i need to know how to wire led's to a power source in the car with a switch. I bought some led's today and wire as well as a switch but i dont know how to hook it up with the car battery and keep it from frying. In other words can someone please tell me how to wire the leds to the switch to the battery? and i believe i need a fuse for it also..? i am completely illiterate hen it comes to fuses and switches but i can wire up leds with a standard AA Battery... so please tell me specifically what to do and how to run it (assuming that i am clueless to an extent).. thank you very much and i will have pics of my inside when i am finished...

 

leds that are already wired for 12V use? or just raw led parts?

if raw parts you'll need to drop the current down using resistors so you don't send too much volatge thru the led, vice smoking it.

 

Another one Trung.... haha

 

yup, trung or paul would be your guy

 

I added a thread here that I wrote up on another forum a while back to cover some of this. There are examples in bold as well that may help explain it.

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...254105#2254105

 

or dave... mostly dave..

 

Nah, trung is a pro at this by now for sure I am sure between him, jeremy and myself we could supply a LOT of used amber leds!



I pretty much took examples and answers from a million different questions and just put it all in one thread. Hopefully people find what they need before they go to sleep reading it

 

hmmm.. yea.....


those are just my amber leds.... doesn't count the white leds i took out from xBs/xAs and the green turn sigs i've changed...

 

this is how i wired my LEDS

[12V power source] -> INLNE FUSE -> SWITCH -> [resistors - if needed] -> LEDs

Luckily, my LEDs came with internal resistors, like many modern LEDs do.

 

LED modules do come with resistors, but discreet leds do not. Some people package the led with and attached resistor for use in automotive applications and the such, so they are actually an led module of some sort. But if you simply order leds, then you will need to add a resistor.

Funny pile of ambers there Trung! I havent dumped mine out like that in a while. I eventually just started tossing the ambers, but still have a ton of them

 

yea... forgot to include, but what you dont see pictured are the ones i used..... because i was sooo bored.....

well... for fun and out of boredom i started making SEDs.. .....

ehh.. nevertheless yea... i think i've done a few swaps..

 

i already understand how leds work and everything...but what i dont understand is how to hook it up to a battery and a switch and what supplies i need?

What i had in mind is i wanted 2 leds for my cupholders, 2 for under the armrest, and several others in different places. so, based on that lets say i want to run 10 blue leds in various places to 1 switch so when i flip it all of the leds turn on...there i made it a little more specific.

 

I listed full examples of how to figure the components you need and the values for each in that thread.

For what you want to do:

Buy a single pole, single throw switch. Run fused battery power to one side. Out of the other side, you will power your leds. Branch them out using the methods to calculate I used in my examples. If you can find leds with resistors included already soldered in-line, then you wont need to add resistors. If not (it all depends on the size and shape you need and what is available) then you will have to calculate for the resistors needed for each branch of your circuit.

You need a switch, some spade connectors (most likely), something to cut, strip wire and crimp with. Solder (if you want to do the connections right) and heat shrink. Then your leds, wiring and resistors.

You just need to look through all of the DIY threads here, the tutorials mentioned and do some research to find the leds, holders, etc you want to use.

 

ok i got it, i figure i will run the power to my cig. lighter...but one more quik question...
is it possible to run all my inside lighting as well as my exterior neons to a single switch?

 

Sure. As long as you pick a switch that can handle the load it will work fine. Just figure up how much current you will be drawing and go from there.

 

yes. very possible... got a few buddy's with a "master switch"

 

it wont be an issue that the neons are running off of the car battery and my inside lights are running of the cig lighter? In other words mixing different power sources..?...btw cant wait to get this up and show yall.

i know this is a dumb question but what is the standard/primary wire gauge for a single led because i want to buy a roll of it...