Help installing lights for footwell

[coreyhkh]

Hello all I picked up some lights at Walmart today, said they were for the foot well area. The instructions say "Simply attach the positive and grounded wire connections of the pod to the appropriate locations in the automobile fuse box(12volt)

OK question is can some one tell my in English how to do this in the 2010 Mazda 3, I opened the fuse box on the side but all I see are some fuses.

I have two wires 1 red and 1 black.

[VWisTROUBLE]

red is your power wire so this is the one that you need to connect to some sort of 12v power source...i have heard of people on this site using their interior light wire as their source so these lights go on and off with the domes...you will have to search for the related threads as i am too lazy to do so...
the black wire is your ground which you can connect to almost any conductive metal part of your vehicle...
this completes your circuit and, voila!
let there be light...




Hello all I picked up some lights at Walmart today, said they were for the foot well area. The instructions say "Simply attach the positive and grounded wire connections of the pod to the appropriate locations in the automobile fuse box(12volt)

OK question is can some one tell my in English how to do this in the 2010 Mazda 3, I opened the fuse box on the side but all I see are some fuses.

I have two wires 1 red and 1 black.

[blankets3]

http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=156146.msg3332891#msg3332891

[coreyhkh]

Ok are the fuses the same in the 2010?

[blankets3]

prolly not the exact same but just read the fuse box diagram and connect it to something thats always on

[coreyhkh]

Ok thanks.

[coreyhkh]

OK when I got home tonight a sat about trying to hook this stuff up. But I have rain into a problem I cant find any fuses below the glove box. In the manual it shows two fuse boxes one on the driver side and one in the engine bay. I wanted to have the lights come on when I turned the headlights on, but that fuse seems to be in the engine bay. Is there another way around this.

[blankets3]

im lookin into this i should have a answer by thursday (stupid work and rain keep getting in the way)

[coreyhkh]

last night I tested it out just temp I pitifuller the fuse out for the audio and warped the wire around it and put it back and there is also a screw in there that was a good ground it worked. Problem is now hiding the wire I would have to have wires coming out the side down the door seems messy to me.

Anyway if you can check it out it would be much appreciated.

[blankets3]

pics?

[coreyhkh]

when I get it done better I will, I need to get some more wire.

[coreyhkh]

I got it working on one side at least I have to find out how to hide the wire to the next side. I inserted the wire into the audio fuse? is that safe in the long run?

I will post pics tomorrow.

[blankets3]

sure it is tapping a fuse is like tapping any wire, especially since ur using leds which use very little power to start with

[Noisy Crow]

I got it working on one side at least I have to find out how to hide the wire to the next side. I inserted the wire into the audio fuse? is that safe in the long run?

As long as the wire is properly secured. I.e. won't come loose, won't get cut through by a sharp edge somewhere.

[rage2021]

Just a note in the future get the LED's from SSG they are brighter.

[coreyhkh]

OK cool the leds I got are pretty bright so they are fine for now. I am thinking of installing a switch to turn them off during the day. Something like this

http://www.allproducts.com/ee/shinchin/toggle_switch_manufacturer.jpg

When I wire the switch do I just continue the wires from the switch to the fuse box?
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/676/ledim.jpg

[blankets3]

k so u its wrong

all u need is just cut the power and put a switch there

ground would just do its own thing, be its own man doesnt evne know the switch is there!

cuz its dc (which cars are) its only power and ground

not ac (which is negative and positive voltages)

[coreyhkh]

Sweet thanks I finished it tonight, well almost I have to find a way to mount the switch better. I have it kind of just taped just under the dash.

I am going to take pictures but my camera was out of power I will post some as soon as I can.

[coreyhkh]

Picture time sorry for the blurry photos, its hard to get good shots at night.

blankets3 I just realized you wrote that guide thanks it was very helpful. I think this was not bad for never doing and wiring of any kind before.


http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7075/pic1px.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8246/pic2zn.jpg

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9426/piciq.jpg

[Noisy Crow]

Looking good!

BTW: here is the type of switch you might want to use:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320415285206&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT (although the shipping for this particular one is asinine, gotta find a better source for it..)

