L.E.D.'s under the dash

[FlareSide]

I know there are many threads on this, and I've tried searching, but cant find quite what I'm looking for. Anyways, I got those little LED lights made my Pilot they sell at AutoZone. They are pretty much universal for wiring up to anything if you want some lighting. The package includes three lights, and I want to hook mine under the dash to light the front of the floor area on my truck (98 dash). I'm wanting to wire them to the light switch so they come on anytime I have my dash lights or headlights on. Can anyone point me in the right direction on how to wire them up? Anything helps. Thanks!

[goulaigan]

Hey...what you can do is hook up a relay..and get the power to activater the relay from the parking light power wire..This will activate the relay anytime you turn on any lights..and will turn you leds on....

[FlareSide]

Sounds like a good idea. I'm just not sure where to get a relay and where the parking light power wire is. Good idea though, I didnt think of that.

[goulaigan]

you can get a reley anywhere...any parts store...and the easiest way to find a parking light wire it to tap into it right where the bulb plugs into the socket..there should be 2 wires going ito the blub socket..one is power one is ground...get a test light..hook it up to the negitive post of the battery and then poke each wire..when the light comes on thats you wire....or by the way you have to have the parking lights on when doing this...hope this helps..

[ibthumpin]

relay is not nessary - LED's draw very little current, you can wire them directly into the circuit without a problem.

Flareside - keep in mind that LEDS are polarity sensitive (unlike a regular incandescent lamp)if hooked up backwards they wont light. You can wire them into the dash illumination circuit, probably the easiest one to get to is the headlight switch. One of the wires that plug into the switch will have 12v on it when the dash lights up. You'll have to probe with a meter to find it, unless someone here knows the wire color for that year - I dont. Wire the positive side of the LEDs to this wire and ground the other wire of the LED.

[goulaigan]

I just like to install a fused relay on anything I add in ..incase I mess up..that way the fuse in the relay blows and my factory equipment still functions....example...when i hard wired my radar detector in while routing the wires i must have pulled them across a sharp surface becasue they were stripped and the power wire was grounding out...wire got warm and poped fuse....no fuse+ fire...or in this case no lights if something happens with the LEDs

[FlareSide]

ibthumpin- Thtas hwat I had in mind. I was hoping someone know the location of the wire that comes off the light switch in the 98 dashes. As far as grounding it goes, I'll just have to find a metal surface somewhere under there. Thanks again.

[idbl_Fanatic]

Parking Lights+ brown + lt. blue plug at BCM
Parking Lights- white - lt. blue plug at BCM

[civicslayrx]

gougalin, or whatever your name is, your a douche. You don't need a relay for leds, your dont need a relay for alot of stuff really. You said "I like to instal a fused relay in all my wiring in case i mess up" Um, why not just wire in a fuse crack head. And to the original topic. Take a wire of one of the lights, hook it up to whatever you want it to come on with. There are many options.

[FlareSide]

Easy there, just because someone has a preferred meathod of doing something doesnt mean thier way is worse. The whole name calling, flame war thing on this site has got to end. To everyone here, I appreciate the help. So I can basically find a wire with 12v on it when the dash is illuminated, coming from the light switch? Thats what I originally planned, but wasnt sure if it would work. Thanks again.

[rigamortis]

there was a thread for LEDs in an 03, Im betting its the same on the NBS

http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205279

[biomedtech]

One thing to remember.... Led's drop .7 volts each, so it's best if you wire them up in parallel instead of in series.