Lower Grill LED Strips
10-31-2009, 04:10 PM
#41
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^ I just installed them today so I'll take some night shots later on. The lights are pretty bright so they will be very noticeable at night.
The install is not that hard and a noob can do it. It took me about 2 hours to complete the job and the hardest part was removing those grills. Use the butter knife from the front to make things a little easier. I'll post night shots when I can. You'll need some wire strippers, a 10mm socket, screw drivers (straight for popping out plastic fasteners), and the add-a-circuit that you can get from a car parts store. This mod was a lot easier than replacing the license plate lights with LEDs.
The install is not that hard and a noob can do it. It took me about 2 hours to complete the job and the hardest part was removing those grills. Use the butter knife from the front to make things a little easier. I'll post night shots when I can. You'll need some wire strippers, a 10mm socket, screw drivers (straight for popping out plastic fasteners), and the add-a-circuit that you can get from a car parts store. This mod was a lot easier than replacing the license plate lights with LEDs.
what are the 10mm socket and add-a-circuit?
and this mod shouldnt void a warranty right? since you are technically not really modifying anything, just adding
10-31-2009, 05:15 PM
#42
Drifting
The add-a-circuit is used to tap into the fuse panel for power. I like this solution because it is completely reversable if I decide I don't like the lights- no tapped wires or the sort plus I can pick a fuse that keeps the LED lights on whenever the engine is on. I like this idea better than tapping into the parking light sockets like the OP did.
The 10mm socket is used hook your ground to the 10MM bolt near the battery that the OP showed in his pictures. It's a very simple modification and should not void any warranty.
The 10mm socket is used hook your ground to the 10MM bolt near the battery that the OP showed in his pictures. It's a very simple modification and should not void any warranty.
10-31-2009, 05:21 PM
#43
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The add-a-circuit is used to tap into the fuse panel for power. I like this solution because it is completely reversable if I decide I don't like the lights- no tapped wires or the sort plus I can pick a fuse that keeps the LED lights on whenever the engine is on. I like this idea better than tapping into the parking light sockets like the OP did.
The 10mm socket is used hook your ground to the 10MM bolt near the battery that the OP showed in his pictures. It's a very simple modification and should not void any warranty.
The 10mm socket is used hook your ground to the 10MM bolt near the battery that the OP showed in his pictures. It's a very simple modification and should not void any warranty.
one last question: for the LED strip, how should the wiring be, i got some test strips that are just a + and - wire on one end, is that different from the plug-n-playe?
10-31-2009, 06:29 PM
#44
Drifting
Yes, this is the same. The Oznium lights have plugs but eventually you will get to two individual wires at the end. Oznium provides and adapter plug that terminates to the two wires so you'll be good to go. You have the following setup:
<passenger LED strip> + <3 foot ext.> + <driver LED strip> + <3 foot ext> + <2 wire adaptor> : negative wire goes to ground & positive wire goes to fuse box or parking light plug.
p.s. I just took some 4PM pics and the lights are bright. The neighbor could see them all the way down my culd-a-sac at 3PM. They will be bright come night time. I'll try to post pictures tomorrow
<passenger LED strip> + <3 foot ext.> + <driver LED strip> + <3 foot ext> + <2 wire adaptor> : negative wire goes to ground & positive wire goes to fuse box or parking light plug.
p.s. I just took some 4PM pics and the lights are bright. The neighbor could see them all the way down my culd-a-sac at 3PM. They will be bright come night time. I'll try to post pictures tomorrow
10-31-2009, 07:13 PM
#45
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awesome im excited to see what those look like! also, i get now a little you put the + end to a addafuse to the fusebox right? but i dont understand what i means to "ground" a wire (noob 
, please explain!
also, i have a 07 type s w/ aspec body kit, the lower grills are not like yours, mine i can completely put my hand thru it, so my question is, culd i do it w/o taknig the grills off?
, please explain!also, i have a 07 type s w/ aspec body kit, the lower grills are not like yours, mine i can completely put my hand thru it, so my question is, culd i do it w/o taknig the grills off?
10-31-2009, 08:31 PM
#46
Drifting
Here are some dusk shots before the tricker-treaters come:
The LEDs are bright enough that I can see a glow in my garage when I park the car with no other lights on.
Happy Halloween!
The LEDs are bright enough that I can see a glow in my garage when I park the car with no other lights on.
