LED courtesy lights - DIY

[kung fu jesus]

I am looking at adding LED courtesy lights to my NA. Right now I just have to two OE kneecap illuminators and neither works. I would like to see what others have done to add lights to their cockpits.

I am considering the self-adhesive LED strips and wiring them to the door switches, but still be able to turn them on inside the car.

Right now I am thinking of illuminating the footwells, the glovebox, under both seats, the trunk, and possibly the engine bay. I would also LOVE to add map lights.

The underseat area sounds odd, but with the Lotus seats, it would help me see them at night and anything that is under them, including my sub belts.

If you have done something similar, share it! Give a little description, the materials you used, how you wired it, and how you like it!

Thanks!

[Rogue]

I have a couple of the old "Moss?" illuminated mirrors, and really like them.
I think they are a GM product and may could be sourced from your friendly pick-n-pull.
Mine are plug and play but wiring them in would be easy.

[kung fu jesus]

Stevan, do those GM mirrors work with the older Miatas? I have the header-mounted RVM, not the windshield mount.

[Rogue]

I have 2 that mount to the frame, but plan to retrofit a windshield mount one on the '95M.
I would imagine that would be much easier to find since the Moss ones have been gone for many years.
Likely now there are much cooler versions more fitting for Blu.

[kung fu jesus]

Nice! I have to look at that. I would prefer to keep the frame-mount. So, am I understanding you correctly that the GM mirror with maplights can be fitted to the existing RVM frame in my Miata?

I ordered a pair of led festoon bulbs for the OE light locations. I also ordered a pack of 4 12" LED strips with self adhesive backing. I took apart the door switches and cleaned the contacts. I plan to light the interior first, then look at trunk and hood lights after that.

This all came about the other day while driving in the early morning. My phone slipped off the seat onto the floor. Thinking I had left it at home, I drove back 10 miles to discover it was just between the seats. :( I usually carry a little flashlight in the glovebox, but it doesn't flood the cabin like I need it to. This should be a fun, simple project. :)

[Satisaii]

Congrats on getting the car back.

I bought extra LED strip (on a roll) when I did the interior lighting on Super. On my car I attached it to the dash bar for the under dash lighting. Of course it helps to have everything out of the car when doing that. It also helps to have the bottom half of the dash cut off.

For the map light, I used an NB windshield trim kit and drilled holes in the upper part to match the spacing of the LED light strip. I used gorilla tape to stick it face down inside the trim piece. This is switched using the OEM switch.

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/satisaii/Project%20Stupid/IMG_20131121_184330_zps754d1678.jpg (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/satisaii/media/Project%20Stupid/IMG_20131121_184330_zps754d1678.jpg.html)

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/satisaii/Project%20Stupid/IMG_20130819_143714_zps897a564f.jpg (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/satisaii/media/Project%20Stupid/IMG_20130819_143714_zps897a564f.jpg.html)

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/satisaii/Project%20Stupid/IMG_20130818_141013_zps81458c17.jpg (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/satisaii/media/Project%20Stupid/IMG_20130818_141013_zps81458c17.jpg.html)

And that is all the pictures I have of it. Someday I may learn to take more "in process" pictures.

[ozbrock]

I've always wanted to do something like the Jass Performance sun visor LEDs.

http://www.jassperformance.com/shop/mazda-mx5/Interior/Sun_Visors_Interior_Lights

[kung fu jesus]

I ordered some LED strips off Amazon this morning, should be here this evening. In the mean time, I wanted to look at the OE interior lights to make them work. Well, both bulbs were dead and a lead broke off the driver's side switch. The replacement bulbs were in the Amazon order, so no big deal. I took apart the lights and found heavy dirt build up and corrosion. Just used a toothbrush and some cleaner to freshen them up. I re-soldered the broken lead, too. I also removed and cleaned the door switches. I think I can use the main cabin lights to power the LED strips. This is kind of a neat little project! Inexpensive, too.

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[Johnnie]

I've been wanting to do this in the NC for some time. I figured I'd just piggyback the overhead cabin lamp and run wiring to stick-on strips underneath the dash for footwell lighting. Whenever the dome lamp is lit, the strips would be lit, so it should integrate seamlessly and operate just like OEM. Shouldn't be an issue, as LEDS draw so little current and there's already a LED festoon bulb in the lamp. I hadn't thought of lighting under the seats, but I like that idea, too. I could probably put strips in the cubby between the seats. The wheels are turning.

Keep us posted on your progress.

[kung fu jesus]

Thanks! I am posting progress here and in my build thread.

