Patching into Dome Light for underseat LEDs

[floating_weasel]

Evenin Gang,

Was wondering what the easiest way would be to patch into the dome light
circuitry so that I can have my underseat LEDs kick on when I open the door at night
just like the maplights and dome lights. I'm just wondering where they get routed to
and maybe the wire colour so that I wouldn't have to fish the wires up through the hardcase. I mean they have to connect somewhere behind the dash don't they ?

Thanks, and if there is already a thread my apologies, just point me in the right direction.

JP

[Noisy Crow]

Yup, it's been done. there is a tutorial for footwell lights...... pretty much exactly what you are doing

Here's one for OEM footwell lights:
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?30276-How-To-OEM-Footwell-Lights&highlight=footwell


Also, check out this thread:
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?29993-OEM-Footwell-Lighting&highlight=footwell

[floating_weasel]

Oh great crow guru thanks for your reply.
Can a humble neub paraphrase to understand correctly and ask dumb questions in an effort to be less neubish ?

Kick Plates ? Cheapo plastic thingies at bottom of HVAC closest to front of inside of car for appearances mostly ?
(Not even sure what the HVAC stands for but I figure it is the centre console)

Regarding 1st link I will follow it to get to PBJ (not sure what that is but I will assume it is not Peanut Butter and Jam and is in fact that
fuse box assembly thing in the glove box area)

To confirm, the wires I want to tap into are the "orange with blue" = 12v power and "black with blue" = ground

Relay ? I sort of know what that is. It is where I would use the power from the original wire to act as an on off switch for a much more robust connection for power somewhere else (maybe cigarette lighter ?). I am powering several strings of LEDs (20 lights in total with say 20mA draw each for maybe .4amps. That shouldn't overpower the map lights should it ? Any idea how I would wire that up ?)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150471442052&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

To connect do I use the little vampire clamp ons ?

http://www.audizine.com/gallery/data/500/4066DSC05049.JPG

Thanks in advance for any help you can throw my way.

JP

[TheMAN]

here's different pics to give you an idea:
http://www.protegefaq.net/BKfootlamp/

[Noisy Crow]

Kick Plates ? Cheapo plastic thingies at bottom of HVAC closest to front of inside of car for appearances mostly ?


Yup




(Not even sure what the HVAC stands for but I figure it is the centre console)


Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning




Regarding 1st link I will follow it to get to PBJ (not sure what that is but I will assume it is not Peanut Butter and Jam and is in fact that
fuse box assembly thing in the glove box area)


PJB= Passenger Junction Box, and it's the car's body computer




To confirm, the wires I want to tap into are the "orange with blue" = 12v power and "black with blue" = ground


Yup



Relay ?


Skip the relay. Just replace the map lights and the dome light with LED ones and you'll be safe for sure as they draw a lot less than the incandescent bulbs




To connect do I use the little vampire clamp ons ?


Soldering is better. But if you have to ask... then use the t-taps.




Thanks in advance for any help you can throw my way.
JP

Da nada

[floating_weasel]

Ok, question. What if I want to patch them into the dome light circuit, but also want to be able to switch them on manually and have them stay on ?
I figure there must be a relay involved so that the current from the dome circuit would act as a switch only if I patch into say, the cigarette lighter power and ground. Anybody know how I can find a circuit diagram ? Thanks guys. Disgusting overdone blue glowing interior is only days away. *wink*

[floating_weasel]

Dang why don't they let you edit posts after you post them. Maybe I just don't know what button to press.

I think the parts of the circuit involved would be PJB "orange with blue" = 12v power and "black with blue" = ground
Relay, cigarette power and ground, and one switch.

[Noisy Crow]

Dang why don't they let you edit posts after you post them. Maybe I just don't know what button to press.

I think the parts of the circuit involved would be PJB "orange with blue" = 12v power and "black with blue" = ground
Relay, cigarette power and ground, and one switch.


Nah, too complicated. You just need a diode to prevent your switch from also turning on the dome/map lights.

+ve to Orange/Blue. Negative to the anode of a diode and then hook the cathode of the diode to the Black/Blue. Run another wire from the negative on your LEDs to your switch, and then to a ground point. There are convenient ground bolt under both the passenger kick plate and driver kick plate.



Dang why don't they let you edit posts after you post them. Maybe I just don't know what button to press.

You need 50 posts to be able to edit........ you are almost there! :)

[floating_weasel]

would 6amp diode be strong enough ? I don't want the diode to fry on me.

[Noisy Crow]

would 6amp diode be strong enough ? I don't want the diode to fry on me.