Happy Halloween!
02-17-2010, 01:37 PM
#50
Carly Curran
LaCostaRacer:
Looks good! Now I am undecided whether I want to do the full 22" piece or just do 12" like you. I am going to use a cool white, but I'm having trouble finding a strip that I can cut exact.
Looks good! Now I am undecided whether I want to do the full 22" piece or just do 12" like you. I am going to use a cool white, but I'm having trouble finding a strip that I can cut exact.
02-17-2010, 02:06 PM
#51
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02-28-2010, 03:17 PM
#57
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Thanks Roach! If you can do it, it's really well worth it. It's a lot of work, but the rewards are awesome.
Hey be sure to join our Type S Social Group at:
https://acurazine.com/forums/groups/type-s-social-group-74/
Hey be sure to join our Type S Social Group at:
https://acurazine.com/forums/groups/type-s-social-group-74/
03-19-2010, 07:44 AM
#60
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LocostaRacer: I'm thinking about doing this myself and I like your idea much easier but few questions for you.
1. the positive wire on left LED and and positive wire on the right LED have to be joined together and then connected to the single wire that goes to the fuse box correct???
2. you mentioned that the postive cable can go into fuse box or parking plug. I can't remember at the top my head but you said that you taped it where when you car is running the lights are on. However, in the fuse box is there a place for the parking lights where I could tap into?
1. the positive wire on left LED and and positive wire on the right LED have to be joined together and then connected to the single wire that goes to the fuse box correct???
2. you mentioned that the postive cable can go into fuse box or parking plug. I can't remember at the top my head but you said that you taped it where when you car is running the lights are on. However, in the fuse box is there a place for the parking lights where I could tap into?
04-29-2010, 02:54 AM
#62
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Just did mine, what you think?
Hey guys,
I just finished my LED strips, what do you think?
I did the add a circuit method, plugged into the Right Low Beam Headlight.
I want the LEDs to come on when the side markers/parking lights come. However, I couldn't do that through the Fuse Box.
Does any one know if I can do it without tapping directly into the parking lights??
Any help would be appreciated.
Sorry about the pics, my camera phone, it doesnt do it justice.
I just finished my LED strips, what do you think?
I did the add a circuit method, plugged into the Right Low Beam Headlight.
I want the LEDs to come on when the side markers/parking lights come. However, I couldn't do that through the Fuse Box.
Does any one know if I can do it without tapping directly into the parking lights??
Any help would be appreciated.
Sorry about the pics, my camera phone, it doesnt do it justice.
04-30-2010, 10:51 AM
#63
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I thought I'd add a better pic.
Check out my thread. https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...1#post11974662
05-01-2010, 06:22 PM
#65
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I just installed the Oznium headlight strips on the lower grill- one 12" strip per side. I followed many of zsamer's instructions but wired my lights so they act like daylight running lights instead.
I wound up buying the following from Oznium:
------------------------------------------------------
2 x Linear Light 3 foot Extension Cable = $3.98
2 x Side Emitting "Headlight" LED Strip - Neutral White, 1 Foot = $29.98
------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal: $33.96
United States Postal Service (First-Class Mail): $4.20
CA Tax 9.25: $3.14
Total: $41.30
Some other tips:
*removing the black plastic lower grills was the hardest part of the job; however, you can use a butter knife and carefully disengage the 8 clips from the front- this works best on the outer clips that can't be reached from behind the bumper.
* The LED strips have some 3M double stick tape that seems to work very well. I attached the strips the the large middle rib and there is plenty of material for the strip to fasten too.
* You can wire these strips in sequence like a strand of xmas lights. You'll want to start at the Passenger side lower grill and work toward the driver's side. You can snip the extra wire end on the passenger led strip.
* These oznium lights are plug-n-play and easy to install. You'll want one extension cable between the LEDs light strips and then you can use the other to go from the driver strip up into the engine compartment. From there, you need about 2' of wire to tap into the underhood fuse box.
* Like zsamer, I glued the wires on the lower grill before snapping the grills into place. There are two bulkhead supports behind the bumper that you can wrap the extra wire around for a clean install behind the bumper.
I'll attach some photos that I took in middle of the day. The LEDs are brighter than they look in the photos. The sun is shining in the direction of the strips. The strips will be much brighter at night and other times of the day and look good with the black backdrop.