For posterity, Adam aka RevLimiter wrote a nice article that contained EXACTLY what I was hoping for! Nice work, Adam!

http://revlimiter.net/blog/2013/03/let-there-be-light/

I used this info to make a lead for the strips and a 12v lead to use later if I retrofit an illuminated mirror. So simple! The green wire connects to the OE 3-way switch. This means the strips will illuminate like the OE lights; constant, switched (by the doors), or full off.

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I should be able to ground the strips local to their location on the chassis. I am loving this little project so far! Just waiting for the lights to arrive. :)

[kung fu jesus]

Lights arrived! I tested them out, and am planning how to run the wires and mount the strips. I laid one up in the wire loom on the driver's side and it is PLENTY bright to illuminate the footwell even from there.

A correction to the previous post; the green wire is the ground, the red wire is constant. The ground pole is the switch, so both need to be connected to work off the OE circuit to have 3way operation. :)

Just some shots of the progress...

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[kung fu jesus]

I was reading about how people retrofit GM mirrors into their Miatas. This is nice, but I have an early Miata where the RVM is mounted to the header, not the windshield. I like that style, but couldn't find a record of someone retrofitting GM mirror onto the older Miata mount.

I was looking at the thickness of the mirror in my car, the housing especially. It isn't that thick, but I started searching for an eyeball mount LED. No dice. They are about an inch in diameter and I don't have that much real estate.

I was looking for a simple, small, fixed downward LED and came across these:

http://www.oznium.com/led-bolt

I think what I can do is take two of the 6mm lights and insert them in the RVM housing. I believe I can drill a hole and tap it the same threads as the body on these, then screw them in. The backing nut shown won't be necessary. I can drill a third hole on the back of the housing and feed the wires through to the mount, header, and down the A pillar to the rest of the LED circuit.

This gives me an overhead light, on the OE 3 way switch, and it will flood the area directly over the center stack and console. It will be a custom touch, but inexpensive and extremely helpful.

[kung fu jesus]

Installed the strips today.

I mounted the two under the seat on the forward seat hump by making small cuts parallel to the strip and ziptied them to the carpet. I ran the wires under the carpet to the transmission tunnel, then forward to the OEM switch.

In the passenger footwell, I ziptied the strip to the lower glovebox support. It faces towards the firewall, opposite the ones under the seats so as to create moe diffuse, ambient light. The driver's side is mounted in the wire loom, above the pedals.

I am satisfied with how it turned out and already ordered the LED bolts to install in the rear view mirror.

The wires for the strips are very thin and require some delicate touch, but the connections are all secure and operating correctly!

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The rear-facing underwear light on the driver's side.

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Cabin from the driver's side.

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Passenger side:
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From outside, rear:
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[JLBMX5]

Nice lights Steve. I was just about ready to offer you my rearview with lights.

[theothersawyer]

I need to do this the my car! I will be relocating my mirror to the windshield. I have a Mazdaspeed mirror and an older Miata header with a dome light where the RVM is on our older cars. That'll add light nicely to the interior!

[kung fu jesus]

Materials, the light strips, bulbs and the two LEDs I am installing in the mirror comes to just under $40, including shipping. The connectors, tape, zip ties, etc. I already had on hand.

[kung fu jesus]

I will look into auxiliary lights in the glove box, trunk, and under the hood at some point. I will need to source switches for those to activate the lights.

[Agent☣Orange]

I love this thread. I did a lot of LED upgrades here and there so I'm going to have to mine my Photobucket. In the meantime, I'll throw in a few shots of my projects.

I know this isn't about dome lights but if you can add an LED strip anywhere, you can mod your rearview for more light with a +12V source. My center console had always been a black hole until I decided to mod it:
I've always hated my console until now:
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa375/YellowYata/Misc/DIY%20center%20console%20power%20and%20light/ddb0703e.jpg

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa375/YellowYata/Misc/DIY%20center%20console%20power%20and%20light/a2eee00c.jpg

[kung fu jesus]

Thanks AO! I remember your write up on the center console mod. I don't have one, a center console.

I am hoping the LEDs I bought for the RVM are bright enough. I don't need a flood of illumination, but prefer enough to identify items and read a little by. I have a difficult time adjusting between dark and light at night, so keeping the majority of the light below my field of vision is helpful.

I also have a spare instrument panel I want to convert to red.

[Agent☣Orange]

It's not much but if I'm not out tonight doing something for Fourth of July celebration, I'll delve into my photos and add something worthy here.

[kung fu jesus]

I wanted to note something, too, that because of the array of LED products, low cost, low current draw, and ease of mounting, it's easy to go crazy and slap a strip of LEDs on everything. Try to resist that temptation. Instead think about where you need or want light, then think about clever ways to install them so they are hidden, yet effective. John's windshield header mount is really neat and simple .