[HOW TO] DIY - Footwell lights (they dim!)

[soponcio_virtual]

DIY – footwell lighting (just courtesy lighting)

This DIY explains how to make the necessary connexions in order to install RickHondaR`s Replica Honda footwell lighting kit and make them work together with the courtesy lights on the roof. When you open the car they light up and when you close the car or start the engine they dim until they turn off.

Video:

“Still don’t have it”

1º- You have to get your own RickHondaR`s Replica Honda footwell lighting kit.

http://www.civinfo.com/forum/sale-wa...hting-kit.html

The advantage on Rick’s kit is that it includes the cables already welded and they also include two scotch locks for fast mounting.

2º- Once you got your kit it would be a good idea to get a couple of male – female connectors, I’ve picked this:



We’ll also use some bridles (I believe this word is correct?)

3º- We have to unmount the plastic cover that goes beneath the steering wheel, to loosen it we first have to remove the triangular cover located at the side of the dash, where the driver’s door is. We unscrew the bolt and pull the cover downwards.



4º- We have to locate the connector with the necessary cables, the molex (plug) is located behind the fuse box, in the image below is the one marked with a red X.


"VISTA FRONTAL"=FRONT VIEW
"VISTA LATERAL"=SIDE VIEW
"PRESIONAR AQUI PARA SOLTAR"=PRESS HERE TO RELEASE

These are light blue and light green cables.
To unplug the connector it’s necessary to press the little plastic that holds the plug. See image.

5º- Once we have located the cables we have to remove the isolating tape and cut part of the tube containing the wiring. Then we have to use the scotch locks to bypass these two cables with our cables with their connectors. (see step 2).

How to use the scotch locks (I didn’t know!!)

YouTube - Scotch Lock Wiring Connector - etrailer.com

YouTube - Scotch Lock Wiring Connector - etrailer.com

6º- Now it’s time to connect the kit and check that it works fine (closing and opening the doors with our key).

7º- We remove the plastic cover located behind the glove box, in the passenger’s side, this is only held by some clips.



8º- Using a long piece of wire (like the ones used on fences) we pass it from the driver’s side to the passenger side behind the central console, more or less where the carpet ends, once it has been passed we attach the passenger’s light strip to one end of the wire and we pull until we get it on the other side.

9º- We have to secure the loose cables with some bridles to avoid rattles (I believe we have enough) and we proceed to stick the led stripes where we like. I did it this way



10º- We put all the panels back to their place and now we can enjoy our masterpiece!!!.

Hope you find it useful!!!

[Wheelchair]

I think this should be moved to the 'How To' section.

Very informative, well done!

[HappyMan]

Originally Posted by Wheelchair

I think this should be moved to the 'How To' section.

Very informative, well done!

[Wheelchair]

Glad to see you obeying orders, HM!

[RickHondaR]

good write up

[ChrisX]

Fabulous, comprehensive write up - well done. I'll defintely be giving this a go.

[soponcio_virtual]

Tanxs!!!, it's a pleasure to give something to a forum that has allready given too much to me!!

[jazzman]

Fantastic writeup, easy to follow , well done

[generationgav]

With this one? When are the lights on?
Is it JUST when the doors are open/courtesy light is on? So they are 100% off when driving?

[soponcio_virtual]

Exactly, this is the way I wanted it!!... Still with Rick's instructions you'll get the lights working along with the headlights

[pjr]

That's a really good write up, and today I've fitted some blue footwell LEDs.

One thing to note, is that different cars seem to have different plugs where the light wiring joins up behind the fusebox. On my Type S GT, there were the two plugs like in soponcio_virtuals write up, but there was one behind the other, rather than being side by side. Perhaps a slight difference between left & right hand drive cars ?

I didn't use Rick's kit to provide the illumination, I bought two LED spot lights from Halfords, £5.99 each and whilst they don't give out the same brights as Rick's 9 LED strips, they are bright enough for me.

I will post pictures tonight, once I've seen the lights properly in the dark.

Link to Halfords website
Prism LED Single Spot Light Blue from Halfords Price £5.99

Pictures now added
FWL1.JPGFWL2.JPGFWL3.JPG

[soponcio_virtual]

I can't edit this DIY anymore so I'm placing the Video on how it works here:

YouTube - CIVIC Fk2 Luz de Amiente

YouTube - CIVIC Fk2 Luz de Amiente

[generationgav]

What would happen if you did the following?

And no, I'm not going to attempt it!

Headlights (Riks) --> Resistor --> Capasitor ----\
************************************ |----LIGHTS
Courtesy light --> Capasitor -------------------/

Therefore you get 12v and full light whilst the courtesy light is on, then when that goes off it's dim whilst the headlights are on.
I believe the capasitors would stop a short circuit, but I don't know enough about this!

[soponcio_virtual]

Originally Posted by generationgav

What would happen if you did the following?

And no, I'm not going to attempt it!

Headlights (Riks) --> Resistor --> Capasitor ----\
************************************ |----LIGHTS
Courtesy light --> Capasitor -------------------/

Therefore you get 12v and full light whilst the courtesy light is on, then when that goes off it's dim whilst the headlights are on.
I believe the capasitors would stop a short circuit, but I don't know enough about this!

Me neither...!

[pjr]

Don't know either!

But Stef designed this circuit to do the dimming function.

http://www.civinfo.com/forum/129393-post1.html

[benjamino]

Originally Posted by soponcio_virtual

DIY – footwell lighting
These are light blue and light green cables.

Which is the positive and which is the negative of these two cables?
---
Edited to say I just tried this and it worked - not sure which way I connected it but it works and can't wait for it to get dark and see it now!! FYI I bought these (6 leds for each footwell) - seem very cheap. Will add photos later.

[benjamino]

Here are some photos - really pleased with the LEDs - total cost including wires and scotch locks £10 from maplin. Love the way it fades out with the interior lighting.

[williams]

Originally Posted by benjamino

Here are some photos - really pleased with the LEDs - total cost including wires and scotch locks £10 from maplin. Love the way it fades out with the interior lighting.

Picts look fantasic ,best picts ive seen yet and done on the cheap . Nice one , great car , great install . Im very interested on how u got them to fade

[benjamino]

Originally Posted by williams

Picts look fantasic ,best picts ive seen yet and done on the cheap . Nice one , great car , great install . Im very interested on how u got them to fade

The original poster cleverly identified the circuit that handles the interior lighting. So we just piggy backed off this circuit and the LEDs behave in exactly the same way as the interior lights. As per the video further up the thread. I would find them too distracting to have them on all the time so only ever wanted to install them like this, so pleased soponcio_virtual worked out how to do it!! Only thing is I found the instructions a bit confusing - wasn't sure which wire was which (+/-), ended up taking a gamble and it worked (unless it works either way?). I also struggled to remove the white plastic connector that has the wires in too. Really simple though - there is a 'button/lever' on the long edge of it that you can easily push in with you finger. I was trying to squeeze it from the edges which was getting me nowhere!

[poldi]

Is it really simple connection to light blue and light green cables ??
Nothing more?
What is the purpose of connectors from first picture?