DIY VTEC Light (with Pics)
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From: Columbia, SC, USA
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do you even know what heat shrink tubing is? It comes in all sorts of sizes. You can get it at radio shack in an assortment pack. Slide it on. Heat it up with a lighter and bam your wires are covered securly instead of using electrical tape which could come off or have other stuff go wrong.
i hate my life...
ok, did the tap splic thing and made the new wire to the LED, used electrical tape and taped those together. then i got a resistor and taped one end to the small pole on the LED and the other end to pretty much everywhere else inside the cig compartment place. still no LED lighting up...someone shoot me
ok, did the tap splic thing and made the new wire to the LED, used electrical tape and taped those together. then i got a resistor and taped one end to the small pole on the LED and the other end to pretty much everywhere else inside the cig compartment place. still no LED lighting up...someone shoot me
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From: Columbia, SC, USA
Rep Power: 413 Are you actually moving in the car when you are testing it? You can't just sit there and rev it. You have to at least be rolling.
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From: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US
Rep Power: 348 In between classes today I ran to radio shack and spent less than $14 (including 55 ft. of wire) and installed the whole shabang, I wanna go try it out now.....can't wait. I really suck with cars and I did it, the hardest part was drilling because I didn't want to take the peice out of my car to drill it, It already has wires running into it, Will get pictures later in my profile.
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From: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US
Rep Power: 348 Originally posted by R3DL1N3
the other end to pretty much everywhere else inside the cig compartment place. still no LED lighting up...someone shoot me
the other end to pretty much everywhere else inside the cig compartment place. still no LED lighting up...someone shoot me
It DIDN'T WORK!!!! Damnit! Now I have to trace back and find my problem, I have bigger gauge wire (not single) and I twisted the wire to the resistor then shrinked it.....umm.....does it matter which end of the resistor is which direction, otherwise I have no idea.....
Last edited by Connie; Apr 22, 2003 at 02:42 PM.
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From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 The direction of the resistor doesn't matter, the direction of the LED does. Make sure that's right. Also double check that your connections are actually touching. It's also possible that during the twisting that you tore the lead out of the resistor body.
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Rep Power: 413 Originally posted by ben_spawn
does it matter if u connect the resistor to either of the legs of the LED?
does it matter if u connect the resistor to either of the legs of the LED?
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Rep Power: 0 yeah i read that, but dont the current run from the wire tap into the LED and then grounded? shouldn't you reduce the current before it enters the LED?
On that note too, if I were to add a toggle switch to enable/disable the light. Where should be the best place to insert it?
On that note too, if I were to add a toggle switch to enable/disable the light. Where should be the best place to insert it?
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From: Columbia, SC, USA
Rep Power: 413 Originally posted by ben_spawn
yeah i read that, but dont the current run from the wire tap into the LED and then grounded? shouldn't you reduce the current before it enters the LED?
On that note too, if I were to add a toggle switch to enable/disable the light. Where should be the best place to insert it?
yeah i read that, but dont the current run from the wire tap into the LED and then grounded? shouldn't you reduce the current before it enters the LED?
On that note too, if I were to add a toggle switch to enable/disable the light. Where should be the best place to insert it?
He|| I even did it on another 7thgen yesterday 2!!! so taht is 2 cars under my car for this project.!!!
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From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 Originally posted by ben_spawn
yeah i read that, but dont the current run from the wire tap into the LED and then grounded? shouldn't you reduce the current before it enters the LED?
On that note too, if I were to add a toggle switch to enable/disable the light. Where should be the best place to insert it?
yeah i read that, but dont the current run from the wire tap into the LED and then grounded? shouldn't you reduce the current before it enters the LED?
On that note too, if I were to add a toggle switch to enable/disable the light. Where should be the best place to insert it?
The for the toggle, you can put it anywhere... all you have to do is break the circuit. I'd put it between the VTEC wire and the LED because it would be easiest.
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Rep Power: 0 i'm afraid if i tap into the wire at that section, current might be too much at the point perhaps burn up the switch? if that's possible. i'm seriously not sure. so that's why im figuring out on which points has the safest amount of current to tap in a switch. plus on page 4, i have this idea of a 2 LED light, i'm not sure if the idea of the setup would work. if i know how the current runs then prolly i could work on it. thanx for the reply btw.
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From: Bossier City, Louisiana, US
Rep Power: 0 I dont know about the 2 led thing the guy came up with. Come on, really is it necessary. When the LED is lit up that means the VTEC is engaged. When the LED is not on, neither is vtec. WOW! I give him credit for the idea though.
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From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 Originally posted by MangoEX
One more thing... Fly where did you get access to the VTEC wire? from the ECU or under the hood, its a blue wire right? (not green as pictured in your diagram)
One more thing... Fly where did you get access to the VTEC wire? from the ECU or under the hood, its a blue wire right? (not green as pictured in your diagram)
Originally posted by FlyRiceRacer02
Fine, don't listen to us. Don't pay attention to the 2 guys who have successfully completed this project. How would we know? We only did this perfectly!
He|| I even did it on another 7thgen yesterday 2!!! so taht is 2 cars under my car for this project.!!!
Fine, don't listen to us. Don't pay attention to the 2 guys who have successfully completed this project. How would we know? We only did this perfectly!
He|| I even did it on another 7thgen yesterday 2!!! so taht is 2 cars under my car for this project.!!!
As for the idea of the switch, that too can go on the positive or ground end of the LED. IMO i would put it on the positive end.
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From: Houston, Texas, US
Rep Power: 0 I'm thinking about installing a small dimmer. FYI, it's basically a variable resistor, so I can change brightness and turn it off.
I wonder if I'll be able to find a potentiometer (dimmer switch) and led in one.. that would be nifty
I wonder if I'll be able to find a potentiometer (dimmer switch) and led in one.. that would be nifty
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From: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US
Rep Power: 348 I checked over my stuff and my dumb *** bought an infared LED and thats why I wasn't seeing anything. I see it perfectly now but it turns on whenever I accelerate, even at 2,400RPM I used the 470 OHM resistor......any sugestions on what it might be?
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From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 Originally posted by Connie
I checked over my stuff and my dumb *** bought an infared LED and thats why I wasn't seeing anything. I see it perfectly now but it turns on whenever I accelerate, even at 2,400RPM I used the 470 OHM resistor......any sugestions on what it might be?
I checked over my stuff and my dumb *** bought an infared LED and thats why I wasn't seeing anything. I see it perfectly now but it turns on whenever I accelerate, even at 2,400RPM I used the 470 OHM resistor......any sugestions on what it might be?
The black wire that goes to the Cig lighter harness is grounded.
