LED switch

[Turboas]

Ok, I wanted to add LED's to my car, a lowered champagne Civic, but I didn't have much room under the lowered body. Also, I kinda messed the lowering job, so it's hard to get the body on and off quickly. So I wanted some type of switch so that I could turn on and off the LED's without taking the body off.

What I did is I taped the battery onto the body but I connected the LED to the + side and a wire to the - side. That wire from the - battery terminal runs under the car and behind the rear wheels. I soldered a wire to the - end of the LED and that then runs down behind the body. The wire from the - end of the LED can be attached to a loop in the wire from the - side of battery, completing the circuit since both the - from the battery and the - from the LED both are running under the back side of the car. I ran the LED's behind the rear wheels because there is more clearance between the car and floor--helpful if you run on carpet.

So what you have in the end is a "switch" for the LED. All you have to do is connect the wires. I only am using one LED, but I'm gonna work on a way to use two with one switch. I'm gonna include some pics too. The red wire is from the - battery terminal and has the loop at the end. The brown wire is attached to the + side of the LED. The red and brown wires attach to complete the circuit. Sorry about the crappy quality, I'll to attach better ones. Lemme know what you think. I don't think anybody did this before, but I may be wrong.

Anyway, here it is.

[BabyKiller]

lol buy a tiny switch geeze thats what im going to do with my lights to make the bottom of the car glow

[Turboas]

Yeah, I know it was overkill, but I couldn't find a small enough switch to put under the car. I was also very, very bored and had use what I had. What switch did you use and where did you put it?

[MadScott]

Sounds interesting. Post pics when its all back together.

[2fast2furious59]

umm...one thing...you dont put teh swith on teh bottom of teh car...u just go to rat shack and buy some small leds and battery and micro switch (the smallest you can find, and single throw)
and u have to cut the back window out and wire it out teh back window and put teh switch there....ITS NOT AS COMPLICATED AS YOU MADE IT!!!

[BabyKiller]

id just buy the perfection light set

[Turboas]

Ok, I like the idea about the switch in the back window, but I'd like to try to have the window on a hinge or have it removable or something. Also, my setup really isn't THAT complicated, but I wanted you guys to know what I did. Where can you buy the Perfection light kit? Anyway, I asked for feedback and I got it. Thanks for actually responding.

And while I have your attention, how do you put the icons on your profile?

[2fast2furious59]

perfection light kit = www.toyeast.com
and it comes prewired wit a switch and all....oh and that hinge thing would be cool....but with a switch you wont have to take off teh bdy everytime you want the lights on or off

[cmsustud19]

What about a photosensing switch? that way you could do one of two things.. wire it to have the lights come on in the dark. or wire it so when you are done playing you can cover the senor to shut off the lights. that way the switch could be internal if your windows are clear, or just make a tiny pinhole to allow light in.

just a crazy idea

[Turboas]

Not a bad idea. Worth playing around with anyway. But the problem is that at RS you spend $3 alone for the battery, plus like $2 for some LED's. I bought an 'assorted' set with like 20 LED's of different sizes and colors for around $4. Already you're way over the $3.50 price of the light set. I wish I had found that set earlier. I'm sure Perfection can buy batteries and LED's for way less than me or you. DIY is fun, but so is saving $$$. Bottom line, I say buy the kit and save your DIY skills for some multi-cell mods.

[Turboas]

P.S.
Thanks for all your input everyone!