Engine bay LEDs...constant 12V source?

Xcentric · Jan 8, 2013

I have Andrew's engine bay illumination kit. Can someone please point me to an easily accessible source of constant power? Andrew sugggested the starter, but it appears I'd have to drop the pan. Plus it seems a long reach for the wire.

For those who have done this mod with the remote controller, where did you mount the controller box?

fjpikul · Jan 8, 2013

I have the original AnalogDesigner light (#1) and it takes power off the license plate bulb. Only comes on with the light on. Maybe not what you want, but very easy access.

nota4re · Jan 8, 2013

You also have the alternator (readily accessible).

Xcentric · Jan 8, 2013

I want it hot all the time. The alternator is a good location, but I'm afraid of doing something stupid. I was hoping for a hot wire that I could simply use a vampire clamp on. Is the battery positive cable hidden under the alternator electrical connector?

analogdesigner · Jan 8, 2013

Xcentric,

I may have a couple a cable assemblies left over, however it would only give you power when the rear lights are on. Let me know and I will look for them. Good luck, Jay

Art138 · Jan 8, 2013

I hot wired diretly into the battery and ran the wires under all the belly pans....I use a 3amp fuse as it comes off the battery..... I just purchased another set for my scud and doing the install the same way. I did not want to have any excuses for my gauges to fail.

RALPHIE · Jan 8, 2013

If you wire direct to the battery, the lights will be on all the time whether the car is parked and off or not - unless you added a separate in-line switch to turn them off, which would probably require lifting the clamshell every time you park the car, assuming you brought the wire up into the engine area from the pans. Seems very inconveneint.

twobjshelbys · Jan 9, 2013

If you're willing to go all the way to the battery you should be able to find a switched 12v along the way there if you can get through one through by the fuse box in the passenger compartment you should be able to find a fuse to tap with a fuse buddy

SteveA · Jan 9, 2013

analogdesigner said:
Xcentric,

I may have a couple a cable assemblies left over, however it would only give you power when the rear lights are on. Let me know and I will look for them. Good luck, Jay

Good to see you posting again Jay, hope all is well!

Art138 · Jan 9, 2013

RALPHIE said:
If you wire direct to the battery, the lights will be on all the time whether the car is parked and off or not - unless you added a separate in-line switch to turn them off, which would probably require lifting the clamshell every time you park the car, assuming you brought the wire up into the engine area from the pans. Seems very inconveneint.

Not Andrews kit.....it comes with a remote key fob and you can turn on and off from as far as 50 feet from the car...nice set up. I embedded the transmitter on the frame bar near the Transaxle cooler. it (transmitter) has a 5 inch wire which picks up the signal well, either inside or outside the car.

STORMCAT · Jan 9, 2013

I have 4 different groups of LED's that I have tied in to the SJB box fuse panel. There is a 12 volt always hot circuit. I used a " add a fuse " kit. I made a small toggle switch panle that is under my dash. I ran the wires on the side of th tunnel under the black panel than fished the wires thru the shifter cable boot on the bulk head. It's a lot of work but it works good. There is a post somewhere with pictures.. about 5 or 6 years ago ??

Xcentric · Jan 9, 2013

STORMCAT said:
I have 4 different groups of LED's that I have tied in to the SJB box fuse panel. There is a 12 volt always hot circuit. I used a " add a fuse " kit. I made a small toggle switch panle that is under my dash. I ran the wires on the side of th tunnel under the black panel than fished the wires thru the shifter cable boot on the bulk head. It's a lot of work but it works good. There is a post somewhere with pictures.. about 5 or 6 years ago ??

Thanks everyone for the help. The add-a-fuse to the fuse box seems to be easiest way to go. I'll have the console out for the Mac Relocate, so that should simplify running the wires. Maybe I can hide the controller box under the console (?).

Still curious about how to access the battery cable on the alternator, but given the depths of my ignorance maybe it's best to stay away from that. :lol

jcthorne · Jan 9, 2013

I used a vampire connector on the 12v memory power line to the PCM in the engine bay, driver side, under the coolant reserviors. Tucked the remote switch box under the wiring harness and used 2 black tywraps to hold it in place between the harness and frame. Dissapears and no cut wires in the harness. Then used fabric wire loom like OEM to run the wireing up to the leds under the engine bay braces with the lights shining down on either side of the engine. Remote works well and the install looks clean.

Xcentric · Jan 9, 2013

jcthorne said:
I used a vampire connector on the 12v memory power line to the PCM in the engine bay, driver side, under the coolant reserviors. Tucked the remote switch box under the wiring harness and used 2 black tywraps to hold it in place between the harness and frame. Dissapears and no cut wires in the harness. Then used fabric wire loom like OEM to run the wireing up to the leds under the engine bay braces with the lights shining down on either side of the engine. Remote works well and the install looks clean.

James, Would that be the line at the extreme left, labeled "VBATT" and "RD/LG" (red/light green)?

jcthorne · Jan 9, 2013

Yes, that was the wiring diagram that I used to find the location near connector C406.

Xcentric · Jan 9, 2013

^^^ Excellent. That is a nice location for access and for hiding wires. Thank you! :cheers

Art138 · Jan 9, 2013

Xcentric said:
^^^ Excellent. That is a nice location for access and for hiding wires. Thank you! :cheers

This is where I embedded the transmitter... all wires have heat resistant protectors...ground wire attached to bracket; don't know why it uploaded the same pic twice...

Xcentric · Jan 11, 2013

Perhaps this will be of use to someone in the future.

You can find the engine bay hot-at-all-times wire jcthorne and I discussed above by standing by the degas bottles and looking straight down below the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The connector is attached to the frame at the center of the star. Your car will not have a star.

The top row wires in order from top to bottom in the photo are Light Green/Red; Orange; Red/Light Green; Violet. We will tap into the Red/Light Green wire (arrow) with a vampire clamp. This is the male end of the connector. The wire colors are the same at the female end. You can unbolt the degas bottle (two bolts) and move it aside for easier access.

This wire is for light current draw only! It is fused at 5A at the Battery Junction Box (BJB). You may wish to add a fuse between this power source and the load.

Vince H · Jan 11, 2013

Thanks for the info and pictures Xcentric. I'm sure I will be searching for this at some point and your illustrations are perfect. Would love to see the finished product on the lit engine bay. Oh yea and I want a star on my engine bay. (Ha)

Vince H

Art138 · Jan 11, 2013

Xcentric said:
"Perhaps this will be of use to someone in the future.

You may wish to add a fuse between this power source and the load."

I would put a 3AMP.....

Engine bay LEDs...constant 12V source?

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