added ambient lighting
3/16/15, 08:50 AM
#42
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
This looks great. I have all the ford lighting cup ring, door panels, center console etc... Do you have any pics of how you wired this all up? Including the door sills? My sills have 4 black wires, everything else has 4 wires I believe green, brown, blue, and orange. Would it be easier to but the ford aftermarket kit and wire it all up to the module that it comes with?
so for RGB its
+Red
+Green
+Blue
-Ground
Ford
Orange = RED
Green of course is Green
Blue is Blue
and Brown = -Ground
as for the door sills, i tested each wire with a 9volt battery to determine which wire was ground and then figured out each other wire by just swapping out each wire on the positive of the battery to see what color was what.
As far as the controller, the ford controller should work fine and you would even get the fancy little button and 7 different colors. Aftermarket gets you pretty much any color you want, but i kinda wish i had the ford controller, i just couldn't justify spending all that money when my 5 dollar controller from ebay works fine lol.
i used a relay to power mine, its triggered by the dash lights, specifically a wire coming from the trunk release/hazard/traction buttons. So as long its dark enough outside for the dash lights to turn on, so does my ambient lighting.
3/17/15, 12:59 PM
#43
Member
Join Date: March 13, 2015
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
its basically just RGB and any RGB controller will work as long as its a COMMON CATHODE RGB Controller (most out there are common anode) but since you have all the ford stuff, it MUST be common cathode.. very important!
so for RGB its
+Red
+Green
+Blue
-Ground
Ford
Orange = RED
Green of course is Green
Blue is Blue
and Brown = -Ground
as for the door sills, i tested each wire with a 9volt battery to determine which wire was ground and then figured out each other wire by just swapping out each wire on the positive of the battery to see what color was what.
As far as the controller, the ford controller should work fine and you would even get the fancy little button and 7 different colors. Aftermarket gets you pretty much any color you want, but i kinda wish i had the ford controller, i just couldn't justify spending all that money when my 5 dollar controller from ebay works fine lol.
i used a relay to power mine, its triggered by the dash lights, specifically a wire coming from the trunk release/hazard/traction buttons. So as long its dark enough outside for the dash lights to turn on, so does my ambient lighting.
so for RGB its
+Red
+Green
+Blue
-Ground
Ford
Orange = RED
Green of course is Green
Blue is Blue
and Brown = -Ground
as for the door sills, i tested each wire with a 9volt battery to determine which wire was ground and then figured out each other wire by just swapping out each wire on the positive of the battery to see what color was what.
As far as the controller, the ford controller should work fine and you would even get the fancy little button and 7 different colors. Aftermarket gets you pretty much any color you want, but i kinda wish i had the ford controller, i just couldn't justify spending all that money when my 5 dollar controller from ebay works fine lol.
i used a relay to power mine, its triggered by the dash lights, specifically a wire coming from the trunk release/hazard/traction buttons. So as long its dark enough outside for the dash lights to turn on, so does my ambient lighting.
Cool thanks for the reply! Going to start the install next week.
3/20/15, 05:12 PM
#44
Member
Join Date: March 13, 2015
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
3/21/15, 01:16 PM
#46
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
3/21/15, 01:25 PM
#47
Member
Join Date: March 13, 2015
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have everything workng fine except the **** door sills. Not sure what the issue is.
3/21/15, 01:38 PM
#48
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
do what i did, take a 9 volt battery to figure out which wire is which, label them if you have to, then go. out of the 4 wires only 1 of them is the ground.
once you've determined which wire is ground the rest are all positive wires and then you'll be able to see which color is which of the black wires.
***
the 9 volt battery is just so you dont short anything by using the power from your car....and just somehow messing up that way...
Last edited by DeeJayTJ; 3/21/15 at 01:44 PM.
3/21/15, 01:58 PM
#49
Member
Join Date: March 13, 2015
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
do what i did, take a 9 volt battery to figure out which wire is which, label them if you have to, then go. out of the 4 wires only 1 of them is the ground.
once you've determined which wire is ground the rest are all positive wires and then you'll be able to see which color is which of the black wires.
***
the 9 volt battery is just so you dont short anything by using the power from your car....and just somehow messing up that way...
once you've determined which wire is ground the rest are all positive wires and then you'll be able to see which color is which of the black wires.
***
the 9 volt battery is just so you dont short anything by using the power from your car....and just somehow messing up that way...
I did that. I have blue green and red light up but when I wire to the car nothing.
3/21/15, 02:17 PM
#50
Member
Join Date: March 13, 2015
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
do what i did, take a 9 volt battery to figure out which wire is which, label them if you have to, then go. out of the 4 wires only 1 of them is the ground.
once you've determined which wire is ground the rest are all positive wires and then you'll be able to see which color is which of the black wires.
***
the 9 volt battery is just so you dont short anything by using the power from your car....and just somehow messing up that way...
once you've determined which wire is ground the rest are all positive wires and then you'll be able to see which color is which of the black wires.
***
the 9 volt battery is just so you dont short anything by using the power from your car....and just somehow messing up that way...
3/25/15, 10:04 AM
#51
GT Member
I ended up not running new wires thru the door. Instead I tapped into the drivers side power window switch. I just wired in a cheap set of Autozone LED strips.
