How to Wire Footwell Lighting

[BKTurner36]

I'm electrically challenged I guess...would that be around an 18 gauge? Was looking online and saw a T-tap that fits 22 to 18 gauge wiring...just didn't want to crimp too tight on the dome light wire.

[BKTurner36]

BTW TonyNo, great info!

[TonyNo]

Yup!

Thanks!

[bfarnin]

where do u get the actual lights at?

[SNV]

Originally Posted by bfarnin

where do u get the actual lights at?

A few of us come them from different places. Some of us posted links to what bought and where we got it from.

[SNV]

Here is something that I found online. Credit goes to the author.

LED:

--Uses less energy.
^^A single LED uses only 20milliamps, but the higher power ones can require allot more.
--Lasts longer.
^^Most LEDs last 100,000 hours, which is 11.4 years of 24/7 non-stop use, but this can change on voltage environment, other conditions, and even LED types..
--More directional glow.
^^Spread degree of LEDs can vary from 10 degrees to 100 degrees in most cases, but design can correct this problem.
--More precise colors.
^^thousands of colors possible, due to their precise manufacturing abilities of the manufacturers.
--Tons of colors possible.
^^thousands of colors possible, due to their precise manufacturing abilities of the manufacturers.
--Millions possible with the mixing of RGB LEDs.
^^mixing the brightness’ of Red, Green, and Blue can create millions of colors more than the human eye can see.
--Tons of patterns and effects possible.
^^Due to the nature of LEDs, their illumination speeds and color combination can be used to create millions of patterns and effects.
--Produces no heat, unless high powered LEDs are used.
^^nothing about the LED produces heat, but be very cautious with the high powered LEDs because they do produce heat.
--Can work in any temperature a human can handle.
^^the could careless about temperature, but they have their limitations, but we will almost never run into that limitation.
--Requires minimal voltages, which requires resistors.
^^Requires anywhere from 2-4 volts for most LEDs, but there are some that require high voltages. Resistors, or even voltage regulators are required to bring high voltage sources down to the LEDs voltage level.
--Temper-mental to voltage spikes. A voltage regulator fixes this.
^^LEDs can easily be fried by over voltages, resistors are not always good enough to stop voltage spikes, but a voltage regulator does a much better job.
--Can work on lower than optimal voltages. Mainly for creating other colors through RGB color mixing.
^^Mainly for creating other colors through RGB color mixing.
--Very small in size.
^^ Sizes vary from surface mount LEDs, 3mm, 5mm, 8mm, 10mm, and many many more .
--Mostly waterproof besides contact leads and wires.
^^The LED itself is waterproof, but the leads going into the LED casing are not, but a simple coat of many waterproofing agents will fix that.
--Illuminates in nanoseconds, great for taillights.
^^The design of LEDs makes this possible, and if you really want to know why then search the net for more info on LEDs and how they work.


Neons:

--Brighter than most LEDs.
^^but not for long.
--More even, 360 glow.
^^ The design mostly.
--Colors hard to match with LEDs, and possibly other brands of neons.
^^Just the way that manufactures make their neons.
--Use more energy than LEDs.
^^Generally between 1-2amps, but can vary on length of tubes and how many.
--Only hundreds of colors available, if even that. average around 10-15 colors, but manufactures can have different color hues.
^^Manufacturing, and how popular the colors actually are.
--Produces some heat.
^^Design.
--Requires a transformer.
^^The actual Neon elements require very high AC voltage, so the transformer is used to do this.
--Does not work well with cold temperatures.
^^Its mainly the design of the neons, but give it some time and the will eventually warm-up and turn on.
--Temper-mental to voltage spikes.
^^The same as LEDs, the transformers don't like voltage spikes.
--Temper-mental to almost any voltage variations.
^^Under voltage can cause a transformer to burn-out early.
--Will not last long on lower than standard voltages.
^^Under voltage can cause a transformer to burn-out early.
--Not waterproof, unless specifically said so. Mainly under-glow neons are made waterproof.
^^Liquid electrical tape, epoxy, silicone, and many other stuff.
--Not many patterns or effects possible due to their stupid transformer, which creates a lag time before full illumination.


