CWolfSE

I just purchased the DDM blue LED strip off of their website, and was wondering what wire and where the wire is that I can splice into from the Footwells, to give them strong power. So if anyone did this mod any tips to make it an easy process

Also I saw some people with a rocker switch and they put it in various locations for independent control(coin slot, near steering wheel)... I want to do this but I feel like its a hard upgrade for someone with my experience. Any DIY/Walkthrough link on the website or someone has..

**Ps. I researched a lot on both these topics, but not much DIY tutorials.
Thank you for the help.

Alias6

I've never heard of those, but when I searched it on google I got a linked to a ford forum that brought me to superbrightleds. Are they the 12volt ones? If they are, you can take out the trim around your shifter (pry it up, you can watch videos how to remove the stereo if you don't know how, it starts out the same way) and you could connect it to that 12v plug. To get a switch you could connect the switch between the LEDs and the connection and then run it around the shifter under the trim and its easy to get it out the coin slot holder.

edit: when I said '12 volt plug' I meant cut the wires from behind the plug and connect it that way.

luvlexus101

iTrader: (6)

Depends what you wanna have control it. If you want it tapped into the parking lights it can be done easily, if you want it to come on with the dome that can also be done.

Alias6

Ah I never thought of any of that haha :/..I just thought of any easy place to get power from that if you messed it up nothing really important could be messed up in the process :P

CWolfSE

I would like to do the switch in the coin holder but I would have no idea where to start haha...if I don't do the switch then I can easily just find a wire to splice into

CWolfSE

Oh and if you go to DDMTuning website its the LED strip section.. That'll give you all your details

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

The easiest place and also the most visually appealing is the blank spots to the left of the steering wheel down a bit.

Get a good switch that will blend in well though.

I'd recommend wiring it into either the Parking light, with a toggle off switch. This way will turn them on automatically with the parking lamps on. And you can shut them off if you want.

if you want to have the lights on when the car/key or lights are off though you'll have to run dedicated power. Not really recommended. More work also.

CWolfSE

Thank you, that sounds better.. If i put it on that blank spot to the left opposed to the middle console area it will be easier I assume... I'm still not sure how exactly the led strip connects..but I'm guessing one end of the led lights connects to the rocker switch(I'll probably buy at RadioShack) and the opposite end of the lights connects to the parking light wire near...(I don't know
Know where that is located) :/

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

One goes to ground.

One goes to the rocker switch.

Then you feed power to the other side of hte rocker switch.

T_Behr904

In for pics once it's done.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

CWolfSE

Ha I shall deliver

Ghost_54

iTrader: (13)

I did mine about 4 years ago, except mine are LED tubes. I mount the control power box just under the Steering wheel.

CWolfSE

The ground???... I need details man haha.

CWolfSE

Hope you dont mind the questions haha but Love how your car is all blue so what's the difference between tubes and what I got? and where did you tap the tube wire into to go to the music?

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

What this is going to look like when he posts pics:

CWolfSE

OH YEAH. made the sig

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

for a half a day

CWolfSE

Haha whatever.. So I looked under the steering wheel for the first time today 0_0... And can you be so kind enough to tell me what wire out of the 100(color wise) I can splice into to power these led strips. *passenger and driver side* I'm not car smart and researching brought me to different year maximus (different wires).

Ps. Would the relay box wire colors be the same as under the steering wheel? In that case I know which one I'll splice into for parking light powa

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Honestly have no idea.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

If you want to have the leds work with the parking lights, then there are 3 wires you could tap into for power. They are all on the back side of the fuse panel. The colors are red/blue stripe, red/green stripe and red/yellow stripe.

You will also find the red/green wire on the back of the dashlight dimmer switch among other places.

I don't know if the wire on the dimmer switch can carry the extra current for the led strips. I don't know the size of the wire OR the current usage of the strips. You have to check all this stuff out or you will be posting TunerMax's photo.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Here's a harsh truth: If you don't even know what a ground is, you'd be better buying one of those ghetto LED setups that plugs into your car charger/cig lighter and you do NO wiring.

