How do I install LED's into my car?

Question

I'm trying to install aftermarket LED's into my car that operate on a switch. I've tried to wire them through the cig lighter that I don't use, and blew a fuse. I tried wiring them into the guage lights, and now I don't have any guage lights (also, how could I get them back? there's no fuse for them). If I were to run a wire from the battery, using an inline fuse, and grounding (a similar setup to running wires for an amp) would that work or would I fry my car?

Answer 1

If you run a wire with an inline fuse to battery from the LEDs and run a ground wire you will not hurt your car. use a 25W fuse at the most. if the fuse blows you have a wiring problem with the LEDs. if it dont blow just wire the lights to a switch by itself

Answer 2

It sounds like you're trying to run alot of these LED's, which means that you'll want to either run a wire directly to the battery, and use the switch, or try running it through the switched ignition wire that supplies your radio with power.

Of course, if you don't know what you're doing, you'll continue making things worse, instead of better.

Answer 3

Use some bubblegum to stick them to whatever mounting surface you decide to use or put them. connect them all together and wire them directly to your car battery. Dont forget to 'cut' the wire and splice the ends so you can twist the wire together to turn them on and untwist the wire to turn them off.

Answer 4

all you need to wire an led is first, and LED, 3V, and wire a 300OHM resistor in SERIES with a 12V source.

If you want to run multiple LED's each one will have to have its own resistor wire in series. with all of the LEDs wire in paraelle to the 12V source

Answer 5

If your LED don't already have current limiting resistor built in, you'll need to add them. This calc will help you:

http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz