Alan

Yes you have to laminate them - even in Phoenix where its very dry - just washing the car will cause enough water to pool up under there that unlaminated ones to start showing dead spots that grow in from the sides of the sheet... takes <9months to start showing symptoms. Even if you laminate them pay special attention to sealing up around where the wires exit the lamination - it doen't seal well around even the thinnest of wires - inject some glue along that area also (superglue in a hypodermic seems to work well - thoiugh be careful!!). Make the lamination extend well over the EL strip on the wiring end too.

I have my inverters located under the handbrake cable cover (the rear one) on the drivers side. The strip to inverter wiring is very thin teflon coated wire that just disappears under the sill plate stip and carpet. On the passender side its located under the sill cover (amp is gone) same wiring. On a GTS the interior light switched ground is available on the alarm module under the passenger seat, and the fused interior light power is available at the hatch pull (though most GTSs don't have one pass side - mine does). On the Drivers side this is normally more effort to wire forward to connect to the door lights (or across to the CE light) - but the way I wired my keyless entry hatch release allowed me to supply the interior light switched ground forward to the hatch pulls (on the existing yellow wire) providing me with the same solution on both sides - so very easy wiring - all quite local.

My inverters made a noticable whine also... very annoying!!

I added some small series reistance to their supply from the interior lights - I experimented with values until they worked reliably on battery only - but didn't whine with the engine running.

Alan

Bill Ball

Mine are still working well after almost 3 years. I just taped the ends, but I don't wash my car often and I don't get that area very wet when I do. I just wipe it down. I hear the whine of the transformer, but the lights are generally only on when the doors are open and it is not very loud anyway. My only complaint is the WHITE (when lighted) EL tape is PINK when not lit or in daylight. I saw some white tape for sale that was said to be blue when not lit, but I lost that link. That would be preferable to PINK. Or I gather there is blue EL tape that is white when not lit. I'll have to look for that. Anyway, at night, it looks great and I'm glad I followed Shocki's and Alan's lead and pimped my ride.

Alan

Bill - if that really bothers you laminate a sheet of white paper over the top of the EL - it should still be bright enough. aren't the EL's always on when the door is open anyway?? or do you see the pink refelected in daylight...? Alternatively you can stick some colored gel sheet on top of the while EL to change the off & on color

Alan

Leon Speed

Schocki, do you have a tip on a source for EL tape + 12V converters in the old world?

Schocki

Aryan,

sorry not in the old world. But do a search for " 12 volt Electroluminescent Tape" on www.ebay.com
$ 24 incl. converter.

Leon Speed

Okay I found it. Thanks!

Randy V

I have one of my mini transformers burnt out.

Anyone got a source?

Bill Ball

Randy: You are looking for a 12V inverter for EL:

http://cgi.ebay.com/12-volt-inverter...QQcmdZViewItem

Randy V

Thanks, Bill.

I had come across that one - too large for this application. That one is rated for an entire sheet of EL.

Randy V

Found some here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=360190234831

Bought a few of these to have spares.

This transformer is tiny - just 2" x 1"

Swapped out the old one and I'm glowin'.

rudisunshine

perfect, Even a 2004 post got me inspired..
upgrading my GTS

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-x1-25-Ele...E:L:OU:BE:3160

gcthree

Just noticed the date on this thread....cool idea!

Schocki

Yep and still working without problems

Bill Ball

Also, Paul Champagne developed a kit that uses fiberoptic material instead.

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...-shipping.html

EL material the correct size (more than 2" wide - need about 2.5") is hard to find, at least last time I looked, and WHITE EL were PINK when not lit.

So, I installed Paul's kit in place of the original EL. I don't know if he still sells them.

Alan

You do need the wide sheet/tape on an earlier car with tyhe 928 logo - but for a GTS (with GTS logo) about 1.5" is enough.

Alan