Red Footwell Lights DONE! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Sean89 · 03-15-2009, 08:28 PM

Finally got around to putting in my cathodes today. I have it tied tot he tail light fuse so that it comes on automatically with my tail lights. I also have a LED rocker switch installed so I can manually turn it off if it needs to be done. Here are crappy pics from iPhone. I did not have my camera on me. I will take better pics later.

Total cost of mod was around $60 dollars mainly because I did not have ANY parts that I needed to install this in my apartment. I had to buy every single little thing other than needle nose pliars. Thats the only thing my friend had in his garage. We made 3 trips to autozone while working on the project to get more things.

NEXT MOD: cathodes under seats for the back seat passengers with rocker switches. The passengers can turn them on/off at will.

03-15-2009, 08:32 PM

RED?
sorry not a fan of red expect for the the red brakes
maybe it would look better in BLUE or WHITE

Sean89 · 03-15-2009, 08:33 PM

It looks really nice in person. Kinda like a demonic glow.

ebumdude · 03-15-2009, 09:30 PM

welcome to the footwell club

TJHammer · 03-15-2009, 09:49 PM

Not an interior red fan, but looks good n clean.
Looks like ya setup the switch in that auxillary switch cutout by steering wheel correct?
I ran my rocker switch to the cig lighter spot in center console right by arm rest.
good job tho

Netforcer · 03-15-2009, 09:52 PM

so it turns on when the headlights come on?

I fail to see the use in the way you wired it, but i guess it's easier than wiring it to the dome

***darksparkz*** · 03-15-2009, 10:00 PM

Ehh, seems out of place for a Camry, that's more of a 2dr mod. Maybe blue or white would've gone better then red. Very odd to make it come on with taillights, so it comes out everything you press the brakes? Might be better connected to the dome or door switches.

Good effort nonetheless!

Sean89 · 03-15-2009, 10:06 PM

If my theory is right then when the auto sensor senses that its dark and puts on the lights these lights will come on too. Only way to find out is to see tomorrow. If not, I will connect it to some other fuse that has power when the car is on and use my switch.

I didnt want to wire it from the dome because I am not ready to take apart my car yet. Possibly in the future but not yet. I already have it wired now to change the power source should be easy.

Oh and to clear up all confusions, it DEFINITELY does NOT come on only when the brake lights come on. From what I know now, it only comes on with the headlights. Again I was in the dark about which one to connect to. Trial and error at this point.

Sean89 · 03-15-2009, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJHammer

Not an interior red fan, but looks good n clean.
Looks like ya setup the switch in that auxillary switch cutout by steering wheel correct?
I ran my rocker switch to the cig lighter spot in center console right by arm rest.
good job tho

Yes sir, I didnt have a good drill so it took FOREVER to make a good hole in that. I think more time was spent on making that hole than wiring the damn thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by darksparkz

Ehh, seems out of place for a Camry, that's more of a 2dr mod. Maybe blue or white would've gone better then red. Very odd to make it come on with taillights, so it comes out everything you press the brakes? Might be better connected to the dome or door switches.

Good effort nonetheless!

My entire interior is red so blue will look out of place. I chose red since it was considered "legal" to have red lights as opposed to blue. I am getting a set of white cathodes for my trunk / to swap out when I get bored of the red.

ldog68 · 03-16-2009, 05:27 PM

Looks good Bro.... I still have yet to order my LEDs, but I'll be doing that soon.

Streaker · 03-16-2009, 06:07 PM

All you need is a red dome light and it will look like a "Brothel on Wheels"

LOV · 03-16-2009, 06:10 PM

Looks good ,I see you have red shifter knob led as well?

icqboy51 · 03-16-2009, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streaker

All you need is a red dome light and it will look like a "Brothel on Wheels"

hahah.

i installed my white CCFL recently also. before buying the white CCFL, i had a blue one and did not like it since it was not as bright.

my intention for this DIY was for lighting/ brightness, not for showing. so White works the best. but whatever flows your boat will do.

agree this DIY is not cheap, cause 4 CCFL + transformers will cost like $ 15-25. then there is wires and 'blown fuses'!! hahah. i blow like 2-3 for this DIY.

Great job by the way.

Redline_Me · 03-16-2009, 07:15 PM

looks good, but i'm not into interior lights. It is bright as HELL though

Sean89 · 03-16-2009, 08:12 PM

So some unfortunate news, today on the route to work as I was making a right turn my driver side cathode went out. No sound, no smell, just went out. I actually thought it was meant to happen because its supposed to turn off when my headlights turn off. Then I saw the passenger one still on.

On the way back from work I started smelling a kind of chemical smell, NOT a burning smell but a chemically smell. So for now I have disconnected the add a circuit for it and replaced it with the stock 15 AMP fuse to power my taillights.

It was hard as hell getting that fuse back in as the light was in the way of the fusebox AND it was pouring. I live in a apt so no garage, just laying in jeans and a tshirt getting soaked trying to put it back in.

So I have narrowed it down to 3 possibilities

a) poor wiring - Something happened too much load on the wires, maybe a wire fell out of a crimp or something
b) inventor blew - Read that this happens and im not sure if I have it ventilated, my friend mounted the invertor
c) cathode blew. - Idk about this one but could be a possibility