LED Lighting
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Joined: Sep 2007
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LED Lighting
hey all. i just purchased the PILOT 15" led flex-lite in blue. i bought it with the intention to put it under each door so that when i open the doors theres light there to see what im stepping in. I think they are called courtesy lights as per other companys that have them. i want them to turn on when the door opens and turn off then i close the door. Just like the interior lights do it. Anyone have step by step instructions for me? I am novice in the electrical field but not retarded. thanks for your help.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,447
Likes: 6
From: Los Angeles
Interesting idea. My first thought is that you need to make sure you can wire them directly to the power that is already in the car. If the LED strip has it's own resistors you can probably do that. The first place that comes to mind... you could splice them into the same leads as the footwell lighting. When you open the door the footwell lights come on, so your LED strips would too. LEDs draw very little power so it won't affect the operation of the footwell lights.
Are you going to put them underneath the actual door so the light moves with the door as you open it?
Bump for you, there's quite a few LED guys on this forum.
Are you going to put them underneath the actual door so the light moves with the door as you open it?
Bump for you, there's quite a few LED guys on this forum.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
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From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Looking at the wiring diagram all the hot wires to the courtesy lamps are orange in color. You could run a wire through the "accordian" in the door and tap into the circuit near one of the courtesy lamps in the footwell.
PM me with your e mail if you'd like the wiring diagram.
PM me with your e mail if you'd like the wiring diagram.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 12,413
Likes: 501
From: Rio Rancho NM
I'm one of those guys that will tell you he doesn't know the answer but I'm also one of those guys that will find out who knows the answer for you. You want LED help? Look no further and look up a member called "theradioflyer". You owe me a beer.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
As stated, the simpliest thing to do is to wire them into each exsisting footwell light under the dash on each side. Route the wires behind the door panel and through the door hinge accordian to the footwell lights.
You might want to make a roll of play dough or clay the same thickness as the strips and place it where you want under the door and close the door, then open it and check for any deformation in the clay to make sure you have enough room for the strips under there... If there isn't you could mount them right under the interior door panels.
I assume the bars are pre-wired for 12 volt applications?
You might want to make a roll of play dough or clay the same thickness as the strips and place it where you want under the door and close the door, then open it and check for any deformation in the clay to make sure you have enough room for the strips under there... If there isn't you could mount them right under the interior door panels.
I assume the bars are pre-wired for 12 volt applications?
Last edited by tstar; Jun 15, 2008 at 01:09 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
If you're PILOT 15" led flex-lite is the super thin one, you can mount it under the door itself when open. There's about 1/4" clearance between the door bottom and the door sill.
I'd tap into the OEM footwell lights:
a) remove door panel
- pry off interior door handle trim using 2 flathead screwdrivers to unclip the tabs on the inside section
- remove the door trim piece (about the size of a stick of gum) behind the main door handle, then remove the 2 torx 30 screws behind it.
- Pull the door panel off starting at the bottom. and working your way to the top.
- you may also want to remove the speaker plate for easy access
b) mount light in this location: (driver's side is shown) the area between the 2 rubber seals
there will be a square rubber seal about the size of a matchbook, remove this and thread your wire into the door through there
c) run the wire
Run wire throught the door and into the cabin. remove the footwell panel with the floor lights (just pops off on the passenger side, 2 torx 15 screws in the drivers side i think) and use piggyback splices to tap into the light. Note the positive and ground wires
Good luck.
I'd tap into the OEM footwell lights:
a) remove door panel
- pry off interior door handle trim using 2 flathead screwdrivers to unclip the tabs on the inside section
- remove the door trim piece (about the size of a stick of gum) behind the main door handle, then remove the 2 torx 30 screws behind it.
- Pull the door panel off starting at the bottom. and working your way to the top.
- you may also want to remove the speaker plate for easy access
b) mount light in this location: (driver's side is shown) the area between the 2 rubber seals
there will be a square rubber seal about the size of a matchbook, remove this and thread your wire into the door through there
c) run the wire
Run wire throught the door and into the cabin. remove the footwell panel with the floor lights (just pops off on the passenger side, 2 torx 15 screws in the drivers side i think) and use piggyback splices to tap into the light. Note the positive and ground wires
Good luck.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2007
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hey all... im waiting on some pm's for more specific instructions and pictures. i will take many pics of the install so my errors wont be duplicated by others. the 15" strip el dlight is very bright and look sawesome in a drak room. yes i plan on putting the lights under the door so when it opens thers light. shoudl i put it under the door or under the rocker panel?? any other info/instructions would be greatly appreciated as i am an idiot in electrical stuff lol. thanks in advance all.
-john
-john
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
hey all... im waiting on some pm's for more specific instructions and pictures. i will take many pics of the install so my errors wont be duplicated by others. the 15" strip el dlight is very bright and look sawesome in a drak room. yes i plan on putting the lights under the door so when it opens thers light. shoudl i put it under the door or under the rocker panel?? any other info/instructions would be greatly appreciated as i am an idiot in electrical stuff lol. thanks in advance all.
-john
-john
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I was warned about EL wire emitting a pretty high EMF that will mess with your speakers and RFA... I'm anxious to see how this will work out for you, I HAD planned on using it inside the door reflectors but after I got warned off I used a 10mm LED...
Try that clay trick I told you about earlier if you're unsure about clearance for the bar...
Tim
Try that clay trick I told you about earlier if you're unsure about clearance for the bar...
Tim
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ok the install is done!! went very well.. i followed the directions radioflyer gave me for the drivers side door. Then i figured out that the door doesnt have to be taken out at all or the speaker cover!! i took many pictures to post soon. all i had to do was take one part off (the little rubber piece on the bottom fo the door) and i was able to get the wiring through with no problem!! so i threaded the wiring thorugh and all. then i went tested the footwell lights to make sure they wouldwork, and they did. i cut the light part off of the footwell light/cover and was left with the two wires that connected to the footwell light/cover. there are two wires, orange and black. now the instructions for the LED lights say that silver goes to power and black goes to ground. i touched the silver wire of the LED light to the orange wire from the footwell light, and touched both black wires together... and NOTHING!! i swithced the wires around and still nothing!! i tried both driver and passenger and got nothing!! any ideas anyone? im lost and dont know what do do from here.... and the led/s def work because i tested them before i put them on.... please help!!
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
if you left your door open for a length of time, the power to the footwell light may have been switched off. Use the FOB remote to unlock the car and that will turn on the interior lights.
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holy cow it worked!! wow they look good in the daytime.. i will take some pics when its nice and dark... so i too ka bunch of pics should i post them here or what? how do i post them here? thanks for all your guys help..... just let me know how to put hte pics on here and its all good... should i write a walk-through for everyone else to do it? it was so easy and i think its going to look awesome...
p.s- i hve a webshots account with some photos on there already... i thought i remembered that i needed a webshot account? thanks in advance to all...
p.s- i hve a webshots account with some photos on there already... i thought i remembered that i needed a webshot account? thanks in advance to all...
Last edited by johnathanrn; Jun 15, 2008 at 06:32 PM.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Oklahoma City
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17,'19,'22
Get a photobucket account. It's simple. Let's see those pics. If you make a write up it would be really great. I might "steal" this idea!
Last edited by JW Motorsports; Jun 15, 2008 at 07:15 PM.