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door lights ?


snoged

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Shouldn't be hard for the sparkys to put an LED behind the red reflector and have it turn on with the interior lights when you open the door. B)

 

Puddle lights would also look cool. Someone did it before; http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/32585-mirror-indicator-repeaters-and-puddle-lights/

Not sure I like the way he's done it though. I'd want it set in the bottom of the door again to come on with the interior lights when you open the door.

 

Found a bit of a guide on fitting puddle lights in a 350Z for anyone interested (projector type but you could always just use LEDs); http://betterautomotivelighting.com/2013/02/12/installing-nissan-350z-puddle-light-led-logo-projectors/

:thumbs:

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Puddle lights would also look cool. Someone did it before; http://www.350z-uk.c...-puddle-lights/

Not sure I like the way he's done it though. I'd want it set in the bottom of the door again to come on with the interior lights when you open the door.

 

That looks top notch. I'd personally rather have it in the mirror. Is Husky still about? I'd love to know how he did it. Would be perfect if it was wired up to the same live as the interior lights so that they come on when you take the key out.

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I'm still alive :p

 

Yes it's possible to link them up to the interior lights. There is a catch though, the dome light is activated directly through the BCM, with no fuse protecting it so not a circuit you want to screw up!

  • The best bet is to change your dome light for LED's, thus freeing up the Amps you need to run... a relay!

  • Hook the relay up to the dome lights wire (a pink wire that runs from the BCM, up the A-pillar passenger side to the dome lights from memory).
  • The relay will switch a power you take from the 12v socket and run it to the doors.
  • You need to drill through the door connectors (not the easiest task but the audio install guys do it for door speaker wire changes) and wire your new 12v feed through there.
  • You then need to pop out the red reflectors and wire in some LED's in it. You're going to want to do it in such a way that it glows rather than having points of light in it, to this end you might think about having some kind of reflector behind it and shining the LED backward into that with the light diffusing and bouncing back out (tinfoil?).
  • Ideally run the LED's from a voltage regulator! These cost pennies and you can generally find boxes on Ebay that regulate 12V & generally include reverse voltage protection and voltage smoothing to prevent premature component failure due to sketchy power supply (which cars have in abundance).

Anyhow, you get the idea. The main points to take from this are:

 

- Dont wire power directly from the dome lights

- Do not short circuit the dome lights EVER, you'll lose your dome lights auto on off function permanently (thanks nissan for some terrible wiring).

- Use LED's in your dome lights, it looks awesome and it reduces the existing current draw meaning your relay doesn't take the BCM feed over it's allowed Amps.

- Include some voltage regulation circuitry for the LED's

- Don't shine the LED'd directly through the reflector or it'll look cack.

 

 

The good news is that once you have your relay switched 12V supply you are free to do what you want with it in relative safety. You are protected by the 12V socket fuse and are independent from the vehicles ECU's. You can now use that switched 12V supply to power puddle lights, door handle lights, footwell lights and whatever else your excited mind can come up with you want to happen when you unlock the vehicle.

 

Enjoy,

 

Husky :)

Edited by Husky
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Well put Husky!

 

The reasons you've outlined are the reason I got as far as purchasing some LED's but never bothered making something for myself or for the club. Il get round to do it some day but needs some time and investigation on my part and at the moment its too cold, nor do I have the cash!

 

Secondly, it wouldn't be the easiest thing to install. As you say, if someone were to buy it, they'd need to route cables through the doors, wire in the relay to the correct wire and a good 12v feed. Needs some decent electronics nonce to do it safely and I don't want to break anyone's car!

Edited by cs2000
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The 370 has a plug on the bcm for the illuminated door sills, not sure about the 350 but this would be good to tap into/use

 

Was going to put LEDs in the reflectors, I liked the puddle light couldn't find a Z and didn't want Nissan

 

 

Edited by GIXXERUK
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The 370 has a plug on the bcm for the illuminated door sills, not sure about the 350 but this would be good to tap into/use

 

Was going to put LEDs in the reflectors, I liked the puddle light couldn't find a Z and didn't want Nissan

Hmm, wonder if the 350 does then, look at the length of these cables...

 

led1.jpg

 

need to get my door card of and if sop find someone who can sell me some of those plugs

Edited by cs2000
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  • 2 weeks later...

could you not splice off the wire that comes from the door switch that signals the window motor to drop and lift when you open and close the door?

 

Could be wrong but on my 911 it was a micro switch in the door handle that sent a sinal for the window drop, the door switch just does the interior lights

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well I noticed that when you push that switch it does do both! you interior light and make the window drop etc. im no expert but surely that could be the on of trigger you need for the door reflector light? then just need to pick up a 12v feed from inside the door? would like to know off the experts on here I guess?

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Will have a look, door switch us prob a negative switch (normally are) :thumbs:

 

When I had my 350 I put led's in the footwells and had them switched with the interior lights using the loom in the A pillar

Edited by GIXXERUK
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Will have a look, door switch us prob a negative switch (normally are) :thumbs:

 

When I had my 350 I put led's in the footwells and had them switched with the interior lights using the loom in the A pillar

B)

Used to love that feature on one of my old cars an ST24.

 

Any pics? Was it simple to do?

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