[blankets3]

ah n/p :P

Looks really good btw... i still have to glue mine up... i don't like using that 3m tape :\

[k-existence]

awesomeeee
if you dont mind me asking... is your 12" strip? where did you get it? and did you hook it up to your dome lights? (is it too bright to keep them on at all times?)

jus deciding what to get with mine... i *may* attempt to install them but i dunno yet lol

[coreyhkh]

I didn't even use a strip, its just like a pod I got two at walmart for $10. I installed the switch so I can turn them off during the day but at night they are about right and are not distracting at all.

[blankets3]

i hooked mine up to run all the time they dont bug me at all at night, to be honest i dont even notice them anymore when im driving

i personally have a 9.5 in the fron and 4.5 in the back

[k-existence]

good to know gonna get my strips soon =D

[She_Prime]

^hooray!

[k-existence]

=D aren't u getting them too She_prime? from the GB?

[She_Prime]

Yes indeed I am!

[blankets3]

if u need help (or if anyone needs help) installign them pm me ill try helping out as best as i can...

try using my guide i made (see page 1) its pretty noob friendly.

[k-existence]

yeahhh She_prime! I asked dan about installation... I dont know if any on else needs him to install but he said *maybe* 5+ people could qualify for a GB minimal discount

and thanks for your help offer blankets. i'm a little scared to mess up any wiring in my car. I don't even know how to SPLICE wires properly... ack

[Noisy Crow]

For when you do the work, this style wire tap:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=082-140

Is really helpful. The only downside is you need to crimp a terminal likethis: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=095-310 on to the end of the wire that is being connected, which means you need a reasonably decent crimp tool. Now, the reason these wire taps are so great: If you mess up on polarity (or can't tell what it is) you can just unplug the wires and swap them if needed.

[blankets3]

:\

or just use electrical tape and splice the wire

[Noisy Crow]

:\

or just use electrical tape and splice the wire

By splicing do you mean soldering? Or just twisting the wires together and hoping nothing comes apart shorts out? :chuckle

[blankets3]

twisting them properly + electrical tape

its worked for me on 6 cars so far never had a problem with any lights

golf
jetta
integra (2 diffrent ones)
mazda3
senatta

and so far no short/fires i could solder them but i never thought it was worth while doing


http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo31/blankets3/IMG_0079.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo31/blankets3/IMG_0082.jpg

[coreyhkh]

sweet the red looks good two.

[Noisy Crow]

Red looks great! I am going to do blue, but I better get in fast before I change my mind again!

[Rob23]

im deffinatly doing somthing like this soon. seeing how i still have some neon blue lights from my old car, plus they have a dimmer switch so if it bothers me i can turn them off. such an easy mod, just time consuming.

[AkoSiGloc9]

if i bought all the stuff needed to have this installed. would i be able to go to the dealer and ask them to install it for me?

[Noisy Crow]

if i bought all the stuff needed to have this installed. would i be able to go to the dealer and ask them to install it for me?

Yes, they would. However it would probably take a couple of hours, and they would charge about $200.

Better to do it yourself, or to get a place like an audio installer or someone like McGuyver here on TM3 who does that sort of work to do it for you.

[blankets3]

dont pay to get it done, if u cant follow my guide id even be willing to help u free of charge if ur in my area as long as they are normal leds n not a oem style foot well lighting

[Rob23]

i did the same thing BeEvil did and wired the foot lighting into my interior lights, so it all turns on at night by itself and off during the day. but i used the neon lights not LEDs.

[AkoSiGloc9]

thanks for the kind reply, if only i live around toronto. but i reside in Winnipeg. I would follow the guide but i have the 2010 Mazda 3 and some of the pics were not the same and i'm scared to pull something and then break it.

[Rob23]

thanks for the kind reply, if only i live around toronto. but i reside in Winnipeg. I would follow the guide but i have the 2010 Mazda 3 and some of the pics were not the same and i'm scared to pull something and then break it.

try checking this thread:

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=36449&page=3

BeEvil wired LEDs in his 2007 and his 2010, and he posted pictures of the wiring so you can see how. PM him if you need too, he helped me and now my footwell lighting works perfectly.