The parts:
Where I tapped in for power:
Final underhood install:
Front view lights off:
Front view closeup:
Front view lights on:
Front view lights on (closeup):
I wound up buying the following from Oznium:
------------------------------------------------------
2 x Linear Light 3 foot Extension Cable = $3.98
2 x Side Emitting "Headlight" LED Strip - Neutral White, 1 Foot = $29.98
------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal: $33.96
United States Postal Service (First-Class Mail): $4.20
CA Tax 9.25: $3.14
Total: $41.30
Some other tips:
*removing the black plastic lower grills was the hardest part of the job; however, you can use a butter knife and carefully disengage the 8 clips from the front- this works best on the outer clips that can't be reached from behind the bumper.
* The LED strips have some 3M double stick tape that seems to work very well. I attached the strips the the large middle rib and there is plenty of material for the strip to fasten too.
* You can wire these strips in sequence like a strand of xmas lights. You'll want to start at the Passenger side lower grill and work toward the driver's side. You can snip the extra wire end on the passenger led strip.
* These oznium lights are plug-n-play and easy to install. You'll want one extension cable between the LEDs light strips and then you can use the other to go from the driver strip up into the engine compartment. From there, you need about 2' of wire to tap into the underhood fuse box.
* Like zsamer, I glued the wires on the lower grill before snapping the grills into place. There are two bulkhead supports behind the bumper that you can wrap the extra wire around for a clean install behind the bumper.
I'll attach some photos that I took in middle of the day. The LEDs are brighter than they look in the photos. The sun is shining in the direction of the strips. The strips will be much brighter at night and other times of the day and look good with the black backdrop.
The parts:
Where I tapped in for power:
Final underhood install:
Front view lights off:
Front view closeup:
Front view lights on:
Front view lights on (closeup):
05-08-2010, 12:09 PM
#66
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im also wondering the same thing for this one... if i tap it into the fuse box... does it means that the parking light is out, that it is now transferred to the led??? or is it still be able to to turn on at the same time as the parking light??
05-08-2010, 05:18 PM
#67
here is the LED strips that I have and installed. Good thing about these strips is that it is VERY flexible and can be cut into shorter length
http://hobbyemporia.ecrater.com/cate...hp?cid=1064604
http://hobbyemporia.ecrater.com/cate...hp?cid=1064604
01-12-2011, 04:38 PM
#69
i disagree with the vast majoirty of these people.i love those strips and would like to know where you got them jakepham. very nice look to it.i also like how zaseemer put it on the grill but i think ill go with the way lacoastaracer wired his.id love to know what fuse you tapped into.i usually go with useless shyt like the cigarette lighter fuse since power flows through even in acc mode and when the car is on.plus i really dont have a use for a cigarette lighter since the battery life on my phone is amazing
04-22-2011, 02:03 PM
#70
Here's how I did mine. They are VERY bright, especially at night. I have a dimmer in the mail to tone it down after dark. Right now light are hooked up directly to the parking lights, but will eventually be hooked up to a 3 way switch so I can choose from off/on/dim.
Lights look like they protrude more in the picture than they do in person. They are aimed directly ahead, so inboard side is recessed more than the outboard side.
https://acurazine.com/forums/picture...ictureid=42157
https://acurazine.com/forums/picture...ictureid=42158
Lights look like they protrude more in the picture than they do in person. They are aimed directly ahead, so inboard side is recessed more than the outboard side.
https://acurazine.com/forums/picture...ictureid=42157
https://acurazine.com/forums/picture...ictureid=42158
04-25-2011, 11:46 AM
#78
meh like its been said, its a matter of opinion. The camera doesnt do the lights justice. I wanted to do something different than just the regular fog lights to make the car stand out a little, and I wanted bright running lights as I used to run my headlights as DLR's.
When I get a chance I'm going to pull the bumper off and cut a slot into the air diverters behind the grill and push the light back about 1/2-1 inch or so. They stick out just a hair more than I'd like. I also got the dimmer, need to tone down the brightness at night and when its foggy out. The lights tend to illuminate everything, making it hard to see..
When I get a chance I'm going to pull the bumper off and cut a slot into the air diverters behind the grill and push the light back about 1/2-1 inch or so. They stick out just a hair more than I'd like. I also got the dimmer, need to tone down the brightness at night and when its foggy out. The lights tend to illuminate everything, making it hard to see..
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