Center Console Lights??
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Grosse Ile
Center Console Lights??
Has anyone ever thought about putting some lights in the center console. I was driving and i had to get something out of the center console tonight and i had trouble seeing and when i turned the map light on my shadow got in the way sometimes when i was digging and i wondered why isnt there a light in there.
I saw at autozone they had a 4 pack of small rectangular blue led lights for $20 and i thought they would be a perfect fit inside there. I would prefer white or even red but ill take what i can get. I might go to other parts stores and look for similar lights. It would be a nice addition. I want to put under each sides lip. They are 12v lights so i thought how perfect to tap into the 12v power outlet wiring and thought about maybe evening wiring it so they turn on when you open the console up. Still wondering how that would work so any ideas would be helpful.
I saw at autozone they had a 4 pack of small rectangular blue led lights for $20 and i thought they would be a perfect fit inside there. I would prefer white or even red but ill take what i can get. I might go to other parts stores and look for similar lights. It would be a nice addition. I want to put under each sides lip. They are 12v lights so i thought how perfect to tap into the 12v power outlet wiring and thought about maybe evening wiring it so they turn on when you open the console up. Still wondering how that would work so any ideas would be helpful.
Sit. Stay.
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 18,308
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From: Washington State
Tap lights that run off AAA batteries are another choice. And might be a bit simpler. 
I put LED strips in the console of my Expedition, wired them to a plunger switch and had lots of light afterwards. I drove to Wal-mart after I did my mod and saw Tap lights and kicked myself for coming up with a complicated solution to a simple problem.
I put LED strips in the console of my Expedition, wired them to a plunger switch and had lots of light afterwards. I drove to Wal-mart after I did my mod and saw Tap lights and kicked myself for coming up with a complicated solution to a simple problem.
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From: Grosse Ile
Yea batteries would be a quick job. I like the idea of tap lights but i wanted something that looked original and was nice and neat and i dont want to have them fall off in the winter when it gets cold. I like the plunger idea. After i thought about how i would set it up so they lighted when the console opened i thought about the glove box and im gonna use a plunger switch. Its perfect.
Im gonna go get the lights and switch after school today. Im gonna do the install this weekend when its warm. Its gonna be fun. Ive also been thinking about putting a false floor in the console that would hold small items in seperate sections with the false floor as a cover so i still have a flat surface to lay things on. There's just so much room in there and i only have small things, fuses, ammo, pocket knife, papers, and it looks messy and slides around alot so it will be nice to keep it in place by making the sectional piece.
Im gonna go get the lights and switch after school today. Im gonna do the install this weekend when its warm. Its gonna be fun. Ive also been thinking about putting a false floor in the console that would hold small items in seperate sections with the false floor as a cover so i still have a flat surface to lay things on. There's just so much room in there and i only have small things, fuses, ammo, pocket knife, papers, and it looks messy and slides around alot so it will be nice to keep it in place by making the sectional piece.
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2006
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From: Central Florida
I'm not a fan of plunger switches, they are too bulky and stand out too much. Mercury or ball tilt switches are available and I think the small package would look better. I know LED is cool, but the light tends to be very directional, I would most likely use a pencil CCFL (neon). They make the pencils about 6" long and less than 1/2" in diameter so it's a fairly small package that send light in every direction.
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Freshman User
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From: Grosse Ile
I finally decided how im going to do this. I dont mind that leds are directional. With 4 in there its not gonna be a big deal. Im to wire it so that i dont need to have any switches. I dont want to take the chance of the plunger being messed up and keeping the lights on and drain my battery. I figured out the perfect idea. Im going to have the lights wired into the running lights. That way they turn on when i turn the headlights on. I drive with my parking lights on all the time so i dont know if i would want the console lights on when im driving during the day. Its gonna be great no matter what cuz then i know that the lights arent gonna stay on by mistake. Ive got until the weekend to figure out whether or not im gonna tap into the headlights excsulively or power it whenever i turn my parking lights on.
