Interior/Exterior LED lighting mod: parcel shelf and center cubby
#1
LED lighting mod: parcel shelf and center cubby
Sometimes I put a wallet or cellphone on the parcel shelf or center console cubby, and forget to take it with me when I leave the car because I didn't see it in the darkness. So I've added lighting in those areas:
I used 3 prewired white Superflux LEDs from Oznium (http://www.oznium.com/prewired-superflux):
For the parcel shelf, I mounted one LED at the top right rear corner, and at the top left rear corner. They are the white dots at the rear of the shelf in these photos:
A 3/8" drill bit was a good size for the Superflux LED. The LED fits in but doesn't fall through. I secured the LEDs in place with epoxy.
For the center console cubby, I fitted an LED through one of the slots in the upper cover flap. The Superflux LED is just the right size and fits snugly when pushed in. No tools, glue or drilling required!
The wire is pretty easy to fish up along the left side of the console stack, to the drivers underdash area. Here's the cubby flap closed up with the LED:
In the underdash area, I connected the LED wires to the drivers footwell light. The LEDs come on only when the dome and footwell lights are on. Overall this is a useful and pretty easy electrical mod.
The Superflux is a very bright LED, and makes the lighted areas much brighter than the footwells (and I'm already using brighter bulbs than stock in the footwells -- flank LEDs from VLEDS). To better match the brightness levels, I could add a resistor to dim the Superfluxes slightly, or I could have used instead less bright 5mm LEDs (also available prewired from Oznium).
Coming soon: lighting for the cabrio.
I used 3 prewired white Superflux LEDs from Oznium (http://www.oznium.com/prewired-superflux):
For the parcel shelf, I mounted one LED at the top right rear corner, and at the top left rear corner. They are the white dots at the rear of the shelf in these photos:
A 3/8" drill bit was a good size for the Superflux LED. The LED fits in but doesn't fall through. I secured the LEDs in place with epoxy.
For the center console cubby, I fitted an LED through one of the slots in the upper cover flap. The Superflux LED is just the right size and fits snugly when pushed in. No tools, glue or drilling required!
The wire is pretty easy to fish up along the left side of the console stack, to the drivers underdash area. Here's the cubby flap closed up with the LED:
In the underdash area, I connected the LED wires to the drivers footwell light. The LEDs come on only when the dome and footwell lights are on. Overall this is a useful and pretty easy electrical mod.
The Superflux is a very bright LED, and makes the lighted areas much brighter than the footwells (and I'm already using brighter bulbs than stock in the footwells -- flank LEDs from VLEDS). To better match the brightness levels, I could add a resistor to dim the Superfluxes slightly, or I could have used instead less bright 5mm LEDs (also available prewired from Oznium).
Coming soon: lighting for the cabrio.
#2
Pretty cool idea.
I put an LED in the cubby area too, but this is for if I'm in the car at night and want to light up the cubby to reach for something. I bought an LED key ring, battery operated so no wiring needed, from Eastern Mountain Sports ( I saved the box giving the website of the manufacturer ) and snipped off the keyring part so the housing is only about the size and shape of a nickel and sticky velcrod it in the cubby below the toggles. The LED is in 'demo mode', so when I reach in and press it, it lights up for 6 seconds...enough for me to glance in while I'm driving and see what I'm looking for.
I put an LED in the cubby area too, but this is for if I'm in the car at night and want to light up the cubby to reach for something. I bought an LED key ring, battery operated so no wiring needed, from Eastern Mountain Sports ( I saved the box giving the website of the manufacturer ) and snipped off the keyring part so the housing is only about the size and shape of a nickel and sticky velcrod it in the cubby below the toggles. The LED is in 'demo mode', so when I reach in and press it, it lights up for 6 seconds...enough for me to glance in while I'm driving and see what I'm looking for.
#3
LED Mod
This is something I have been thinking of doing, but using red LEDs. Sure would like to get a Parcel Shelf. Looks like it would provide some nice storage.
Enjoying my MCS and NAM more all the time. Like all of the information on NAM and must do more searches and spend more time before I'll feel like chiming in on things.
Enjoying my MCS and NAM more all the time. Like all of the information on NAM and must do more searches and spend more time before I'll feel like chiming in on things.
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#10
I was just recently thinking about replacing the 2 very dim amber lights that light up the cup holders with something much brighter. i would want it to be on all the time too. Reasoing behind this is because I put my phone or wallet down there and at night it takes a bit of fumbling to get it in.
#11
You'll need good soldering skills (surface mount technology).
Edit: well, the link only addresses making the LEDs brighter. For something that's on all the time, I'm sure they can be modded to do that but it will take some engineering investigation. Should be much easier to add your own supplemental lighting hooked up to power from the cigarette lighter.
#13
#14
I'll make a few comments and you can ask more specific questions. First of all the prewired LEDs from Oznium don't come with long enough wires for this project, and you have to extend their length using additional wire. Radio Shack should have some suitable 2-conductor hookup wire for this purpose. The wires should be long enough such that you can pull out the parcel shelf and sit it on the floor, and the wires from the LEDs will reach to the footwell light.
I suggest that you pop out and examine the footwell lamp. Pry the lamp out of its hole, then pull it off from its connector for a better look. You'll see two metal pieces holding the bulb. Those two metal pieces also carry the electrical power for the bulb. You basically want to connect the two wires from the LEDs to the two metal pieces that make up the bulb holder.
Hope that helps to get you started with some understanding about what needs to be done. Ask more questions if this wasn't clear.
#15
I just did the Parcel shelf tonight with the 5mm LED's...they are perfrect and match the brightness of the other LED's.
I also put two of the Superflux LEDs in the Housing for the Ultrasonic Sensor for the OEM alarm. It really lights up the Boot area nicely.
I will have pics in the next few days when I get my digital camera back.
I also put two of the Superflux LEDs in the Housing for the Ultrasonic Sensor for the OEM alarm. It really lights up the Boot area nicely.
I will have pics in the next few days when I get my digital camera back.
#17
I did my project with Superflux LEDs, but if I had the choice again I would use 5mm LEDs. You can see in photos that the Superflux light up the areas much brighter than the footwells.
The funny thing is, even with all this extra lighting, sometimes I still forget and leave things behind on the shelf or cubby . I think I just get distracted or in a hurry when I reach a destination, and don't even look down.
I have a cabrio, but LEDs in the alarm sensor seems like a great idea for a hardtop.
The funny thing is, even with all this extra lighting, sometimes I still forget and leave things behind on the shelf or cubby . I think I just get distracted or in a hurry when I reach a destination, and don't even look down.
I have a cabrio, but LEDs in the alarm sensor seems like a great idea for a hardtop.
#18
I just did the Parcel shelf tonight with the 5mm LED's...they are perfrect and match the brightness of the other LED's.
I also put two of the Superflux LEDs in the Housing for the Ultrasonic Sensor for the OEM alarm. It really lights up the Boot area nicely.
I will have pics in the next few days when I get my digital camera back.
I also put two of the Superflux LEDs in the Housing for the Ultrasonic Sensor for the OEM alarm. It really lights up the Boot area nicely.
I will have pics in the next few days when I get my digital camera back.
Also note the LED Dome Light I got from Moss Mini
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