Interior: How to: Install Interior Neon Accent Lights for Wiring Noobs
02-18-2008, 02:15 PM
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How to: Install Interior Neon Accent Lights for Wiring Noobs
Difficulty for 1st timers: 3/10.
For those that are intimidated by electrical and wiring, don't be. I was at first when i started this as a learning project and it went perfectly. For ~32$ I got nice, subtle interior accent lighting and a little experience with wiring.
You will need:
- Neon or LED Tubes (doesn't matter if it has the cigarette lighter connector) ($27.98 shipped for 15" Neon Tubes off ebay)
- Wire crimps (16 Gauge) ($1.99 @ Radioshack)
- Maybe some extra 16 Gauge Wire (If your lights come with around 4-6ft of wire each, it should be plenty)
- An on/off switch ($1.99 @ Radioshack) Make sure its an on/off switch and not a momentary switch, as a momentary switch will only give power while the button is pushed down)(If following this how-to, the switch must be rated for less than 15 amps)
For the noobs of wiring and electrical like myself:
- Black is typically your ground for wiring. Red is typically your hot, or your wire that that carries the power.
Notes: I was able to wire my entire setup with the ~5ft of wire that came with a single light tube. I had the entire length of the wire from the other light tube as extra in case i messed anything up. The radio fuse is another good choice, however it IS powered all the time. I tried to run it there first but even with the car off and the radio off the lights still received power, so sunroof it was. Also be sure to find a switch that is rated for LESS amps than the fuse you will be tapping into, otherwise you will constantly blow your fuse. Pics will be posted later, night pics later tonight.
Search terms for future reference: neon, light, wiring, fuse, fusebox, how-to, interior, accent, LED, tube
For those that are intimidated by electrical and wiring, don't be. I was at first when i started this as a learning project and it went perfectly. For ~32$ I got nice, subtle interior accent lighting and a little experience with wiring.
You will need:
- Neon or LED Tubes (doesn't matter if it has the cigarette lighter connector) ($27.98 shipped for 15" Neon Tubes off ebay)
- Wire crimps (16 Gauge) ($1.99 @ Radioshack)
- Maybe some extra 16 Gauge Wire (If your lights come with around 4-6ft of wire each, it should be plenty)
- An on/off switch ($1.99 @ Radioshack) Make sure its an on/off switch and not a momentary switch, as a momentary switch will only give power while the button is pushed down)(If following this how-to, the switch must be rated for less than 15 amps)
For the noobs of wiring and electrical like myself:
- Black is typically your ground for wiring. Red is typically your hot, or your wire that that carries the power.
- I found it was easiest to start by mounting the lights where you want them. I mounted mine under the dash above where your feet stay. I had to use zip ties and carefully mount them up under, as mounting them on the plastic of the dash itself reveals the light tube(which is distracting and cheap looking imo). Also, on the passengers side, if you attempt to mount it to the plastic, it is your glove box and may cause problems for wiring/passengers etc.
- Next, remove the drivers side and passengers side panels from the center console where your feet are. This will give you access to your interior fuse box and a grounding location. Route the wires from the passengers side light tube to the drivers side by going through the compartment you just opened up. For help removing panels refer here.
- You are now going to combine drivers red wire with the passengers red wire (hots) by putting them both into one end of the crimp, and the same for the black wires (grounds). You will need to cut the wires from the cigarette lighter plug if they came with one. Now with the two hots from your lights in one side of the crimp, take another red wire you have and put that in the other side of the crimp. Do the same for the grounds. You should now have your two hots from the lights, running to a single wire and the same for the grounds.
- Now you will take the single hot wire and run it to one side of the push-button on/off switch. Secure the wire to the switch using electrical tape or solder if possible. You will now need another piece of red wire which will run from the OTHER pole of the switch to your fuse. Essentially the switch makes or breaks the connection. When on, the circuit is complete allowing power and when off the circuit is broken and power does not reach the lights.
- You will want to run your single black wire now to a ground, so pick an unpainted metal surface to secure the ground to and go from there. I used the bolt in the drivers side compartment. Next, for ease of completion, we will tap into the sunroof fuse for power. The sunroof is a good choice because it does not receive power all the time like your door locks and will not leave your lights on if you forget to turn them off. Simply wrap your single red wire around one post of the fuse and insert the fuse back into the slot or use a fuse tap. (To find out which fuse is your sunroof's look on page 5-99 to 5-100 of your owners manual or look at the diagram on the back of the passengers side compartment panel)
- You're Done. Test to make sure everything's working correctly. When the button/switch is in the on position, your lights should be off until you run your accessories, or turn the car on. If you decide to leave it on all the time, then they should stay on only when your sunroof works (which is nice, because they will stay on until you open the door).
Notes: I was able to wire my entire setup with the ~5ft of wire that came with a single light tube. I had the entire length of the wire from the other light tube as extra in case i messed anything up. The radio fuse is another good choice, however it IS powered all the time. I tried to run it there first but even with the car off and the radio off the lights still received power, so sunroof it was. Also be sure to find a switch that is rated for LESS amps than the fuse you will be tapping into, otherwise you will constantly blow your fuse. Pics will be posted later, night pics later tonight.
Search terms for future reference: neon, light, wiring, fuse, fusebox, how-to, interior, accent, LED, tube
Last edited by TommyP; 10-03-2012 at 01:12 PM.
08-19-2012, 10:23 AM
#4
umn.. yeah but it's very hard to to tell
I'm going to replace the blue with red soon.. it will flow with the car better. . . since I have red halo's, the car is red.. red gauges.. etc.
I'm going to replace the blue with red soon.. it will flow with the car better. . . since I have red halo's, the car is red.. red gauges.. etc.