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2006
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From: Central Florida
If your tapping into the headlight switch either way, I would put a fuse on the tap as close to the switch as possible. This way, the console lights will not take out either the parking or headlights if they short. It would suck for your console lights to cut off your driving lights at night.
You can always add a switch to this circuit so the lights aren't on anytime your park/head lamps are on.
You can always add a switch to this circuit so the lights aren't on anytime your park/head lamps are on.
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From: Franktown, CO
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From: Grosse Ile
Thanks everyone for the tips and help. I finally got it straight and will be doing it this weekend. Im gonna put an inline fuse into it and an inline switch that ill leave turned on but it will give me the option of turning them off at night. Im gonna shop around and look for red ones because of the whole seeing at night issue. Blue is pretty easy on the eyes just like red so if i dont end up finding the red ones then its not a big deal. Can't wait to do this. Thanks again for the suggestions.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Apr 2007
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I've done this to three Ex's
I used two glove box lights from a Mercedes (W123, W126,) cost about $5 or so.
Take out the console. Remove the inner sections cut a rectangular opening in the black plastic inner liner in the top center of each side facing down to fit the snap-in lights. (I made an aluminum template and did it with a Dremel tool) Put a plunger switch in the hinge, wire it up and you're done.
Works great because the two lights shine down into the console, not up in your face. No problem at night.
The MB lights just fit perfectly and since they snap in its easy to replace a bulb.
I used two glove box lights from a Mercedes (W123, W126,) cost about $5 or so.
Take out the console. Remove the inner sections cut a rectangular opening in the black plastic inner liner in the top center of each side facing down to fit the snap-in lights. (I made an aluminum template and did it with a Dremel tool) Put a plunger switch in the hinge, wire it up and you're done.
Works great because the two lights shine down into the console, not up in your face. No problem at night.
The MB lights just fit perfectly and since they snap in its easy to replace a bulb.
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From: Grosse Ile
Got the lights installed
I decided just to get it over with because i was bored. It took a little over an hour to do. I wired them into the rear control illumination wires. This kept the wires nice and neat and i didnt need to run them all over the place. They light up whenever the headlight switch is turned to to the parking light or headlight position. Since its wired into the trucks dash illumination circuit the brightness is controlled by the dimmer switch on the dash. This is a very nice feature.
This was the first one i put in to see how it looked.
This is the left side, one on the left side under where the latch is and another under the cup holder
Same thing but on the other side
All the wiring run wrapped and run through to the connector.
The wires i tapped into, Lt Blue/Red for power and the black next to it for ground.
Wires coming through the shell
Floor mat in place
The finished product
The lights work great and im gonna get some night shots later and show the dim effect.
This was the first one i put in to see how it looked.
This is the left side, one on the left side under where the latch is and another under the cup holder
Same thing but on the other side
All the wiring run wrapped and run through to the connector.
The wires i tapped into, Lt Blue/Red for power and the black next to it for ground.
Wires coming through the shell
Floor mat in place
The finished product
The lights work great and im gonna get some night shots later and show the dim effect.
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Freshman User
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From: Grosse Ile
Here are a few pictures of them at night. The first two are comparisons of the dimmer switch all the way up and all the way down. The third picture is how the wires were grouped up and ran.
They dim down a good amount. They are very bright and i can easily see in there and despite it being bright inside the console its not hard on the eyes and i can still see outside at night.
They dim down a good amount. They are very bright and i can easily see in there and despite it being bright inside the console its not hard on the eyes and i can still see outside at night.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,566
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From: The Great White North!
Good install and some good ideas here.
Can I make one suggestion tho. When you take close up pictures, under 3 ft use the (flower) symbol on the camera. It is the macro or close up feature and all your pictures will be in focus. Thanks.
Can I make one suggestion tho. When you take close up pictures, under 3 ft use the (flower) symbol on the camera. It is the macro or close up feature and all your pictures will be in focus. Thanks.
