. I fixed that problem by running a set of wires from each LED light to the wires on the PRND321 conector and they work fine.
However, while I was resplicing the right footwell LED light, the left footwell LED got brighter until I reconnected the right one then they both dimmed slightly. Again I think it is a drop in voltage n a long run. I will probably rewire later with heavier gauge wire. However, the LED lights ALL use thin 24 gauge wire in their pigtails.
Check out this PDF file of the Mustang accessory (non-factory) add-on kit:
http://www.fordaccessoriesstore.com/...D-00D6C161487F}
Look at the location of the LED light in the accessory ambient lighting kit for the Mustang. It goes on the back wall of the rear cup hole about half way down the inside. The LED mounts virtually flush and does not interfere with the use of the cupholder nor does it interfere with the use of any aftermarket billet cup holder bezels.
Tonight I realized the LED is just too bright in the cupholder. I am going to have to dim it down or diffuse the light by painting the tip black while the light continues to illuminate out the sides of the LED. I think I should have mounted in the back side.
Anyway I painted by speaker surrounds and door switch bezels silver today.
Last edited by watchdevil; 3/28/08 at 09:18 PM.
#43
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Excellent. How did they come out?
Took your advice, went up one guage for the footwells. And also did my cupholder like the ford specs. One LED in the middle of the back cupholder, facing front, not up. Came out awesome! Gonna look at possibly using a couple more singles for the back. Not sure how I would mount them yet, but definately on the radar...
Took your advice, went up one guage for the footwells. And also did my cupholder like the ford specs. One LED in the middle of the back cupholder, facing front, not up. Came out awesome! Gonna look at possibly using a couple more singles for the back. Not sure how I would mount them yet, but definately on the radar...
#45
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Exactly where I was planning on going, just have to be sure there is enough room for the back of the LED, otherwise I'll have to look for something smaller?
#46
Shelby GT350 Member
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While I was at it I added an LED to the inside of the console compartment in the exact location next to the power outlet which is the recommended location by the PDF file for installing the Ford dealer accessory ambient lighting.
I also relocated the cupholder LED to the back wall of the rear cup hole. Yes, I know I left a hole in the bottom but I am going to cut pieces of black carpet to line the bottom of the cupholder anyway.
While I had the console apart I replaced the thin 24 gauge speaker wire with 16 gauge speaker wire to the front footwell LED lights. This brought the voltage up dramatically and brightened up the front footwells quite a bit.
#47
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Sounds excellent! When I bought the LEDs they came in a pack of four, so I have three left. I guess two for the rear and the last for the inside of the console near the power plug. Not sure if I'll have the circular guides since I haven't found any of the things available in the 08s. I'll use the pic you posted as a template This mod has been working out great, I'm glad to see yours is as well.
#48
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Can someone clarrify which color wire to tap into to get power from the PRND.. harness...there seems to be differing opinions, or maybe it has changed year to year. Mine is an '07 manual.
thnx. Also, And Watchdevil I PM'd U, I can't seem to link into the pdf file mentioned above showing Ford's install instructions.
thnx. Also, And Watchdevil I PM'd U, I can't seem to link into the pdf file mentioned above showing Ford's install instructions.
#49
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Can someone clarrify which color wire to tap into to get power from the PRND.. harness...there seems to be differing opinions, or maybe it has changed year to year. Mine is an '07 manual.
thnx. Also, And Watchdevil I PM'd U, I can't seem to link into the pdf file mentioned above showing Ford's install instructions.
thnx. Also, And Watchdevil I PM'd U, I can't seem to link into the pdf file mentioned above showing Ford's install instructions.
I used 16 gage wire for the install and I have had no problems. Where did you get the LED lights?
#50
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Still trying to determine which wire to connect to....
thanks tungsten....havn't purchased yet. No Advance Auto parts here in L.A. are so dealinf with Pep Boys....they have a bundle 0f 4 small led's, but no clusters for under dash. Still have some reserching to do.
thanks tungsten....havn't purchased yet. No Advance Auto parts here in L.A. are so dealinf with Pep Boys....they have a bundle 0f 4 small led's, but no clusters for under dash. Still have some reserching to do.
