Floorwell LEDs (RGB Style)
by sk8r776 » Sun Dec 23, 2012 8:21 pm
I was asked to put this tutorial up a long time ago. When i was asked i was using Cold cathode tubes, They started to die after about 2 months so i decided to wait until i did the LED style again. As of tonight I have finished it. These will last for years when installed properly. Well enough with this lets get on with it.
I have installed RGB LEDs (Red-Green-Blue) these are special LED strips that can change colors with a LED controller.
What you will need:
LED strip (100cm)- http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-strips-and-bars/wfls-rgb-bk-high-power-rgb-led-flexible-light-strips--black-circuit/1243/2895/
LED Controller - http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-strips-and-bars/ldrf-rgb4-rgb-controller-rf-remote/110/519/
RGB Wire ( 2 feet) - http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/bar-strip-accessories/led-product/45/288/
Butt Connectors - http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gardner-Bender-AMT-121-Gardner-Bender-AMT-121-25-Count-22-18-Gauge-Butt-Splice/21270053
Heat Shrink Tubing
Soldering Iron
Solder
Flux <--- Not optional with something like this!! You will need it to make them last.
Some Double-Sided tape
Electrical tape
Acrylic tube 1' long (also thickness of a marker is preferable)
You will need to cut the 3' Strip into sections. I did about 2 1 foot sections.
You will need to trim the Weatherproofing epoxy from the end of the second strip.
Use a sharp razor blade. Not a knife. If you use a knife its very easy to destroy the flexible PCB.
Next apply Flux to the newly opened end and burn it off with the soldering iron, Then clean the flux off. This gives a much better and cleaner soldering base.
- Unclean
- Clean (black paint on the PCB peeling is fine.
Next its time to solder that extra piece of wire you got with the order. I soldered the whole 2' on it just to make installation easier.
Make sure to use the Heat shrink tubing to cover it up from weather
Next attach the soldered strip to the acrylic tube. (I electrical taped the ends to keep them from coming up / falling off.)
Now its time to take everything out to the car and start the install.
Your going to need to pull out the middle dash along with the A/C control unit. Along with pulling down the plastic under the steering wheel.
This is a test fit of the RF control unit.
This is where the acrylic tube came in handy. There is never anywhere to mount anything on the driver side on most cars. So this way i made something to mount to that is not obtrusive. The wires were run to the right and under the plastic trim.
Passenger side is a little easier. The strips are self adhesive to i just stuck it on this plastic piece (idk what its called, Doesn't seem to do much except keep the passenger from kicking the ecu/heater area)
Pulled both wires through the place of the A/C Control unit. The Driver side had extra wire (as expected). The passenger side needed a little more to make install/replacement easier. I trimmed about 6" inches off the driver side and attached it to the passenger side wire. Lining up color to color. Using butt connectors to connect both. (the connecters i use have heat shrink tube coverings which makes it a lot easier.)
Now time to start wiring in the controller. This is pretty straight forward. I twist both wire sets together. Keeping color to color then trim it a little to fit in the controller.
Controller has the ports labeled as to what colors go where. Black goes into the V+. This controller requires a 12v power source. I use a switched on from the cig lighter ( the one without the lighter thing in it. The one below the middle dash) BTW dont do this like me with the car on. You could easily short something out playing with a 12v power source. Turn the car off.
Now that its all connected and tested we have to mount it out of the way and reassemble.
Once everything is back together your done. Its that easy. ( well after a couple times it will be)
Samples of how they looked after install:
You are doing this on your own will. Do not blame me for anything that could go wrong eg.(Cop harrasment, House blowing up, Car blowing up)
I have installed RGB LEDs (Red-Green-Blue) these are special LED strips that can change colors with a LED controller.
What you will need:
LED strip (100cm)- http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-strips-and-bars/wfls-rgb-bk-high-power-rgb-led-flexible-light-strips--black-circuit/1243/2895/
LED Controller - http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-strips-and-bars/ldrf-rgb4-rgb-controller-rf-remote/110/519/
RGB Wire ( 2 feet) - http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/bar-strip-accessories/led-product/45/288/
Butt Connectors - http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gardner-Bender-AMT-121-Gardner-Bender-AMT-121-25-Count-22-18-Gauge-Butt-Splice/21270053
Heat Shrink Tubing
Soldering Iron
Solder
Flux <--- Not optional with something like this!! You will need it to make them last.
Some Double-Sided tape
Electrical tape
Acrylic tube 1' long (also thickness of a marker is preferable)
You will need to cut the 3' Strip into sections. I did about 2 1 foot sections.
You will need to trim the Weatherproofing epoxy from the end of the second strip.
Use a sharp razor blade. Not a knife. If you use a knife its very easy to destroy the flexible PCB.
Next apply Flux to the newly opened end and burn it off with the soldering iron, Then clean the flux off. This gives a much better and cleaner soldering base.
- Unclean - Clean (black paint on the PCB peeling is fine.Next its time to solder that extra piece of wire you got with the order. I soldered the whole 2' on it just to make installation easier.
Make sure to use the Heat shrink tubing to cover it up from weather
Next attach the soldered strip to the acrylic tube. (I electrical taped the ends to keep them from coming up / falling off.)
Now its time to take everything out to the car and start the install.
Your going to need to pull out the middle dash along with the A/C control unit. Along with pulling down the plastic under the steering wheel.
This is a test fit of the RF control unit.
This is where the acrylic tube came in handy. There is never anywhere to mount anything on the driver side on most cars. So this way i made something to mount to that is not obtrusive. The wires were run to the right and under the plastic trim.
Passenger side is a little easier. The strips are self adhesive to i just stuck it on this plastic piece (idk what its called, Doesn't seem to do much except keep the passenger from kicking the ecu/heater area)
Pulled both wires through the place of the A/C Control unit. The Driver side had extra wire (as expected). The passenger side needed a little more to make install/replacement easier. I trimmed about 6" inches off the driver side and attached it to the passenger side wire. Lining up color to color. Using butt connectors to connect both. (the connecters i use have heat shrink tube coverings which makes it a lot easier.)
Now time to start wiring in the controller. This is pretty straight forward. I twist both wire sets together. Keeping color to color then trim it a little to fit in the controller.
Controller has the ports labeled as to what colors go where. Black goes into the V+. This controller requires a 12v power source. I use a switched on from the cig lighter ( the one without the lighter thing in it. The one below the middle dash) BTW dont do this like me with the car on. You could easily short something out playing with a 12v power source. Turn the car off.
Now that its all connected and tested we have to mount it out of the way and reassemble.
Once everything is back together your done. Its that easy. ( well after a couple times it will be)
Samples of how they looked after install:
You are doing this on your own will. Do not blame me for anything that could go wrong eg.(Cop harrasment, House blowing up, Car blowing up)
'93 Civic LX --> '02 Accord SE 5-Speed --> '01 Solara SE 5-Speed --> '06 350z Base Rev-UP
Mods
Hid Conversion 8K + 3K, Injen SRI, GLP CAI extension, Lots more to come.
- sk8r776
- Regular SolaraGuy Member
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 2:52 pm