Last edited by tylerjclance; 08-19-2012 at 10:23 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
09-27-2012, 02:45 AM
#11
Senior Member
10-25-2012, 04:20 AM
#13
Difficulty for 1st timers: 3/10.
For those that are intimidated by electrical and wiring, don't be. I was at first when i started this as a learning project and it went perfectly. For ~32$ I got nice, subtle interior accent lighting and a little experience with wiring.
You will need:
- Neon or LED Tubes (doesn't matter if it has the cigarette lighter connector) ($27.98 shipped for 15" Neon Tubes off ebay)
- Wire crimps (16 Gauge) ($1.99 @ Radioshack)
- Maybe some extra 16 Gauge Wire (If your lights come with around 4-6ft of wire each, it should be plenty)
- An on/off switch ($1.99 @ Radioshack) Make sure its an on/off switch and not a momentary switch, as a momentary switch will only give power while the button is pushed down)(If following this how-to, the switch must be rated for less than 15 amps)
For the noobs of wiring and electrical like myself:
- Black is typically your ground for wiring. Red is typically your hot, or your wire that that carries the power.
Notes: I was able to wire my entire setup with the ~5ft of wire that came with a single light tube. I had the entire length of the wire from the other light tube as extra in case i messed anything up. The radio fuse is another good choice, however it IS powered all the time. I tried to run it there first but even with the car off and the radio off the lights still received power, so sunroof it was. Also be sure to find a switch that is rated for LESS amps than the fuse you will be tapping into, otherwise you will constantly blow your fuse. Pics will be posted later, night pics later tonight.
Search terms for future reference: neon, light, wiring, fuse, fusebox, how-to, interior, accent, LED, tube
For those that are intimidated by electrical and wiring, don't be. I was at first when i started this as a learning project and it went perfectly. For ~32$ I got nice, subtle interior accent lighting and a little experience with wiring.
You will need:
- Neon or LED Tubes (doesn't matter if it has the cigarette lighter connector) ($27.98 shipped for 15" Neon Tubes off ebay)
- Wire crimps (16 Gauge) ($1.99 @ Radioshack)
- Maybe some extra 16 Gauge Wire (If your lights come with around 4-6ft of wire each, it should be plenty)
- An on/off switch ($1.99 @ Radioshack) Make sure its an on/off switch and not a momentary switch, as a momentary switch will only give power while the button is pushed down)(If following this how-to, the switch must be rated for less than 15 amps)
For the noobs of wiring and electrical like myself:
- Black is typically your ground for wiring. Red is typically your hot, or your wire that that carries the power.
- I found it was easiest to start by mounting the lights where you want them. I mounted mine under the dash above where your feet stay. I had to use zip ties and carefully mount them up under, as mounting them on the plastic of the dash itself reveals the light tube(which is distracting and cheap looking imo). Also, on the passengers side, if you attempt to mount it to the plastic, it is your glove box and may cause problems for wiring/passengers etc.
- Next, remove the drivers side and passengers side panels from the center console where your feet are. This will give you access to your interior fuse box and a grounding location. Route the wires from the passengers side light tube to the drivers side by going through the compartment you just opened up. For help removing panels refer here.
- You are now going to combine drivers red wire with the passengers red wire (hots) by putting them both into one end of the crimp, and the same for the black wires (grounds). You will need to cut the wires from the cigarette lighter plug if they came with one. Now with the two hots from your lights in one side of the crimp, take another red wire you have and put that in the other side of the crimp. Do the same for the grounds. You should now have your two hots from the lights, running to a single wire and the same for the grounds.
- Now you will take the single hot wire and run it to one side of the push-button on/off switch. Secure the wire to the switch using electrical tape or solder if possible. You will now need another piece of red wire which will run from the OTHER pole of the switch to your fuse. Essentially the switch makes or breaks the connection. When on, the circuit is complete allowing power and when off the circuit is broken and power does not reach the lights.
- You will want to run your single black wire now to a ground, so pick an unpainted metal surface to secure the ground to and go from there. I used the bolt in the drivers side compartment. Next, for ease of completion, we will tap into the sunroof fuse for power. The sunroof is a good choice because it does not receive power all the time like your door locks and will not leave your lights on if you forget to turn them off. Simply wrap your single red wire around one post of the fuse and insert the fuse back into the slot or use a fuse tap. (To find out which fuse is your sunroof's look on page 5-99 to 5-100 of your owners manual or look at the diagram on the back of the passengers side compartment panel)
- You're Done. Test to make sure everything's working correctly. When the button/switch is in the on position, your lights should be off until you run your accessories, or turn the car on. If you decide to leave it on all the time, then they should stay on only when your sunroof works (which is nice, because they will stay on until you open the door).
Notes: I was able to wire my entire setup with the ~5ft of wire that came with a single light tube. I had the entire length of the wire from the other light tube as extra in case i messed anything up. The radio fuse is another good choice, however it IS powered all the time. I tried to run it there first but even with the car off and the radio off the lights still received power, so sunroof it was. Also be sure to find a switch that is rated for LESS amps than the fuse you will be tapping into, otherwise you will constantly blow your fuse. Pics will be posted later, night pics later tonight.
Search terms for future reference: neon, light, wiring, fuse, fusebox, how-to, interior, accent, LED, tube
10-31-2012, 03:27 PM
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Regarding other questions above, I used Neon tubes from eBay, but would recommend LEDs. Not only is there better light output with LEDs, you get longer life typically and neons sometimes take a second (or less) to warm up before full output. Not a big deal at all, most people probably wouldn't notice, but it bothers me sometimes so either work, but Ill go LED next time.
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