The plus side is that its very easy to do and you don't have to remove the door panel. I popped off the window switch and tapped into the wires (cannot remember the colors) and snaked the wires through the to the hinged cover that is directly behind the grab handle on the door panel. Using double-sided tape I then stuck the LED strip on the bottom of the arm rest -illuminating the pockets on each side.
On the negative side the lights are always on once the car is running.
As I have now installed the premium door panels (the ones with the metal running horses on them) they have from the factory the Ambient lights already installed.
Without running new wires -is there a way to install a controller under each window switch to change the colors and turn them on and off?
Any input is gratefully appreciated!
Thanks
The plus side is that its very easy to do and you don't have to remove the door panel. I popped off the window switch and tapped into the wires (cannot remember the colors) and snaked the wires through the to the hinged cover that is directly behind the grab handle on the door panel. Using double-sided tape I then stuck the LED strip on the bottom of the arm rest -illuminating the pockets on each side.
On the negative side the lights are always on once the car is running.
As I have now installed the premium door panels (the ones with the metal running horses on them) they have from the factory the Ambient lights already installed.
Without running new wires -is there a way to install a controller under each window switch to change the colors and turn them on and off?
Any input is gratefully appreciated!
Thanks
3/25/15, 10:14 AM
#52
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
I ended up not running new wires thru the door. Instead I tapped into the drivers side power window switch. I just wired in a cheap set of Autozone LED strips.
The plus side is that its very easy to do and you don't have to remove the door panel. I popped off the window switch and tapped into the wires (cannot remember the colors) and snaked the wires through the to the hinged cover that is directly behind the grab handle on the door panel. Using double-sided tape I then stuck the LED strip on the bottom of the arm rest -illuminating the pockets on each side.
On the negative side the lights are always on once the car is running.
As I have now installed the premium door panels (the ones with the metal running horses on them) they have from the factory the Ambient lights already installed.
Without running new wires -is there a way to install a controller under each window switch to change the colors and turn them on and off?
Any input is gratefully appreciated!
Thanks
The plus side is that its very easy to do and you don't have to remove the door panel. I popped off the window switch and tapped into the wires (cannot remember the colors) and snaked the wires through the to the hinged cover that is directly behind the grab handle on the door panel. Using double-sided tape I then stuck the LED strip on the bottom of the arm rest -illuminating the pockets on each side.
On the negative side the lights are always on once the car is running.
As I have now installed the premium door panels (the ones with the metal running horses on them) they have from the factory the Ambient lights already installed.
Without running new wires -is there a way to install a controller under each window switch to change the colors and turn them on and off?
Any input is gratefully appreciated!
Thanks
to do what you are trying to do would require a 12volt source for a controller in each door, i really wouldn't bother with adding a controller to each door because the hassle it would take to change anything about them, color etc.. unless you had bluetooth or wifi controllers and even then, finding them for common cathode (FORD's choice of LED's) is a pain in the ***.
I'm putting an ipad mini in my car as a permanent headunit (after i jailbreak it and finish my bezel im making) and want to be able to control my ambient lighting with the ipad, but since all the controllers that are bluetooth or wifi are common anode, i have to put a converter that changes a common anode control output to common cathode. which means i'll have 2 sources that need 12v and honestly its just kind of a pain in the *** but in the end it may be worth it.
If I were you, I'd run the wire through the door jam through the molex connector (or if you did it like i did, disassemble the molex connector from the molex connector housing and thru into the interior.
lot of work but much more like factory this way and no holes to drill!
Last edited by DeeJayTJ; 3/25/15 at 10:15 AM.
3/25/15, 10:21 AM
#53
GT Member
Ok I see what you are saying about running the wires through the door jams. I already have the +12 volts in each door (which I tapped off the window switch)
My question is how can I simply take the 12V wires and plug them into the factory lights?
Do I need a controller to have them work? I am not looking into making them change colors rather just illuminate blue.
I am also searching for a center console that has the illuminated cup holder and extra lights at the end shining down on the back floor. Ebay has a few listed but they are pricey -about $250.
My question is how can I simply take the 12V wires and plug them into the factory lights?
Do I need a controller to have them work? I am not looking into making them change colors rather just illuminate blue.
I am also searching for a center console that has the illuminated cup holder and extra lights at the end shining down on the back floor. Ebay has a few listed but they are pricey -about $250.
3/25/15, 10:23 AM
#54
Bullitt Member
Thread Starter
Ok I see what you are saying about running the wires through the door jams. I already have the +12 volts in each door (which I tapped off the window switch)
My question is how can I simply take the 12V wires and plug them into the factory lights?
Do I need a controller to have them work? I am not looking into making them change colors rather just illuminate blue.
I am also searching for a center console that has the illuminated cup holder and extra lights at the end shining down on the back floor. Ebay has a few listed but they are pricey -about $250.
My question is how can I simply take the 12V wires and plug them into the factory lights?
Do I need a controller to have them work? I am not looking into making them change colors rather just illuminate blue.
I am also searching for a center console that has the illuminated cup holder and extra lights at the end shining down on the back floor. Ebay has a few listed but they are pricey -about $250.
the factory ford color (atleast what i consider it when i see brochures) is cyan. I believe its blue and green wires together...
which is the color i have set for this pic because BLUE is a lot darker of a color for these lights.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post