Jadz928

I've always liked how my BMW 323i has interior overhead ambient lighting above the center console. It is very nice for night driving and long trips, and the amber color is not very invasive (hard on the eyes).
So I decided to do this to my 928. It took a while to figure out the best location for install. I wanted it to be stealthly, and make the light source not-so-obvious.

I went with red as it is the light theme for my interior.

One consideration was to mount an LED in the overhead console light, but that would've been too noticeable. I decided I needed 2 LEDS, in a row, front-to-back, between the two sun-visors. Also because I wanted a row off light to illuminate just the shifter, window swtiches and center glove box.

To do this required to pop two 1/4" holes in the headliner (ouch, but hey, what the heck). I used Radio Shack parts ($10). 2X 5mm LEDs, with a 12/24 degree narrow angle focussed beam. And a 570K resistor. It's wired to go on with the dash illumination.

With the sun visors up, you cannot see the source light from the driver or passenger postion. And I hit my target, with little light spill-off in to the driver area. I'm really happy with the outcome.

heinrich

Hmmm interesting. Do you need the visor flipped down to get the effect?

Jadz928

No, the focussed beam passes the gap between the two sun-visors.

heinrich

Got it Jim. I loved my BMW's red instruments. I might like this setup of yours as well

ckabee1

I like that. Could you give a little more detail on the materials used and how you accomplished this? Do you think something like that would work behind the door handle to give some illumination there?

Thanks and great job.

Alan

I think you shoiuld mount the LED's recessed into a "cup" - so that the LED capsule is not visible... if it could be recessed flat to the surface that would be best but even surface mounted - a black cup that shielded the illumination source would be much nicer. I do not like seeing the LED's sticking through as they are now...

Interesting idea though - how is it switched - always on with the ignition? switch?

Alan

Jadz928

Thank you.

1) 2X 5mm LED, 1.7V, 20Ma, 3000Mcd (12 deg. beam angle, 24 deg. total) - wired in series +LED-/+LED-
2) 1X 560K resistor - wired anywhere on the series
3) 16 or 18 gauge wire
4) 2X 5mm LED grommet - 7/16" - 1/4" pilot hole
5) Heat sink, solder and misc terminals

Wire ran thru the headliner down the pax a-pillar, thru the dash, across the fuse panel and wired to the center console ashtray light (I'm sans ashtray).

You could use this LW-12 pigtail if you chose to eliminate some of the tedious work

Previous thread on door handle illumination

Jadz928

It's switched on with the dash illumination, 1st turn of the light switch (parking lights).

Jadz928

Alan,
I agree, that would be nicer. I positioned them where the can only be seen with the sunvisor down or if you are sitting or leaning on toward the center of the car. The sun visor blocks the source light view from driver and pax position.

ckabee1

Jim, thank you for the info and link.

Alan

Jim - maybe something like these (black)?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/images/Full/n79ax.jpg

Alan

Jadz928

Alan,
That's all right, though still not recessed. I think it needs to be snap-in given the space limitations above the headliner (esp those with sunroof).

Any thing on this page look good?
http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/MC120/

Alan

Jim - I'm familiar with many of those types and when the LED is installed I think most will protrude...

You can get encapsulated LED indicators that are flush snap-fit - not actually recessed... but a little better. For fully recessed - there may not be room behind the panel? do you know what depth you have there - esp right next to the sunroof?

Example http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/PPS312/

More Examples (but there are many - incl us vendors):

http://www.leds.co.uk/productcat/3 see 307/315/327

http://www.leds.co.uk/productcat/4 see 520/611/677/696

Alan

Bill Ball

Nice!

Regarding the door handle illumination: The illumination there needs to subtle, as an indicator, not a source of general illumination. The problem I had is the all the LEDs I cound find were too bright. Of course, with superbrightleds.com, what do you expect? I picked what appeard to be his dimmest LED and wired it up. Too bright. I warpped it in foil except for a sliver left uncovered. Still too bright. I know the wedge-based instrument panels bulbs are about the right brightness (say, 100 mcd).

Any good sources for low-ouput indicator LEDS? Or is there an easy way to reduce the LEDs brightness? I made mine up with the LED, resistor and wire lead, but I'd rather buy it pre-wired for 12V.

Alan

Bill - just add a resistor...

You can buy generic LED's - say at Frys Electronics - but you have to add resistors before you can use them (otherwise they will blow up quickly).

For your existing LED's try just adding a 500 ohm resistor in series - experiment if thats not what you want... higher value for lower brightness.

Bill if you just want red ones - I have hundreds - send me your address and I'll mail you a few.

Alan