As above really, best place to take a power feed from the main lighting circuit that's post door switch?

I bought an upper centre console part from Alex (Thanks) and have installed some lights (bulbs, not LED's, so should dim out correctly and have a warmer light). They're right up at the top back so they illuminate the wells but can't be seen (unless you have your head on the floor). And also I shouldn't get any shadows from the pedals.

Now I need to feed the power to them, I want them to come on with the main light so my first thought's were

A. feed from one of the door warning lights (I've got to seal my drivers door carrier some time soon, but not keen on the idea of removing the rivets just to run a cable through the rubber tube pipe thingy.)

B. feed from the main light in the roof. (Across, down the A pillar and then behind the glove box. I'm not sure how resilient the head lining is though, will it stick back up? It's been down at the front once before because the last owner had a Nokia microphone hooked up for the hands free in the OEM position. I don't want it to start falling down in the future.)

C. A feed from the fuse box from the lighting circuit. (I have no idea how easy this would be.)

Any thought's welcome. Putting the lights in physically was a piece of p!ss!.. Will post up pix once I've finished it all off.

Rob

Someone must know a bit about removing and re-fitting the head lining? Is a one trick pony or will it come down and go back up till the cows come home?

Is it clipped or stuck. I think this is going to be the most logical place to get a power source from. Should be ok power wise as the two new lights are only 5w each.

The head lining should come down as many times as you like. The only thing I would say is be careful not to bend it too much as they can sometimes be damaged leaving a visible crease. Providing you're careful there shouldn't be any problems though.

I would off thought you could push a length of net curtain wire from the main light to the top of the A post without taking the the whole lot down.

I would off thought you could push a length of net curtain wire from the main light to the top of the A post without taking the the whole lot down.

That's a damn good idea! Hmmmmm :rubchin:

Can put a net curtain sun strip up at the same time!

That's a damn good idea! Hmmmmm :rubchin:

Can put a net curtain sun strip up at the same time!

No mate nets are "out" now, blinds are "in".:rofl:

Alright dude,

Ive played about with the lighting in the fabia quite a few times, including doing the "see me home lights" as seen in some fords and mercs.

Anyway, its dead easy to take a feed by splicing into the interior light or red door lights.

Personally i would go for the door lights, just to minimalise the load on cables, better taking power from two wires than the one in the roof.

If you open the door, you can pop the rubber off between the door and body and by using a voltmeter to determine which is the door light, just splice a feed from it and run it to your new light. Might take some fiddling to find a good route, but thats part of the fun. It can be done.

OF COURSE!

Hadn't even thought of cutting it out side of the door. Had assumed they'd all be tapped up but this isn't the case it seems! Great!

Where did you hook up your earth?

I'm trying to work out if 3W bulbs would be better than 5W now. I don't want the light to be obvious.. just a continuation of the roof lights spread.

Edited 10 June, 200917 yr by reflex88

I like the sound of this mod! Doesnt look too bad a job tbh, but if you decide to give it a go before I do then please post some pictures up!

Si.

OF COURSE!

Where did you hook up your earth?

I'm trying to work out if 3W bulbs would be better than 5W now. I don't want the light to be obvious.. just a continuation of the roof lights spread.

I was getting the headlights to go on when the interior light was on, so just used the existing earth on the headlights. Havent had a good look under the steering wheel, but any bolt etc could be loosened and an earth wire trapped behind it when tightened, just as long as its touching bare metal. I have fed a few wires to the top mounting screw of the fuse box and used that as an earth before, just fix a spade connector to the end and slide it behind the screw. Sorted!

Off the top of my head, i would say 5w lights will be pretty bright, so 3w might be sufficient, especially at night. Its hard to say without seeing both in action. Think the existing door lights are about 5w.

I know you wont get the dimming effect, but if it were me, ide get some led light bars, just as bright if not brighter, easier to install / hide, and much less load on wiring.

http://www.litewave.co.uk/litewave_led_bars.asp

Edited 10 June, 200917 yr by vrsmeansyellow

you dont have to cut the wires outside the door,(or any other place),if you are careful ,use a large needle and tease the correct connector out of the plastic housing. Then attach the extra cable to the metal part of the pin,and carefully replace it into the housing. The housing will squeeze the two wires together. I always solder the extra wire to the pin ,which is extra work ,but will give a better connection(mechanically and electrically).

This method is better because if you take the item out,the wiring is as it was before,without damage.