furythree
02-03-2009, 12:19 AM
hi guys. ive decided to mod my new 2009 honda accord euro CU2 by adding interior blue neon.
the lighting will also be attatched to a small device that detects sound and controls the pulses of light to the beat.
i havent found a device standalone for this yet. but i mite buy stuff like this:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1989
and cut off and solder onto my setup. which shudnt be too hard really. i figured that it acts just like a switch and turns on and off according to the level of sound.
ive spend a week researching different options and methods to do this but i seriously need some help.
(please move my post if it belongs in the noob section, thanks)
basically ive decided there can be 2 methods to achieve what i want to do:
1) use Led strips which can be easily and VERY cheaply be found on the internet. about 1m for less than $5 incl postage
2) use EL wire. for those who do not know what EL wire is. i highly reccomend googling/youtubing it.
in short it is a form of wire which has a copper core coated with a phosphorus layer which glows and a vinyl layer surrounding it which insulates (i think) and colours it. when alternating current is applied it glows brightly but nothing like leds
the advantage of el wire is that it is a 360degree glow around the wire and is VERY VERY cool. pretty much no heat at all.
you can also cut it to different lengths. and several meters can be powered by AA batteries for several hours.
in terms of price, i am looking at around $10 per meter. give or take (esp considering US price conversions)
here is a good example of car charger powered, 1.5m of el wire for less than ten bux
http://cgi.ebay.com/12V-1-5M-Flexible-Car-Blue-Neon-Light-Wire-Rope-Cable_W0QQitemZ250378736454QQihZ015QQcategoryZ7223 7QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
next comes power source.
there are 3 possible ways.
1) the first option, which really applies to EL wire, is Batteries. a battery power source etc for el wire is easily sourceable, but the trouble with that is i have to constantly get batteries and its a messy setup.
i think leds wud use too much power to run off batteries.
2) the second option is to use the car ciggerate lighter/12v power source.
now in my car i have the ciggarette lighter and also a designated 12v power source in my middle armrest box thingy.
im trying not to go this path (although it will probably be the easiest, due to the readily available materials) as i will have cables running accross the middle of my car around my transmission and hand brake. so it could be both annoying and dangerous. also i have a gps and ipod charger and AUX cable already messying up the place so i wud like to keep cables from there to a minimum
3) the third and best (but hardest) option, which i need help with (and the whole point of this post) is sourcing the power from the car itself.
after a bit of research (i am a complete car noob). you can source the power from the car battery, via cables underneath the steering wheel area or above the pedal area. or similarly near the front passenger side.
one person i saw did it via that area and used the power source from the ciggarette lighter cable.
other simpler methods simply plugged a rectangular plug (edit, i found out these plugs are called "easy connectors", so original lol) into the car's power box/board or whatever you call it.
i think with the majority of the LED strips and EL wires, i they can come with these plugs and i am trying to find how i can plug them into the car's power box. or somehow safely tap into the car's power supply.
my biggest problem is how to open up the under area to access cables. or locate where this power box is in the first place!? :S
can anyone help me?
thanks
the lighting will also be attatched to a small device that detects sound and controls the pulses of light to the beat.
i havent found a device standalone for this yet. but i mite buy stuff like this:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1989
and cut off and solder onto my setup. which shudnt be too hard really. i figured that it acts just like a switch and turns on and off according to the level of sound.
ive spend a week researching different options and methods to do this but i seriously need some help.
(please move my post if it belongs in the noob section, thanks)
basically ive decided there can be 2 methods to achieve what i want to do:
1) use Led strips which can be easily and VERY cheaply be found on the internet. about 1m for less than $5 incl postage
2) use EL wire. for those who do not know what EL wire is. i highly reccomend googling/youtubing it.
in short it is a form of wire which has a copper core coated with a phosphorus layer which glows and a vinyl layer surrounding it which insulates (i think) and colours it. when alternating current is applied it glows brightly but nothing like leds
the advantage of el wire is that it is a 360degree glow around the wire and is VERY VERY cool. pretty much no heat at all.
you can also cut it to different lengths. and several meters can be powered by AA batteries for several hours.
in terms of price, i am looking at around $10 per meter. give or take (esp considering US price conversions)
here is a good example of car charger powered, 1.5m of el wire for less than ten bux
http://cgi.ebay.com/12V-1-5M-Flexible-Car-Blue-Neon-Light-Wire-Rope-Cable_W0QQitemZ250378736454QQihZ015QQcategoryZ7223 7QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
next comes power source.
there are 3 possible ways.
1) the first option, which really applies to EL wire, is Batteries. a battery power source etc for el wire is easily sourceable, but the trouble with that is i have to constantly get batteries and its a messy setup.
i think leds wud use too much power to run off batteries.
2) the second option is to use the car ciggerate lighter/12v power source.
now in my car i have the ciggarette lighter and also a designated 12v power source in my middle armrest box thingy.
im trying not to go this path (although it will probably be the easiest, due to the readily available materials) as i will have cables running accross the middle of my car around my transmission and hand brake. so it could be both annoying and dangerous. also i have a gps and ipod charger and AUX cable already messying up the place so i wud like to keep cables from there to a minimum
3) the third and best (but hardest) option, which i need help with (and the whole point of this post) is sourcing the power from the car itself.
after a bit of research (i am a complete car noob). you can source the power from the car battery, via cables underneath the steering wheel area or above the pedal area. or similarly near the front passenger side.
one person i saw did it via that area and used the power source from the ciggarette lighter cable.
other simpler methods simply plugged a rectangular plug (edit, i found out these plugs are called "easy connectors", so original lol) into the car's power box/board or whatever you call it.
i think with the majority of the LED strips and EL wires, i they can come with these plugs and i am trying to find how i can plug them into the car's power box. or somehow safely tap into the car's power supply.
my biggest problem is how to open up the under area to access cables. or locate where this power box is in the first place!? :S
can anyone help me?
thanks