Not meant to offend, but given the limited knowledge you CURRENTLY posses, I wouldn't suggest tackling this yet.

You need to learn more, do research, watch DIY's for other cars and how stuff is wired in similar circumstances.

Read books on wiring, OHMS law, etc.

Alias6

Agreed. If you really wanted to still do this, I still think my suggestion was the easiest and hardest to mess up, you can still run the switch next to the steering wheel if you wanted to. You could plug the lights into the new plug you made and connect the new plug to the switch so you kill power to it and hide it behind your dash.

Ground (also called earth) is the negative cable, it is a return path for electricity and keeps it stable. I don't know much about it (enough to get by lol), but google is good to learn that stuff, and just never touch positive and ground.

zero2sixtyZ

iTrader: (30)

Custom LED boards, switch in tiny coin holder spot next to shifter, all tapped into cig lighter wiring for power.

Alias6

Thats really sick dude, do you leave them on while driving? I only have one blue LED pointing in each footwell from under my seats.

CWolfSE

I Got this.. I know what I'm doing for the most part, and I know what the ground is I was just messing around asking for more details haha. I'm going to put the switch near the steering wheel still. Thank you everyone for your input though. I'll post pics

CWolfSE

If I get really stuck then I'll just do what you did and use the coin slot instead of near the steering wheel, Cause then I can use the cigarette lighter for power

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

why use a switch why not just tap the door pin switch so they come on when you open the door or you can tap the all on wire of the factory dimmer so that when you roll it all the way to full on the lights come on for you

CWolfSE

Well I was going to use a switch for independent control and tap it into the parking lights. That way even with the parking lights on I can still shut them off. unless you're saying that if I hook it up to the dimmer will they only come on when it clicks at the end? I don't think there is a way to do that

zsolt117

I ran my wires straight through the rubber grommet to the battery ran it to a switch which powers mine, except I got red led strips. I honestly recommend that your don't splice it in with some random wire or the cig lighter, go to autozone and buy a switch (call me rice or whatever but in reality its your best bet) you run a direct current from your battery to the switch that way it doesnt interfere with any other electronics in your car and you can turn them off and on whenever you want. Ill post pics later when I get back to my maxima.

CWolfSE

The tail lights/parking lights isn't random.. And i feel like I could accidently leave them on if I connect it right to the battery haha... I would still like to see your pictures cause Im open to all options still... just kinda leaning towards the one I said.

Question; what is the taillight/parking light labeled as on the fuse?

CWolfSE

made this... whats the parking light one?

behind

zsolt117

zsolt117

sorry about the seperate posts had some difficulties, but the first one are the led strips and
the pic above is the switch I used.



now if you really want to get creative with your leds I spliced those into my fog lights.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

^^What NOT to do to your car 101


IS that your NAAAASSSSSSSS button?
-----------------------
Seeing as this thread is now a picture dump for everyone's footwell lighting, here's the only pic I have of mine, the driver side was mis-alligned in this picture though. And crappy camera = blinding switch LED

Mine were hooked up to Ignition powered relay (could only turn them on with the key in the "ACC/ON" position . And they were hooked up to a POT (Dimmer) so I could dim them down when it was really dark out in the country or whatever.

zsolt117

The grill lights or the switch? and its a switch not that hard to swap it out.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Yes.

CWolfSE

I like them both zsolt yours looks soooooo bright I would invest in a dimmer. Other than that I like it and cook creativity with the behind the grill ones, usually they are in the front.

I think im going to do a dimmer now cause i dont want them too bright. And what relay name is the ignition power ?

CWolfSE

What fuse should I take power from...

Alias6

Did you guys use fuses when you tapped into things such as the cigarette lighter? or just connect the wires/switch and that was it?