[ViperPilot24]

I was reading the "sticky" for this but was a bit confused about one thing. It refrences using a 'start engine' button, an aftermarket piece wich i would like to use because I want to install in place of the cigerette lighter by the manual gear shift . In reading the sticky it just mentions to attach the LED wires to the ground, hot, ect respectively to the prongs on the button. This just seems a bit weird to me. Does it mean to just run the wire thur the little hole on the prongs? Or isnt there a piece that you can buy that the prongs on the button are supposed to "plug into" that attaches the wires? Does anyone follow what I am getting at?

[mcqueen]

Did it happen to be my write-up you were reading though? As far as attaching the wires to the prongs, I prefer to feed the wire through the hole in the prong, bend it over, and hold it tightly against the prong so that the exposed wire is touching as much of the prong as possible. On my LED switch I tightly wrapped electrical tape around each prong once the wire was in place to make sure it couldn't work itself loose and to keep it from touching any of the other prongs/wire (in the event that it would work itself loose over time).

[Tigerwhite1]

I've used that method before, and it works well, nothing wrong with it.

Also, if you want, you can go buy some of these. Available at wally world, and any auto stores. just strip the wire back a little, slide it into the end, and crimp it down tight. then just slide the connector on.

Different colors usually represent different size holes for the wires.

[mcqueen]

Those work well too

[Tigerwhite1]

yup

unless you don't crimp it tight enough, or the connector is too big for the wire!

lol, but other than that, easy to disconnect/reconnect. Very convenient sometimes!

[ViperPilot24]

McQueen, I think it was your right up that I was reading. Tiger, that was what i was looking for, and I think I will go that route. Now I just need to find the 'pushbutton' that fits the cigerette lighter. Not worried about being able to get to it while driving. If I am night driving and want it on, I will just turn it on before I get on the road. I bought a set of LEDs at Auto Zone (basically two little pods with 6 leds each. Each pod has a wire comming off it, connected to a box .....i assume a batter for the display...and connected to a tiny push button....again I assume just for display while still on the shelf at autozone) So will just cut the wire and add length as needed to run to the cig ligher and install a button. I hope I can find the button at radio shack or something tonight. I hate waiting on mail order stuff.

[mcqueen]

Are you dead set on a push button? You can wire the lights to any on/off switch. I got my blue LED switch from Advanced Auto for like $8.

[ViperPilot24]

What kind of "switch" did you use? The kind of Toggle Switch? Just thought that a pushbutton would look a bit more stock, but guess i'm kinda open to other options, just the cig lighter seemed very easy and natural spot with the wiring already there.

[Tigerwhite1]

well, you can use any switch that fits... idk about the fitment of these, but here are some idea's.
( I think you were thinking of this as a pushbutton? )





I have one pretty much like this, only without and LED.


I don't have trac control, or fogs, and I've found the above switch works well if placed where the plate is for trac control and fogs.

[Tigerwhite1]

OK, I found an actual picture of mine in my car, not the best angle, since I was taking a picture of the red lighting, but you get the idea. the switch I have is a little set in, so not perfect and flush, but still blends in pretty good, and fits tight.




I can get a better picture of it later if you want.

[ViperPilot24]

Yea tiger, that push button was what i was thinking but i also see that auto zone carries those 'pilot automotive round rocker switches' with the led light in them. If that fits in that cig lighter hole thats what i will use. I do have the traction control and the rear window defrost buttons and that leaves me with one 'unused' button hole that i could do there. was also thinking about adding some led strips in the area under my bumper where the fog lights would go, as I dont have those. I could use that free button for that or just tie them all together even.

[Tigerwhite1]

well as for the cig lighter hole, if I remember correctly, I was helping a friend wire up his audio system, and suggested putting a switch for his amp in his cig lighter hole, I'm pretty sure the round one with the led light ( 'pilot automotive round rocker switches' ) fit pretty much perfectly. (He has a 2001? GMC Sonoma, but I figure it would be about the same size) I'll check with him if I get time and let you know if its different.


Also, I would recommend running them on different switches, but that's just me. In case I wanted to have one set on but not the other. Then again, you might not mind running both every time. Personal preference, lol.

[ViperPilot24]

So I got the pilot rocker switch today and started wiring up...figured it would be an easy do. got everything apart and saved the 'sleeve' from the cig lighter to mount the rocker switch into, perfect fit. extended with red and black wires the lead and the ground wires from the car, out a bit so i would have room to work with, via but splices. Problem i ran into, resluting in a blown fuze was i wired the lead to the ground prong and vice versa. No biggie, ill just get a new 20 amp fuze tomorrow.

