Fun with super-cheap LED lighting!

2013 Genesis Coupe. But you can do this with any car.

So on Amazon I found some ver cheap LED lighting and picked up 4x 30 cm LED red strips (not very bright, US$6.88) , and 2x 2 waterproof LED white lighting strips (almost as bright as headlights, US$5.85 for each).

You'll need a soldering iron & solder
heat shrink wrap (or tape...)
elec tape (if for nothing else than to wrap the split loom junctions)
install bay 1/4" split loom to wrap up the wiring
wire (thin guage wire is fine, LED takes very little power) I used speaker wire
hoop terminal connectors (or you can wrap the wires around the screws for a ground)
wire strippers


This weekend I did a little project and did an easy LED strip lighting mod to my car. I'm looking for a soft glow INSIDE the car from beneath the dash and seats at night. The lights are red so it doesn't bother me driving. I also have red LED map lights.

1x power wire 3' long, soldered and heat shrink wrapped to wire extensions (black to black, red to red- LED lights can't be hooked up backwards, they are directional)

2x LED strips with 1' long wire extension soldered on (I also used heat shrink wrap to cover the connection) This goes up front so it is shorter than the LED strips going to the rear

2x LED Strips with 3' long wire extension soldered on (same) This has to be long enough to go to YOUR car's back seat and under where you want the rear lights to be

The power wire is inserted into a 15A fuse in the inside fuse panel. The negative goes to a grounded bolt

I have the LED strips tucked up into the A/C vent right beside a channel that goes from the driver side to passenger side between the console and the firewall. I have the strips movable so I can have them more or less exposed to change the amount of light I want. the strips have a sticky backing so you can stick them anywhere if you want a permanent mounting.


The octopus is where the 1 power wire connects to 2 wires that connect to the 4 LEDs (1 short and 1 long on each side). This is where you do a lot of soldering. Wrap all the connections in heat shrink wrap and use it generously because the LED wires are very thin so the heat shrink wrap builds up the strength of the wires. I used too much wire (you can cut it off but you can't add it back on) and tucked the extra into that channel. From the channel, 2 LED strips come out the driver's side and 2 out the passenger side.


Run the passenger side strips through the central passage where the octopus will be stowed. Your car will be different, so find a way to run the wiring through to the passenger side. There will be 1x 1' extension wire and strip and 1x 3' long extension wire and strip on the passenger and driver side. The short lead goes into that AC vent that's right there by the central passage. The other wire is lead back under the plastic trim molding and under the seat. Do the same on the driver's side. Your car will be set up differently, tuck the wires under the plastic trim molding.


I actually ran the rear LED strips from the back to the front when they weren't yet connected to the octopus. then I tucked the wires in and connected to the octopus after. I did it this way so I could test the strips at every phase in case any of the wires pull loose. Also I could run the wires past obstructions more easily. In my wife's Prius (which is basically a Super Car) I pre-soldered the whole octopus and ran the LED strips to the rear while they were connected. Do it how is easiest for your and your car. For me it would have been easiest in my car to pre-wire and make the octopus and run it connected like I did with the Prius. My second time doing this was better because I learned a lot after the first go.

Easy peasy!


That was the red interior LED accent lighting.


I also added the bright waterproof LEDs to the louvers in the grill on my car- they are facing down & they light up my intercooler lower grill. I wired it up similar to how I did the interior lights by making an octupus. 4 LED wires down to 2 extension wires down to 1 wire to the fuse box & ground. It's all soldered and heat wrapped and since it is outside under the hood and inside the grill, I used the split loom on the wiring to keep it clean and neat. The wiring is easy, you just have to figure out how to run the wires in your own car. The LED strips stick under the louvers in the grill.
 
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This is the IC grill lighting. I can't get a pic of the red interior lights, my phone sucks as a camera
 

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It's too bad too because the interior red lighting looks awesome. It's just a glow that comes from under the dash and under the seats all the time when the car is on. The red LED map lights make my shift knob (which is marbled white) look really cool when I open the door.

The grill lights will be nice in the fog, they are bright enough that they actually add extra light up front even if they are pointed down as they are.
 

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