#52
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Since I have asphalt grey car on cloudy days or when the visibility is low I drive with my lights on all the time. So my footwells are illuminated all the time. You can't see them unless you are in a dark parking lot or it is night. I'll have to see if the lights come on when you just open the door. Nope they don't turn on when just opening the door.
I also installed a trunk light kit from this site. This seller has the best customer service I have seen for some time now. I had a problem with one of the light tubes and he priority mailed me out a new one. Great price and Great product! Tonight I'll see if I can get some photos of the lighting. Also it is Frakin' easy to install! I think that my daughter would be able to do that one.
#53
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I ran a two single wires up through the console and under the radio, one from the harness and the other grounded to one of the e-brake mounting bolts, then ran the two pods in the foot wells to that, meeting in the middle. I used the diagram from the pdf to mount the single led in the rear cupholder, and used the other documents watchdevil posted to place the two other single leds in the bottom of the console for the rears.
Everything worked flawlessly, just not sure if I like how bright the drivers side footweel is. Simple enough to move it's location higher, or further back though to help with that.
Al in all, I love the vibe I get with the leds, excellent mod IMO.
#54
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If you tap into the 2 lights in the over head console, (white wire and black wire, power/grnd) your footwell lights, and any other you wish to add, will work in conjunction with all interior light features. They will dim, fade out, come with remote access, stay on if tiggered at dimmer panel switch, etc.
#56
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Thanks East Coast, Tungsten and Watchdevil for all the info....I've got to locate the Optx lights....Imay wait to install as I have to pull the console and dash side pieces in a month to upgrade my blue tooth.....
Anybody thought of wiring a light to the glove box...sort of like the console set up?? My concern is the outline of the glovebox would be obvious......easy enough to try it w/ a flashlight..
Anybody thought of wiring a light to the glove box...sort of like the console set up?? My concern is the outline of the glovebox would be obvious......easy enough to try it w/ a flashlight..
#57
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Haven't, although it would be cool if it would actually light when opened. What was Ford thinking???? I did put one in the arm rest console though.... Nice when looking for change at night!
#58
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The trick with the glove box is where to place the light....there are some plastic tabs up top in front, or maybe from behind. It would be like the console, always lit. I have never understood the lack of lighting in glove box, full trunk (it needs 2 lights...I did add one), and under the dash (as previously mentioned I added side markers here...really nice.
I'm a little concerned about the ambient lighting being too bright in the footwells..used to drive an Audi, it had ambient lighting from above...like from the overheads....really nice. I suppose with enough effort one could add here as well
Does the cupholder ambient through light into the interior or just in the cup holder.?..must be strange when a bottle of water is there.....
I'm a little concerned about the ambient lighting being too bright in the footwells..used to drive an Audi, it had ambient lighting from above...like from the overheads....really nice. I suppose with enough effort one could add here as well
Does the cupholder ambient through light into the interior or just in the cup holder.?..must be strange when a bottle of water is there.....
#59
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Just the cupholder. It is installed in the back of the rear cupholder, pointing toward the front. ANd yea, I did the water bottle test like the Ford ad Looks cool. My footwell light is a bit bright, but I can adjust the location of the pods to dim that a bit. AL in all, I'm very happy considering the whole things cost me maybe 30 bucks...
#60
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My ambient lighting illuminates all the time with the parking lights and dash lights. Since it is wired in to the PRND321 light circuit they function just like the rest of the dash lights. They come on with the remote unlock and dim like theater lighting when they time out after a remote unlock. They do not come on when you open the door after turning the lights off. They will dim with the dash light switch
If anyone prefers the lights to be off while driving at night, install and on-off switch for the ambient lights only. My recommended location for a switch would be hidden away inside the console compartment. Thats the one thing I like about addng my own system because both the factory and accessory ambient lighting kits put a switch on top of the console surface which looks out of place like a wart on the nose.
My first experience seeing an ambient lighting kit was when the 2007 Civic came out. A friend of mine bought one new and had the Honda dealer accessory installed for a premium. It has it's on-off switch and illuminates with the parkig lamps at night. It lights of the front footwells and the console tray in the forward part of the console.