Interior Neon - Wiring Help ('00 Integra)
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Zoom Zoom
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2
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From: Sweet Home Alabama
Interior Neon - Wiring Help ('00 Integra)
Ok, so, I've already botched this project once (I'm new to the wiring/electrical scene, so bear with me) so I thought I'd ask here before I attempted it again.
Ok, so, here's how I did it last time.
I bought some 9" red neon tubes from Auto Zone, the kind you plug into a cigarette lighter. First I mounted the tubes under the seats and snipped the wire. I took the black wire and grounded it to the metal housing of the seats and took the clear wire and connected it to a 22-18 guage connector to an 18 guage wire. That wire I shoved under the console on both sides and ran it up behind the console into a Y-splitter/connector into one 18 guage wire. I have a switch mounted in the dash directly under the steering wheel, not visible from anywhere in the car. After finally deciphering what to do (stupid LED lights on these things meant I had to ground it... I wish I could find a switch that didn't have an LED, but this was the best I could find) I attached the light wire to the correct spot. I then grounded the switch to one of the airbag housing screws that was against the car chassis (I did this because I could not loosen any of the other screws on the car... what size are those hex screws in a '00 Integra?). Finally, I took a wire from the power side of the switch to my fuse box where I removed my radio fuse (battery was disconnected), placed the wire in the slot (made sure to not cross the channel), and replaced the fuse.
Turned the battery back on, flipped the switch.
Nothing.
Ok, turns out that somehow I burned the lights out earlier, but that's not the only problem. The LED on the switch did not work either and I ended up blowing half the fuses in the car.
Before you laugh, let me reiterate that I'm new to the electrical thing...
So, any help on what I did wrong and how I should do it this time?
Thanks much.
Ok, so, here's how I did it last time.
I bought some 9" red neon tubes from Auto Zone, the kind you plug into a cigarette lighter. First I mounted the tubes under the seats and snipped the wire. I took the black wire and grounded it to the metal housing of the seats and took the clear wire and connected it to a 22-18 guage connector to an 18 guage wire. That wire I shoved under the console on both sides and ran it up behind the console into a Y-splitter/connector into one 18 guage wire. I have a switch mounted in the dash directly under the steering wheel, not visible from anywhere in the car. After finally deciphering what to do (stupid LED lights on these things meant I had to ground it... I wish I could find a switch that didn't have an LED, but this was the best I could find) I attached the light wire to the correct spot. I then grounded the switch to one of the airbag housing screws that was against the car chassis (I did this because I could not loosen any of the other screws on the car... what size are those hex screws in a '00 Integra?). Finally, I took a wire from the power side of the switch to my fuse box where I removed my radio fuse (battery was disconnected), placed the wire in the slot (made sure to not cross the channel), and replaced the fuse.
Turned the battery back on, flipped the switch.
Nothing.
Ok, turns out that somehow I burned the lights out earlier, but that's not the only problem. The LED on the switch did not work either and I ended up blowing half the fuses in the car.
Before you laugh, let me reiterate that I'm new to the electrical thing...
So, any help on what I did wrong and how I should do it this time?
Thanks much.
n00b
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
when i hooked some lights w/a switch in a car i just ran a wire from the positive term. of the battery to the switch (dont use those stupid led ones, i had one once and it was nothing but trouble and eventually broke) then i ran all the lights in a series and grounded them properly. the way i have it in my car though is without a switch, i just grounded the lights and ran the power wire to the parking light furse(so when i turn on my lights, the leds come on) that way there isnt an ugly switch to deal with.