[tcope]

Got my red LED lights installed in the MP3 tray and the center console area. I was going to install one in the cup holder but the ones I got are pretty bight and I did not want it glaring up at me. I like the way they turned out.

Key to the LED over the tray... stick it in on the part of the lip that angles back... so the light does not point outward. This keeps the light in the tray area.

 

[AutoItKing]

I dig the MP3 tray LED, very useful too!

 

[@[email protected]]

Can you dim 'em, or turn 'em of whenever you want?

 

[tcope]

The way I have them set up, no. I did not add a switch or dimmer (from what I read a dimmer might not work well. I think LEDs need a certain voltage or they turn off). I wired them into the existing LEDs in the center console so they only come on when the exterior lights are turned on. Each person has their preference but for me, there is no reason for them not to come on. I went with red to match the rest of the lights and because it's not distracting. The light in the tray only fills the tray, it does not spill out to anything else. The light in the center console can only be seem when its opened.

 

[lucho_1987]

Where did you get those LED lights?

 

[Forte333]

wirediagram?

 

[tcope]

I ordered them from Oznium.com. Good quality.

 

[tcope]

I don't have any photos of the wiring. I just used some inline wire connectors and jumped the into the wires leading to the LEDs that light up the gears in the center console. For the light in the storage area og the console, I used some electricians tape to hide the thin wire that leads down the front and into the console. Nothing fancy but it works very well to hide the wire.

 

[FEARtheFOX]

Would that not mean...If I understand this correct...your dimmer switch for your interior lighting should also dim out your leds to a certain extent?

 

[tcope]

It certainly does! I had not even thought about that. The dimmer worked on the LED all the way down to the lowest setting. Ill have to try it tonight. Seeing how it works I might even install one just for the LEDs that I installed. If I do, all hide it up under the dash as I'd rather not mount it and would not be changing it very often.

 

[sje0123]

Can you link to the ones on the site you installed?

 

[tcope]

Can you link to the ones on the site you installed?

Tiny Prewired Surface Mount LEDs - 12V 5050 SMD LED

(Man, I love my new G2... makes posting from a phone so easy)

 

[FEARtheFOX]

Tcope...if you install a dimmer switch in the current configuration it will not do you any good. You would need to find a new power wire that is not on the current dimmable circuit.

 

[SkullShank]

this is great!
ive been debating some sort of lightsource in there so i can see where to plug in the ol' usb.
nicely done!

 

[tcope]

Tcope...if you install a dimmer switch in the current configuration it will not do you any good. You would need to find a new power wire that is not on the current dimmable circuit.

I was going to splice together the two wires leading to the new LEDs and connect the dimmer there. I think it would work but I understand the factory dimmer may do something funky if it was turned down. I usually leave it all the way up.

But finding a 12 volt dimmer was more difficult then I thought it would be... at least locally. So what I thought instead was to "paint" over part of the LED. I had a few ideas. For now, I just put some electricians tape over part of the LED and it works very well. This can also serve to hide any possible glare from the LED depending on the placement of the tape. What I also thought of was to place a piece of cellophane tape over the entire LED and then use a some nail polish painted over the tape.

For right now, the electricians tape did a great job at cutting some of the brightness. It can't be seen at all so I thing I'll just leave it unless it falls off.

Sort of a poor mans dimmer.