**EDIT**
It is important to use the correct size resistor!!! I needed a 100ohm 2 watt resistor, but had used a 100ohm 1 watt resistor by mistake. Now I have to remove the lights and wire either another 100ohm 1 watt resistor in parallel, or remove the old resistor and use a 100ohm 2 watt resistor. ......does that make sence?
** End Edit **

So, after many hours of hard work ( I know it shouldn't have taken me as long as it did, but playing with wires in my new car is scary! ), I have finally completed my LED grab handle mod!

I wired it to the cigarette lighter, while I was down there, I went ahead and hardwired my Sirius Satalite Radio too!

The resistors I used get pretty hot while in use, but I don't expect anyone to really grab the handles while they are lit.

I will post some pictures if I am able to get my camera to take some decent pics.

For information, this was my first mod, not only on my XB, but on any of my cars. So you can see why I am a bit amped. I am pretty excited and I wanted to tell someone that would understand my excitement! I figured this forum/community was a good start.

I think my next mod will be adding some LED cargo lights.

-Chris

 

way to go guy. yeah im pretty scared to do mods on my new tc., but i look at it this way. now or later I WANT IT. so congrats on the first mod. i made my fogs comeon with the running lights thats the first thing i did on my tc ( not much of a mod though).

 

awesome!! congrats on the new mod. be careful though, once you start modding it gets really addicting lol.

 

Congrats! Yes, it does get adicting. My wife is starting to think I love the car more than I do her.

 

^^ VERY addicting.. :p

congrats on the new mods! what value resistors did you use?

 

funny stuff
mine says the exact same thing

 

My wife says, "Everytime I turn around you are talking about that damn car".

I say, "Not me"

 

my wife has an ID here, it's "xBwidow" 'nuff said, right?

 

lol so does mine!

 

Hi, I'm ckharris' wife. I can definately understand how addicting this gets. I'm just glad he finally got his box so he can understand why I'm logged into this site so often! Now he can put the mods I want in my tc after he trys them in his box first ...

 

Congrats on da first mod! post some pics when you get a chance!

 

Wow, so many responses! Thanks guys!

There was a question about resistors. I actually wired 6 led's in parralle (sp), using 1 100ohm resistor. I found a site that would allow me to plug in all my specs ( incoming voltage, current requirement for Leds, operating voltage for leds) and it gave me options for either paralle or in-series. I chose paralle, figuring it would be more stable. Hopefully that isn't too confusing,

I am gonna go take pics right now!

-Chris

 

Congrats and welcome to the "I'm addicted to modding my Scion and Scion Life" club...We have an anonoymous meeting once a month! Haha

 

Here are some pics. There are horrible quality. I am just finding out that a 2 mega pixel camera phone is not a viable replacement for a digital camera. Anyways, here they are:

Here is a pic of my xb...


I am trying to be a photographer with this pic, nothing special...


Here is a really bad pic of the interior front. Notice the Sirius StarMate on the window...


Here is a closeup of the sirius. I just popped up the speaker cover with a flathead and ran the power cord straight down. Take off your fuse box cover so you can reach up inside your dash and pull it out. The cavity under the speaker cover also makes a great location for your excess antenna cord...


And finally, another really bad pic of the grab handle with the LED's present.


I can't get any pics of the lights at night, my camera is horrible.

Also, here is a site I was using to figure out which size resistor to use. Kinda cool and helpfull.

http://metku.net/index.html?sect=vie...calc/index_eng

-Chris

 

Chris,

Congrats on your first mod bro!

 

check this link out on how this guy did his!
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=137139

 

That is the exact "how-to" I used. In conjuction with this one, https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=123391.

The guy that did the LED How-to wired his in series, using 2 sets per handle. I changed it to parrall (sp) after some guys at my work recommended it. I used both of the above how-to's to do my mod.

 

you should do your gauge and clock next pretty simple to do. You can get da leds from Jeremy(Garage1217)

 

I was thinking about doing that (clock and gauge). I also wanna put the blue dash lights, or maybe amber from Randode. Gotta see how I feel. This one took me about 3 hours, not counting the soldering of LEDs on the perfboard. I am a bit modded out (yeah right).

Trying to come up with a way to mount LEDs in the cargo area.....

-Chris

 

sent you a pm bro!