Cathodes:
Practically the same as neons but

--Requires a little less energy than regular neons.
^^Under voltage can cause a transformer to burn-out early.
--Are small in size than neons.
^^Design.
--Are generally brighter than neons.
^^Design.
--Are somewhat more fragile than neons, but its all in design.
^^Design.

[STINGS]

Ordered the CTS footwell lights from gmpartsdirect (19170639), sure look like the ones that were advertised for the camaro (untill they disappeared). Snap right in to the provided holes in the underdash plastic. Have not found the connectors to plug them into though. May have to wire them up like tonyno has stated above, it comes with two of these led assemblies.

Joe

[SNV]

This should help you post a pic.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showpo...9&postcount=10

[skuttduck]

Originally Posted by STINGS

Ordered the CTS footwell lights from gmpartsdirect, sure look like the ones that were advertised for the camaro (untill they disappeared). Snap right in to the provided holes in the underdash plastic. Have not found the connectors to plug them into though. May have to wire them up like tonyno has stated above
Not sure if this picture is going to show up


Hmmm ...anybody help with what I messed up on posting the picture??

Joe

I'm interested in seeing that lit up, to see if the light pattern is different than what I have. I used the door lighting lamps and got a decent look.

I hooked mine up to the ambient lighting circuit. If you want to do that, look for the purple and black wires under the passenger, and drivers side kick panels.

Mine is hooked to the ambient light connectors one above the fusebox and the other behind the gauges. I hear the new cars don't have these connectors though.

[STINGS]

Originally Posted by SNV

This should help you post a pic.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showpo...9&postcount=10

Thanks SNV, just went with putting the link to the picture of the led assembly!

[sparaz]

Just did this tonight, i'll have to post pictures soon. I wired my LEDs together (grounding them just like tony) through center console, and then tied them all into a DSDT toggle switch.
The gray wire for the dome light linked into position 1 on my toggle switch and the purple wire a few slots over (used for the ambient lighting) linked into position 2.

So now the I can turn foot well LEDs off completely, set them up to link directly to the dome lighting, and even switch them back on to run permanently while driving (based on headlights settings).

Absolutely love it and the toggle switch sure does look cool right there mounted under my steering wheel! Thanks to Tony and all the other people who had their 2 cents in this topic, about a 3 hour install for me and totally pleased with everything.

[calflan]

Did mine last night. Not a bad job at all. Took my time and it was 2 hr. install. Wired in series too, one ground, one power feed. Thanks SNV for the light bar info, and they got the bulbs to me within 3 days. Great guys to do business with. Don't like the clamp on connectors, so cut the wire on X7 and spliced into it. BTW, removing the wire module makes things easier than taping into the grey in place. Easy to remove and put back in, with a snap out push tab.
LOVE this mod. Great idea, thanks alot for posting this.
Even my wife thinks this is awesome ... and she's tired of me talking about things to do on the car ! You guys are buying me points, I owe ya !

[SNV]

Glad it worked out for ya. Yeah it's easy to unplug it. Gives you a little more room to work with.
I love the part about you wife being tired of you talking about it lol. Sometime my wife thinks I'm a little kid with my car. She just kinda smiles and says "that's nice" haha. Deep donw she loves my car too .

[STINGS]

Originally Posted by skuttduck

I'm interested in seeing that lit up, to see if the light pattern is different than what I have. I used the door lighting lamps and got a decent look.

I hooked mine up to the ambient lighting circuit. If you want to do that, look for the purple and black wires under the passenger, and drivers side kick panels.

Mine is hooked to the ambient light connectors one above the fusebox and the other behind the gauges. I hear the new cars don't have these connectors though.

Got them hooked up and boy they are not very bright. hard to tell they are even there! may look into something a little brighter. but at least the wiring is done!

joe