Car mechanics - need your help

[agp423]

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to install 2 strips of LED lights on my car. They are not replacements, they are add-ons. I bought them from Oznium.com, and each are 9.5in long. I hooked the hot to the end of a 10/red fuse, which went in a spare fuse slot in the fuse box. The ground went on the negative of battery. I turn the car on - no light. I then grounded it to a common ground nut in the fuse box. I turn the car on - no light. I'm almost 99% sure the lights should have came on either way, any idea what I'm doing wrong? And how do I know if the lights aren't blown?

Thanks

[Eddie6th]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

Did the kit come with basic instructions?

Be carefull what you are doing....Apart from yourself,anything wired wrongly can do damage.

I'm not sure what you meant,when you said you hooked it up to a spare..I think that is a spare fuse and there will be no current,if that's what you mean?

It's unlikely that there are any problems with the lights,especially there are 2 of them and are LED.

What is the voltage? 12v?

You might have to find an autoelectrician or go to a dealership and ask where there are any points to attatch.There will be somewhere,but could be in a difficult to reach place...possibly behind your instrument panel...If you don't smoke,you might be able to use the cig.lighter connection?

[agp423]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

That's what my mechanic friend said. He said there's no current going in the spare slots even if I put in fuses. I know someone on the Cadillac forum who the did the same mod and it worked for him (but he doesn't been online for a while).

Here's his thread if it helps:

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/1680294-post20.html

[dope92cc]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

What? I thought cadillac cars came with enough lights.
You could ask someone that installs alarms and sound systems. They've got multi meters and wire hiding skills.

[Ryan L.]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

Yea, try hooking the positive wire up to the positive on the battery and putting a in-line fuse.

I don't think those spare fuses do anything unless they are activated, then you would have a bunch of live slots and that wouldn't be good.

Ryan

[Eddie6th]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

If it's 12v,you'll need to find a point. The battery terminal will not work if the lights are 12v,as it will go up to 14v or more.

If you ask at your dealership,where is a good hook up point,that would be your best way. There will be something on your car,that has a free point. Possibly for a circuit that is wired on another model but not on yours.

You'll need to know what voltage these lights are. I'm assuming they are 12v,but might not neccessarily be the case.

Also,is it a normal wiring setup?

Check first with an autoelectrician...If you wire into part of a circuit belonging to something else,it can create a lot of problems.

That's why most people use the Ciggy lighter. The only thing is the lighter might not work after...

[jfelbab]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

You have a voltmeter? You can get a cheapo at Sears for around $10 if you don't.

Are you sure that the leds polarity is correct? They only will work one way. Try hooking them up, reversing the polarity and see of they light.

[roushstage2]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

A spare fuse slot is generally not wired up to anything; doesn't mean that they can't be though. May I ask when you want the lights to come on? Would help give an idea of where you should wire them to.

[Nappers]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

Some older cars have a spare terminal that are hot all the time or come on with ignition.....my '64 Chevy P/U has one.....

Never looked at my newer cars.

if wires are long enough, hold it on the battery and make sure they work! reversing polarity on LED lights can blow them. They are Light Emitting Diode(Hence LED) and usually don't take kindly to reversing polarity, depending on amperage though, at least in the old days.

Most auto stores carry one of those probes really cheap that have a light and hook up the ground and probe around the fuse box looking for a hot wire. I usually hook stuff to the cigarette lighter. Our Neon cig lighter is hot when ignition is on and our Yukon is hot all the time. Our Yukon cig lighter is wired with the OBD II port, so if you blow that fuse, then you knock out your OBDII port as well.

[agp423]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

The LED lights run at 12V and 160 mili-amps.

If it's 12v,you'll need to find a point. The battery terminal will not work if the lights are 12v,as it will go up to 14v or more.

If you ask at your dealership,where is a good hook up point,that would be your best way. There will be something on your car,that has a free point. Possibly for a circuit that is wired on another model but not on yours.

You'll need to know what voltage these lights are. I'm assuming they are 12v,but might not neccessarily be the case.

Also,is it a normal wiring setup?

Check first with an autoelectrician...If you wire into part of a circuit belonging to something else,it can create a lot of problems.

That's why most people use the Ciggy lighter. The only thing is the lighter might not work after...

Wiring setup is normal. One end to fuse one end to ground.

You have a voltmeter? You can get a cheapo at Sears for around $10 if you don't.

Are you sure that the leds polarity is correct? They only will work one way. Try hooking them up, reversing the polarity and see of they light.

I'm sure LED polarity is correct. I took it to a car shop and the guy told me the silver is hot and copper is ground. But I haven't tried to reverse the two in case we are both wrong.

A spare fuse slot is generally not wired up to anything; doesn't mean that they can't be though. May I ask when you want the lights to come on? Would help give an idea of where you should wire them to.

I want the lights to come on when ignition is on or when engine is running. Whichever is fine. As long as it turns off when the key's not in I won't complain.

Some older cars have a spare terminal that are hot all the time or come on with ignition.....my '64 Chevy P/U has one.....

Never looked at my newer cars.

if wires are long enough, hold it on the battery and make sure they work! reversing polarity on LED lights can blow them. They are Light Emitting Diode(Hence LED) and usually don't take kindly to reversing polarity, depending on amperage though, at least in the old days.

Most auto stores carry one of those probes really cheap that have a light and hook up the ground and probe around the fuse box looking for a hot wire. I usually hook stuff to the cigarette lighter. Our Neon cig lighter is hot when ignition is on and our Yukon is hot all the time. Our Yukon cig lighter is wired with the OBD II port, so if you blow that fuse, then you knock out your OBDII port as well.

I'm afraid that just connecting the lights directly to the battery will blow the lights. Since the lights aren't for inside of the car, it would be lots of work to hook it up to a cigarette lighter and then run the wire to the engine bay.

[SHYNEMAN123]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

If you check continuity with a meter 1st you will know if the bulbs are good.

If you connect the light directly to the battery with the engine OFF !!!!!!!
You will only have 12 V

Than you will know that you have pwr to the light

If the housing is metal on the light Sometimes it has to be grounded as well

Always remember to keep the smoke in the box, It's when the smokes gets out of the box than you have a problem

[Eddie6th]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

Hi AGP......Running the wire from somewhere inside the car,behind the dash is the norm. There are holes in the bulkhead for passing wires. There will be existing wires passed through already. If you look from the engine bay with a torch,you should be able to spot one. Or you can check where the footwells are and look behind where the carpeting starts. Either way,you should be able to find a point.

[agp423]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

Shyneman, is there a way to connect a 12V led to regular A/AA/AAA batteries to test? Because I have no meter.

[SHYNEMAN123]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

Shyneman, is there a way to connect a 12V led to regular A/AA/AAA batteries to test? Because I have no meter.

you would need 8 batt at 1.5 volts ea. It would be a pain to wire up.

1. do you have a battery charger ?
2.are you close to a Radio Shack ? They would check it for free they love to show off. lol

3 You can make a continuity tester with a battery A,AA,C,D AND A FLASH LIGHT BULB.

[agp423]

Re: Car mechanics - need your help

you would need 8 batt at 1.5 volts ea. It would be a pain to wire up.

1. do you have a battery charger ?
2.are you close to a Radio Shack ? They would check it for free they love to show off. lol

3 You can make a continuity tester with a battery A,AA,C,D AND A FLASH LIGHT BULB.

Haha I guess I'll take it to a local electrical shop or something tomorrow and have them check it out. Will keep you guys posted.