timmer357

Today I installed three red LED lights in the cup holders and the little phone/ipod spot behind them. I tapped into the cigarette lighter for power, ran it to a switch at the center console where my Ipod/Aux connections FORMERLY were, and plugged the LEDs in. Works great, just should have ground the heads off as the light is way too much. Still looks good. Only issue was the switch from Oznium that lists for the scion does not fit in the holes left by the Ipod relocation. I will be getting my plugs covers on Monday and will install a Walmart switch then.



Also changed all my interior lights to red LEDs. 25 LED array for the dome, 6 led festoons for the map lights, and another 6 for the rear cargo area. The wife hates it but I dig it.


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divine_suffering

Personally I like the Leds for accent lighting but I really dont think they belong in the map/dome lights. Cuz sometimes..you really do need to see something important.
Thats all just IMO of course.

Other than my opinion, looks like you did a good job on your install. congrats

mikemann

Do the lights coming up from the bottom of the holders become a distraction if nothing is in the cupholders?

I was thinking about doing this but with a little bit of twist and coming at it from the side walls.


Can I ask how did you mount the leds? I want it to be clean and sturdy. The LED kit from Toyota uses a lens which you push through a drilled hole and the LED locks in.

I was thinking about buying these -

http://www.oznium.com/prewired-superflux

and not sure how I would mount them in the cupholder.

Could you maybe show some more photos on how you did that?

I'm also a bit of newbie to car wiring but I do get and understand what's going on. So did you tap into both leads on the cigarette adapter or just to power and then were did you ground to?

Thanks so much in advance for the help.

I think it all looks great! I did the same but in blue & white. Those 25-LED's arrays are blindingly bright aren't they?

timmer357

I didn't know anything about projects like this either until I did it.

I stripped the electrical tape and insulating wrap away from the (+) of the cig lighter about 2 inches from end. I wrapped another long (+) wire around the area I cut away the wire wrap, twisted it up good, soldered it, and covered in tape. Ran that to a switch that is partially hidden under the e-brake (bought at Walmart), then parallel wired them. The last negative (-) finally is ground to one of the bolts just below the console into the e-brake support.

I had ordered the Oznium LED holders and pre-wired LEDs with resistors. They didn't quite fit like I wanted. I stripped some of the wrap away, set the LED "holder" up around the light, and drilled the holes just barely big enough to force them in. I "sealed" the other side with lots of household type cement, then taped the wires tight to help hold them. That is another reason I went with the middle...because most cups, bottles, etc have a sort of inward dome design and therefore won't be touching the lights (as they aren't super stable, impact resistant).

I had to go with a switch because it is more of a bling/cool/for showing off to friends thing. I like to just have a couple water bottles to through in there and it definitely is not too bright then.

mikemann

Thanks for the explanation, that does help.

Did you get the 5mm, 3mm or the superflux leds? I was thinking maybe of doing the 3mm so they stuck out less and maybe doing more than one led per cup.

The switch makes a ton of sense too, i never really thought about the fact that if it's distracting...turn it off! ;-)

timmer357

Exactly. The switch is the way to go. In all honestly, mine is mostly off. I have the 3mm LEDs in my car with one in each cup holder/Ipod holder. Wanted to do one in the glove box and/or center console but ended up happy with what I did. I have a long positive cord left over and plan to add 2 red 4" cathodes under the front of the dash. Then all of it will work off the one switch.

Switch placement and style is obviously up to you. I was gonna put it into the cover that now fills where the Ipod/Aux controls used to be, but then I took my skirt off and didn't care about drilling a hole in the area under the e-brake.

medullaman

Did you mean a 6 led festoon for the dome and 25 led array for the map lights? the map light are not festoon bulbs but the dome is and I could not get a 25 led array to cram into the dome SO I am just curious. thanks

timmer357

No, I put a 25 in the dome light originally. Since went down to a 12. Both fit. It was the festoons I put in the wife's map lights and just some 6 leds bulbs for mine.