I have wheel well LED lights and i need to know how to hook them up.?

Question

Well, i do have them hooked up but i want to know if im right. Im currently using them for floor LED lights because its too cold for outside the car. I wired them them directly to the battery on the positive and negatives. I know there is a different way to hook them up instead of having wire come directly from the battery to inside the car. somebody please help me out. Also, for the time being, is it bad for the car if i leave them hooked up straight to the battery??

Thanks

Answer 1

http://www.diytv.com/diy/ab_exterior/article/0,2021,DIY_13687_4860866,00.html

Disclaimer: These may be illegal in some areas. Find out first. Also in the areas they are legal you can be stopped and ticketed if they aren't all working. Most states have laws that any lights added to a vehicle must work, so even if they aren't required, if they are there they better work.

Answer 2

There should be some empty fuse spaces or a terminal to connect to that has power only when the ignition is turned on (some have some that have power constant). The fuse box should have a diagram, and it may or may not have this space listed. You can use a volt-meter to test them to see if they have power with the key on or off.

You could also connect into another fuse using a fuse tap terminal that connects to an end of the fuse, but these might be hard to find for the mini fuses used on most newer vechicles.

Another way is to get a wire splice connector and connect the power wire to your parking light wires so they come on and off with your parking lights. (Ground wire can be connected to almost any metal part, loosen a bolt somewhere and tighten the wire under it)

You could also wire in a switch to control them, so they can be turned on or off whenever you want.

I wouldn't recommend leaving them hooked up direct to the battery, but the power that the LED's use will be very minimal, so it shouldn't affect the battery charge very much at all. At the very least, you want a fuse there to keep shorts from burning your car down if the insulation gets worn and the wire contacts metal. (any other lights would drain the battery rather quick)

If you have a friend that's done some stereo installs, or works on cars, you might ask them if they can help.

Answer 3

If you don't mind them eventually draining the battery, then leave them hooked up directly to it. I know that these lamps draw very little power, but they do, none the less, draw power. You could tie into the cigarette lighter circuit. Just find the cigarette lighter plug, and you should see the wires connected to it. This will give you an inside power source. A switch in this power line would not be a bad idea. Make it something that is placed under the dash board where it is easy to find and operate. If the lights turn on when connected to a power source, you have them connected properly.
So far as to cold for them to be outside, no, I doubt that. Those lamps should not be affected by the cold. You might be, installing them out there, but they won't be.

Answer 4

Just run the wire to the fuse panel and install a switch so that you turn them off and on when you want.

I would hook them directly to the battery for several reasons
1) It could short out the battery
2) It could drain the battery
3) Possibly cause a fire

that's the whole purpose of the fuse panel. If something shrts out it's only the fuse that's affected and the entire wiring system to the car. Then you could be looking at $1000-$1500 in repairs.

Is that worth having LED lights?

Answer 5

I am not sure how to hook them up, but I would check on local regulations and state laws because where I used to live, you couldn't have any extra lights on a car. Not even those undercarriage lights, wheel lights or anything else. Nothing would suck more than to take the time to hook them up and getting a fine from it.

Answer 6

sorry i have no idea how to help you with this... but i just wanted to let you know that that sounds awesome! when you put them in the wheel wells it will look AMAZING!