Help with footwell lighting

[Jape]

Okay, so I thought i wired this right but for some reason my lights wont turn on. For starters I ordered 2 flexible LED strands from ebay and the first problem occured when the seller said they have 30 inch leads, when they really only have 13 inch leads. So i started with the passenger side and wired the short lead to the ground bolt on the passenger side. Then I extended the power lead with another wire (18 gage(smallest I could find)) covered it with heatshrink tubing. That power line connects with the short lead of the driver's side LED strip and then both into one cable to power them. (the driver's side LED was grounded to the chasis bolt on the driver's side). Then the power connects to the bottom tab of a 2-way switch from a fuse tap(tapped into audio/mirror since it was 10A and the tap has a 10A fuse for the LEDs). The middle tab of the switch is connected to the LEDs and the top tab was also grounded on the driver's side. Ive tried different combinations on the switch in case the diagram was wrong(cheap switch from walmart). The power light on the switch works, but not my LEDs.

[Jape]

would it matter which wire i grounded? They're really thin wires and the one had a red stripe which i assumed would be the power.

[iluvmyVersa08]

My brother installed pink LEDS under my driver and footwell passenger, and he had a hard time finding a ground in the car. He ended up finding the ground on both sides (one for passenger and one for driver) and connected both sides to the fuse box, where the radio/mirror fuse was. The LEDS automatically come on when the car is turned on. That way I don't have to worry about switches and forgetting to turn the LEDS off.

I'll try to take a pic of the fuse box tomorrow. I'm off to work now.

But here is a pic of them on. They are actually pink, and a lot brighter in person. It was hard to get a good picture of them on. However, I know that I want to add some pink neons as well to brighten it up, and add a couple LEDS to where the cupholders are.

[Jape]

See, that's exactly what I did. But I know they're grounded to the frame. I tried switching the leads on one and it still didn't work. I know the lights work because i tested them on a 12 volt but im wondering what size fuse should be on the circuit.

[iluvmyVersa08]

I really don't know much about the technical stuff. My brother did it all for me.

[Jape]

This is what I did. - the cup holder LEDs. The forum it was posted on had a user who experienced problems with their "Add A Circuit", returned it and fixed the problem. I'm now wondering if I should have been more suspicious about the scotch tape on the Add a fuse I got from autozone showing it had already been opened :/ ... We'll see how this goes.

[Jape]

Okay this has gotten to be so frustrating that after all my attempts im giving up for now. If any one has a picture of their fuse box with anything tapping power from it, id like to see how you went about it(a.k.a. post a picture please).

[VersaMG08]

I had the dealer install mine since I didn't want to go through all the hassle. It's an OEM part you can get online.

[NODES]

I just tapped into my glove box light.

They Turn On or OFF when I turn my lights on at night, no need for them to be on during the day.

[Jape]

OEM part? to tap into your fuse box? and I dont want to splice anything other than what i could remove if i ever went to sell.

[NODES]

OEM part? to tap into your fuse box? and I dont want to splice anything other than what i could remove if i ever went to sell.

If I ever have to remove it back to oem, I just snip the wires connected to the glove box light I am tapped into.

2 seconds to do.

[Jape]

I think I get what you're saying NODES. It's just that currently all the lines are running to right next to the fuse box. Id really like to be able to figure out how to supply the power from there as opposed to re-routing the lines to the glove box light which im not quite sure how to get to.

[NODES]

I removed the glove box to replace cabin filter and then spliced and snaked the wire to the desired location.

[Jape]

there is no light in my glove box anyhow...

[iluvmyVersa08]

there is no light in my glove box anyhow...

Really? Maybe only the SL's have them. My V has a glove box light.

[iluvmyVersa08]

I think I get what you're saying NODES. It's just that currently all the lines are running to right next to the fuse box. Id really like to be able to figure out how to supply the power from there as opposed to re-routing the lines to the glove box light which im not quite sure how to get to.

I wonder why yours are not working from the fuse box. Mine work perfectly and are connected there. I never have to worry about turning them on or off either, they are automatically on when I turn the key.

Is it the ground that's preventing it from working?

[NODES]

Really? Maybe only the SL's have them. My V has a glove box light.

He has the 1.6 which is a bare bone type car. That bulb and socket are almost $50 at the dealer.

[Jape]

Wow car dealer can charge you any price they deem appropriate for the smallest crap. But yeah the lights are grounded. Ive tried just putting the wire in a fuse slot alone(didn't work), in along next to a fuse(didn't work), with a fuse tap(didn't work) so idk. Any way you could post a pic of how you connected yours to the fuse box?

[iluvmyVersa08]

Any way you could post a pic of how you connected yours to the fuse box?

I sure can!

When I venture out to work tomorrow I'll snap a few pics of the fuse box, and what it looks like.

I'll post them tomorrow evening for you. I would go out now, but it's dark and pouring rain The V is sleeping outside tonight. So I'll take pics tomorrow in between my commutes.

[iluvmyVersa08]

Wow car dealer can charge you any price they deem appropriate for the smallest crap. But yeah the lights are grounded. Ive tried just putting the wire in a fuse slot alone(didn't work), in along next to a fuse(didn't work), with a fuse tap(didn't work) so idk. Any way you could post a pic of how you connected yours to the fuse box?

Here are the pics I took this morning.





And I took another pic of the lights. (Note: Pic was taken during daylight hours). I plan on adding pink neon tubes to brighten it up, but for now, at night it works perfectly

[NODES]

2nd picture is the ground wire coming lose on you?

[iluvmyVersa08]

2nd picture is the ground wire coming lose on you?

No that is how my brother hooked it up. He stuck the ground into where that screw is since he had such a hard time finding a ground on the driver's side. It's been there since he installed them a few months back.

[NODES]

No that is how my brother hooked it up. He stuck the ground into where that screw is since he had such a hard time finding a ground on the driver's side. It's been there since he installed them a few months back.

It should of been shoved right behind the screw for a much better contact.

[Jape]

Thanks for the pictures. Ill probably try tapping the same fuse, but whats going on behind that yellow tape? if it just a wire taped onto the fuse or something?

[iluvmyVersa08]

Thanks for the pictures. Ill probably try tapping the same fuse, but whats going on behind that yellow tape? if it just a wire taped onto the fuse or something?

No problem.

The yellow tape is holding together all the wires for the lights. The lights are plugged into the same fuse as the radio, so that is why that wire is there.

The black wire is the ground wire which is where the bolt is. We put it that way so that it is not entirely permanent. If I get bored, or want to change the lights, it is easily removable. Plus I didn't want an on/off switch. I wanted the lights to go on / off with the turn of the key.

[VersaMG08]

^----that's the main reason why I don't mess with electronics. Just let the professionals handle it. All those wires and fuses just freak me out.

[NODES]

I hate switches as well so I tapped mine into the glove box light which turns on when the headlights get switched on. No need for the footwell lights to be on during the day.

[iluvmyVersa08]

^----that's the main reason why I don't mess with electronics. Just let the professionals handle it. All those wires and fuses just freak me out.

Lol, me too!

That's why my brother did it for me. He's good with that stuff.

[Jape]

Finally made a break through! Not really sure what the issue is with the original lights i had but they just wouldn't light up. Over the winter I ordered what I thought was 4 led strips off ebay and only got one. Installed it yesterday with the switch and its working so i ordered 3 more since they're decent quality. Ill post pictures ones its all done