The thing im not sure of, is the led pods i got (two in the package, one for driver/pass side floor areas, is that each pod has a red and black wire (lead and ground, right?) So question is, do i splice those into the lead and ground wires from the car and then those to the respective prongs on the back of the switch? If so, what is the third prong for?

OR do i run the lead and ground from the car to the lead and ground prongs on the back of the switch and the lead wires from the led pods to the the center prong on the rocker switch, and if so what about the black wires from the led pods?

I will say that the package for the led pods was wired up to a button and power source, so when it was packaged for display, you could push the button and see what it looked like, all lit up, so does that mean i dont have to worry about the ground wires from the led pods?

This small point is the only thing stopping me from completing this mod. Please help!

[Tigerwhite1]

Well, I was going to make you a diagram, but this one pretty much covers it, lol...




Since your switch has an LED in it, it requires a ground. If the ground is not connected, the switch will still work properly, only the LED will NOT light up, However, your LED STRIP will.

A switch without a light, or LED will only have two prongs.

Using the two prongs that ARE NOT the ground,
One will be connected to your 12V source. (IE - Car batter, fuse box, etc.) [in your case, the positive on the cig lighter, and a fuse will not be needed for this]
The other will connect to the Positive, RED wire on your LED STRIP.

[The purpose being, when the switch is flipped on, it makes a connection between those two prongs allowing your lights to get power, when the switch is off, the connection is broken (or "open") and the lights are not receiving power.]


The LED STRIP will need to have the BLACK wire connected to a ground, and the ground on your SWITCH will need to be grounded for the switch to light up. you CAN connect the ground for the led strip to your switch, as long as you have your switch grounded.


(to ground the switch, a wire must run from it and the other end be bolted on a bare piece of metal, or, in your case, spliced into the ground wire from the cig lighter.)



I'm sure this is way more detailed than you needed, but I just wanted to make sure that I covered everything, and in case anyone else is reading this thread and was wondering about it.




Oh, and after you get this installed.... POST UP SOME PIC'S

[ViperPilot24]

Tiger, thats funny I found that same diagram last night, and went and cofirmed with the guy at autozone, so I will be finishing up this tonight, had to get some more but splices and prog attachments to cap the wires and attach them to the prongs on the switch. Ill post a pic of the final product later tonight/morning. I test fitted the switch in the cig lighter hole/sleve and fits beautifuly. I think my next project will be to run some leds in the ac vents on the dash and in the grill under the front bumper (where fog lights would go) and will wire that switch where the coin keeper on the console goes. Then i plan on doing some rad accents (painting portions of the trim around the stereo console and such red to keep with the red leds i am using and the red im gona paint the scoop inserts outside the car.

[Tigerwhite1]

Sounds pretty nice, I plan on doing some more interior mods soon. Keep us updated Viper and post plenty of pics, lol!

If you need any help, feel free to ask, you can also text my cell, its listed in my garage.

Also, be sure to have your wires taped good, especially your hot. If it touches a ground, it could start a fire. I was working on mine once, and started my car to move it, when I put it in gear, it shifted some wires, and a hot made contact with the ground, the rubber coating on the entire length of the wire burnt off!!!
Scared me pretty bad, I had smoke just rolling out from the dash, shut the car of quick. luckily just had to replace the wire and nothing was damaged!

[Tigerwhite1]

Oh, btw, in case you haven't ran across this so far, here is a "how to" on painting interior parts, very helpful.

HOW TO: Paint Interior Plastic Trim

And in case you would like this, I think its pretty neat and plan on trying it soon.

New Project

I also saw another thread a while back, and the guy made some pretty sweet switches that went the in the change holders, but I can't remember who, or where the thread is

[ViperPilot24]

ok, here is my install of the Pilot Rocker Switch in place of the cig lighter. I basically left the "sleeve" for the ligher in place and ran the wires up thu the bottom of it, and installed "blade plugs" on the end of the wires so the three could just plug into the bottom of the switch (see the pictures above of the rocker switch with three prongs) Once i attached the I had to use some electrical tape around the plugs to avoid shorting out on the metal cig ligher sleeve (ask me how i figured this out). Anyways its installed, and works to control led pods in bottom of the driver and passenger dashboard to allow for lighting of the foot area. works pretty damn nice. Ill post the pics of the lit up area later.

[Tigerwhite1]

Looks good I love clean installs that look factory

[ViperPilot24]

Thanks. BTW did you put LEDs behind your a/c control pannel?