Lighted Door Sill Insignia Write-up
09-01-2006, 12:14 PM
#76
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If inverter wants always exactly 12V or some other voltage it's fairly easy to use regulator component for providing it. Shouldn't cost many $ to build small circuit which will cut off excess volts.
09-01-2006, 12:30 PM
#77
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Erkka,
True - and this would guarantee more consistent behaviour - also. But then you need a ground connection to it and some additional components a heatsink and a box to put it in and it will end up consuming more power to get a regulated voltage... so probably overkill
In practice a series resistor will usually be quite adequate, cheaper and easier to install...
(exception would be if you can't find a window that works between 12-14V).
We already have Andrews head spinning - you don't want it to blow right off do you !
Alan
True - and this would guarantee more consistent behaviour - also. But then you need a ground connection to it and some additional components a heatsink and a box to put it in and it will end up consuming more power to get a regulated voltage... so probably overkill
In practice a series resistor will usually be quite adequate, cheaper and easier to install...
(exception would be if you can't find a window that works between 12-14V).
We already have Andrews head spinning - you don't want it to blow right off do you !
Alan
09-01-2006, 02:49 PM
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Sterling,
Sems the ones Andrew got are OK - I'd always check though before burying somewhere...
If you are making 'improvements' - first do no harm...
Alan
this is kind of scarey that the power supply heats up.....and the seller is selling it as an auto modification...
If you are making 'improvements' - first do no harm...
Alan
09-01-2006, 04:14 PM
#83
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I have ordered mine! I have gone for white... One question, when it illuminates in the day, will my strip look white or pink? How well do the EL strips glow in daylight?
I am wondering if it is worth getting a coloured film to put over the top - Maybe brown or gold to match the colour of my car! Would probably look like shining a torch through a bottle of coke though!
I am wondering if it is worth getting a coloured film to put over the top - Maybe brown or gold to match the colour of my car! Would probably look like shining a torch through a bottle of coke though!
09-01-2006, 04:26 PM
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I'm going with black to match my interior. 
I ordered 3 kits per the warning on faulty transformers, although I assume he will make good on them if need be. Eh, OK, I ordered white. Hope they aren't pink!
I ordered 3 kits per the warning on faulty transformers, although I assume he will make good on them if need be. Eh, OK, I ordered white. Hope they aren't pink!
09-01-2006, 05:03 PM
#85
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The white ones should look just like the one in my writeup.
Oh BTW, you don't have to snip the prong on the clear plastic insert. I used a hole punch and just punced a hole in the EL strip there and then sealed it with packing tape.
Oh BTW, you don't have to snip the prong on the clear plastic insert. I used a hole punch and just punced a hole in the EL strip there and then sealed it with packing tape.
Last edited by AO; 09-01-2006 at 05:20 PM.
I just ordered a set in red.
09-01-2006, 05:49 PM
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I've got the same inverter's as Andrew . Had them now for more than a year and no problems. They still work fine even though I cut them to fit. And the inverters are not getting hot. I bought 6 blue and 2 white one's to make sure I had some spare's , but sofar the first set are still working fine...... 
. Had them now for more than a year and no problems. They still work fine even though I cut them to fit. And the inverters are not getting hot. I bought 6 blue and 2 white one's to make sure I had some spare's , but sofar the first set are still working fine......
11-19-2006, 07:38 PM
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HELP!!
OK, electrically challenged Bill needs help...I finally got around to installing the EL kit in my door sills. I'm having trouble locating the switched ground.
First I tried Alan's idea (from another thread) of taking power from the amp's 12 volt feed and switched ground from the yellow wire on the hatch switch. The EL lit up beautifully with the door open. BUT, when I pulled the hatch switch, the hatch latch motor cycled over and over non-stop.
So, I decided to go with the door light wiring's switched ground. Isn't the brown-white wire the switched ground? I found the wiring harness as it exits the door. There are two brown/white wires that go into a plug, visible after you remove the underdash tray. BUT neither of those test continuous with ground. I tapped into them and neither lit up the EL. So, I tested the brown/white leads at the light itself - no continuity with ground.
??? This is with the doors open. The system works - if I push the door pin in, the light go out in 10 seconds or so.
What is electrically challenged Bill doing wrong?
First I tried Alan's idea (from another thread) of taking power from the amp's 12 volt feed and switched ground from the yellow wire on the hatch switch. The EL lit up beautifully with the door open. BUT, when I pulled the hatch switch, the hatch latch motor cycled over and over non-stop.
So, I decided to go with the door light wiring's switched ground. Isn't the brown-white wire the switched ground? I found the wiring harness as it exits the door. There are two brown/white wires that go into a plug, visible after you remove the underdash tray. BUT neither of those test continuous with ground. I tapped into them and neither lit up the EL. So, I tested the brown/white leads at the light itself - no continuity with ground.
??? This is with the doors open. The system works - if I push the door pin in, the light go out in 10 seconds or so.What is electrically challenged Bill doing wrong?
11-19-2006, 07:48 PM
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Bill,
If you are getting the Brown & white wire right at the door light and the light is working correctly you must have a problem in the meter or test circuit (prob. with the ground) . Try it again - when your door light is on (assuming is in door switched mode) there should be ~0 ohms between the Brown/White wire and the Brown wire on the light fitting. You can use the Red and the Brown/White wire for your EL inverter feed on both sides. Its already fused so you should be good.
Yes - to the other idea I had - Paul Champagne tried my idea and had the same problem with the hatch motor (turns out it only needs a few hundred mA to run). So scratch that one...
I had already changed my hatch release to switch the interlock for the Keyless Entry so I have an Interior light switched ground at the handbrake cover already... and the red wire that feeds the hatch release is the Interior light power after the fuse...
Alan
If you are getting the Brown & white wire right at the door light and the light is working correctly you must have a problem in the meter or test circuit (prob. with the ground) . Try it again - when your door light is on (assuming is in door switched mode) there should be ~0 ohms between the Brown/White wire and the Brown wire on the light fitting. You can use the Red and the Brown/White wire for your EL inverter feed on both sides. Its already fused so you should be good.
Yes - to the other idea I had - Paul Champagne tried my idea and had the same problem with the hatch motor (turns out it only needs a few hundred mA to run). So scratch that one...
I had already changed my hatch release to switch the interlock for the Keyless Entry so I have an Interior light switched ground at the handbrake cover already... and the red wire that feeds the hatch release is the Interior light power after the fuse...
Alan
11-19-2006, 08:10 PM
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Alan:
Man it's nice to have you checking in on Sunday!
OK, the brown/white should work. The mutlimeter shows continuity to ground when I test brown wires, but not brown/white. Puzzled.
The hatch wiring ground source worked great until I pulled the hatch switch. Would putting a diode on the EL's ground wire help prevent the problem there?
Man it's nice to have you checking in on Sunday!
OK, the brown/white should work. The mutlimeter shows continuity to ground when I test brown wires, but not brown/white. Puzzled.
The hatch wiring ground source worked great until I pulled the hatch switch. Would putting a diode on the EL's ground wire help prevent the problem there?