aklass

Hi, Acurazine, I'm trying to help a friend hook up some blue cold cathodes as foot well lights. He wants to hook them up so that they turn on when he has the headlights on. so far I know that you wire the negative to a bolt as a ground. I would like to know where to wire the positive wire. I think I might be able to use a "add a fuse" to run the positive to the headlight fuse, but I don't know if the fuse is before or after the switch. If there is another way of doing this without taking apart the interior can you guys tell me?
Thanks

aklass

bump, anybody?

Roger555

iTrader: (3)

There are so many better ways to hook up footwell lighting. If you really want to do that just use a relay and use a (+) headlight wire as the trigger try to avoid tapping power directly from a source. I am actually about to install my footwell lighting soon and put together this diagram for how i'm going to hook them up I will share with you.

aklass

I've heard from another footwell thread that using 18 gauge wire you can directly attach to the fuse box. If not, then I plan on tapping into a headlight + wire. But it seems the easiest way to wire this is to tap the fuse

csmeance

why not just tap the light in the glovebox or in the center console? That switches on with the parking lights or headlights and is an easy access trigger.

Hook a relay up to the trigger and grab power from the cig lighter!

Roger555

iTrader: (3)

Think about this, if you connect your footwell lights to activate when your headlights turn on or the glovebox/ Center console then they wont light up when you open yours doors to get in your vehicle. This is one of the main benefits to installing floor lighting! I plan on leaving mine on dim while driving also but not nearly as bright hence the dimmer switch.

aklass

don't ask me, its for a friend, And since he also just got the car, he doesn't want me taking apart his center console, so I'm guessing glove box? How easy is it to tap into the glove box wire?

csmeance

its pretty easy, 2 screws for the glovebox, 2 clips and 3 screws for the covering and you have access to the wires! Be sure to use it as a TRIGGER ONLY and not as a main power source!

aklass

Now I'm confused... Whats the trigger for? and what do i use for the power source then?

csmeance

You use the trigger to tell the relay to switch on/off. You can tap into the cig. lighter in the center console (the 2 tiered compartment that has the leather cover). Its 4 screws to take out and 1 clip to get the center console out! Much easier than disassembling the glove box and then finding a power source.

aklass

But wouldn't a direct connection to the headlight fuse be easier? Does the fuse only get power when the headlights are on? because that way it the headlight switch is the switch and you have a power source

Roger555

iTrader: (3)

Sure you can tap into any power source but always better to use a relay. Some applications matter much more like running a HID kit etc. Actually to be honest assuming your not going to be running anything crazy LED wise you will be fine taping into the just the glove box, the current draw on your LEDs in going to be lower then that one incandescent bulb in your glove box anyways. Come to think of it I wont be using a relay in my setup either just taping directly from the dome lights which is more then acceptable.

aklass

I'm running cathodes, which aren't as efficient as LEDS but are brighter are more even. The thing I want to confirm is if the Headlight fuse only gets power when the headlights are on so I can use the fuse as the power source and the headlight switch as the switch