Opinions/Advice on my ideas....

[sfalexi]

I ordered a shift knob with an LED backlight behind the 6 speed pattern for my MS3. I'm going to change the blue LED for a red one on my own. Here's where I'd like some advice.

I'm thinking of really 'ricing' out the vehicle with some LEDs here and there. I saw a picture of someone who put some lighting in his cupholders. I was wondering whether to rig it so my shift knob (and anything else I put in later) lights up only when I turn on the lights. I'm not sure, but I'm thinking with the right diagram I'll be able to tap into the correct wires out of back of the radio to get this done. Maybe behind the harness incase the power button on the radio affects the wires after the harness.

OR . . . I can simply tap into the accessory outlet and have it on when the car is on.

OR . . . I can order a nifty little 12 volt switch, put it by the DSC button and therefore put it on and off when I choose.

I'm leaning towards my third option. However would I need anything along the lines from power to the switch or switch to led to make sure nothing shorts from a surge? The LED requires 2 volts to function and is advertised as being able to hold UP TO 12 volts. So I'm wondering if some sort of diode is necessary or preferable to keep the LED at a lower voltage.

Lastly, if I decide to add other little lights here or there (pimp my mazda?) think it'd be preferable to run them in series or in parallel? Been a few years since I took an electrical engineering course. And although I liked it at the time, it's pretty much all gone.

Alexi

 

[icspots]

Personally I'd set it up to turn on with the headlights. Think about it. If it were an OEM thing then why would it be on without the headlights? I would probably tap it off of the lit ring around the cigarette lighter as that's on with the lights.

Oh, and it probably has a built in resistor to step down the voltage to keep the LED from burning out.

 

[clos561]

i ran mine off the cig lighter...your bestbet is to tap off the fuse box or somethign if your going to have alot of lights

 

[sfalexi]

Thanks for the ideas. I'll probably just use the Cig lighter ring for the shift knob, but I bought a switch in case I decide to put in some extra lights. Maybe I'll throw some 'moodlights' up around the car and flick them on/off with the switch. But I don't mind having the shift pattern lit up all the time at night.

Or maybe I'll go nuts like that wonderful MTV show and have a switch that activates the juicer in my armrest, the coke can dispenser hydraulic system that dispenses cans in my glove box, and turns on my custom message board in the back window which displays rolling LED lights with messages that I type in on my keyboard (mounted in the visor of course) such as, "Please don't tailgate" and "I'm calling the cops" and of course, "Got Clarinet?"

Alexi