A 1 amp diode would work just fine! A 1N4001, IN4004, 1N4007 or similar will work just fine. Pick one up at the Source for a buck, or Sayal for 15¢

[floating_weasel]

Okey dokey.
To paraphrase (I do alot of that with electronics)
+ of LED strings goes to orange/blue of PJB
- of LED to anode of diode then cathode of diode to black/silver
- of LED (new wire spliced onto it) to switch, then switch to ground

One thing, how do I turn the lights on with the switch whenever I want ? Do I have to splice off the positive of LED string to 12v souce like cigarette lighter or other radio wire which is powered when ignition is powered ?

Hmmm I wonder if I can draw a picture and set it up. I will try and then see if I can put it in the thread

[floating_weasel]

Still can't edit, but who knows what I am doing wrong.
Here is posted diagram as I understand it, also asking about the possible +12v DC ignition switched power source if needed for independent switch usage.

http://picasaweb.google.com/101120837877861648907/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCLeYpq2Lm7yXeA&pli=1&gsessionid=VPgY4_wxUqm9eVJ39jtC0g#5516213272437354 658

[07m3gt]

Still can't edit, but who knows what I am doing wrong.
Here is posted diagram as I understand it, also asking about the possible +12v DC ignition switched power source if needed for independent switch usage.

http://picasaweb.google.com/101120837877861648907/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCLeYpq2Lm7yXeA&pli=1&gsessionid=VPgY4_wxUqm9eVJ39jtC0g#5516213272437354 658

So your underseat lights are working when you open the door right ? Yes you need to add a constant 12v + to the orange/blue wire.
Maybe Rick can give some insight to what wire to tap closest to the orange/blue wire.

[cwp_sedan]

Still can't edit, but who knows what I am doing wrong.

You need 100 posts to edit.

[07m3gt]

Sorry floating_weasel the orange>blue wire is a constant +ve. No need to add anything should be working perfect if wired like that

[Noisy Crow]

You need 100 posts to edit.

Ah. Thought it was 50 for some reason...




So your underseat lights are working when you open the door right ? Yes you need to add a constant 12v + to the orange/blue wire.
Maybe Rick can give some insight to what wire to tap closest to the orange/blue wire.


The +ve PJB feed for the map/dome lights is always hot.

I'll have a look at what you guys posted up when I at home tonight. You are on the right track. To confirm what you want though:

Underseat/footwell lights to come on when door is opened
Switch to force them on at anytime
Switch to prevent them from ever coming on
I assume that a single switch (similar to the one on the dome light: on, off, door) would be best


Edit:

I don't know where my brain is sometimes!

This version doesn't need a diode and lets you have on, door, and off settings:

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3408&d=1284406337 (http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/album.php?albumid=92&attachmentid=851)

[floating_weasel]

Um...hi guys. I worked hard on the set-up all day and it worked perfectly. Then I accidently touched one of the wires on the LED string to metal when adjusting the angle of the beam and my car seems to have imploded. I now have no dome light, no map lights, no power locks, and no radio. I am not sure about power windows or the sunroof. DOH ! I am assuming it is a fuse (and also hoping to GOD it is a fuse) as I have heard some talk on these forums about a "cabin fuse" or "interior fuse". What I need to know is where to go digging for it.

I also totally screwed up where I put the switches and had to carve out a whackload of my centre console/storage hump because I had already cut the openings for the switch. Sometimes I am a complete moron. *sigh* However, if I can get the fuse back up and running, all is well that ends well and this thread can have a rest, at least for a bit, although I was toying with the idea of having blue LEDs in the vents along with orange LEDs. Switch one way would activate blue LEDs for cooling in summer and switch other way would activate orange LEDs for warming in winter. Sure it is kitch, but you know that the placebo effect they would have would be lovely.

[Noisy Crow]

15A "room fuse". Think it is under the hood................

[floating_weasel]

Muchos grassy ass. ;>D

[floating_weasel]

Fuse is fixed and blue LED footwell lights work like a charm when I open the doors and close them, even dimming out just like the overhead lights. AWESOME.
However, I have learned that there is an orange wire going to the stereo (dimmer wire) that carries a +12v charge when the headlights come on. I figure
if I could patch into that I could have the footwell lights come on when the headlights go on. However, I want it on a switch. There is also the problem of
the +12v constant coming from the dome wire. I am thinking orange wire to diode to LED strips to negative to switch to diode to negative (black/green) in stereo ?

Thoughts oh brainiacs ? Sure I could fiddle, but when you have a forum like this with so much talent, why not take advantage. Thanks for any help guys and
thanks to Crow and Crew for the initial mod. I get tons of compliments, even if I am old and it is a bit blingy. *grin*

[07m3gt]

Umm i dont think it would work, cuz the orange wire to the underseats are always hot even when car is off. So if you hook up any other ground than the switched ground it will always stay on.