What to tap in to in door panel for power?
11-01-2009, 04:43 PM
#11
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Well with assistance I have hardwired the gps and radar in and was very straight forward.
I guess I could also wire it to an open spot by the fuse box or something. Thats what I did for the radar detector but just more of a pain as I would have to wire through the door to cabin and all rather than just wire up in the door.
I got a bag of 10 of the LED's so not too worried if one blows as they cost like 50 cents a piece or something.
I guess I'll pick up a multimeter and check the voltage first to make sure it will work.
I def appreciate the help.
These are the ones that I bought
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...IT#ht_994wt_724
I guess I could also wire it to an open spot by the fuse box or something. Thats what I did for the radar detector but just more of a pain as I would have to wire through the door to cabin and all rather than just wire up in the door.
I got a bag of 10 of the LED's so not too worried if one blows as they cost like 50 cents a piece or something.
I guess I'll pick up a multimeter and check the voltage first to make sure it will work.
I def appreciate the help.
These are the ones that I bought
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...IT#ht_994wt_724
11-01-2009, 04:45 PM
#12
[QUOTE=2003s2k2003,Nov 1 2009, 05:43 PM] Well with assistance I have hardwired the gps and radar in and was very straight forward.
I guess I could also wire it to an open spot by the fuse box or something. Thats what I did for the radar detector but just more of a pain as I would have to wire through the door to cabin and all rather than just wire up in the door.
I got a bag of 10 of the LED's so not too worried if one blows
I guess I could also wire it to an open spot by the fuse box or something. Thats what I did for the radar detector but just more of a pain as I would have to wire through the door to cabin and all rather than just wire up in the door.
I got a bag of 10 of the LED's so not too worried if one blows
11-01-2009, 04:49 PM
#13
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Yeah I'll try to find an open spot if wiring to there is not too big of a pain.
Is it hard to wire in a small little switch or something?
Is it hard to wire in a small little switch or something?
11-01-2009, 06:38 PM
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Originally Posted by gofast182,Nov 1 2009, 08:07 PM
You absolutely cannot wire into your speaker and you shouldn't be messing with stuff like that not knowing electronics. First of all, speakers have an impedance matched to the amplifier (head unit) and when you take into account the resistance of the LED and the pull-down resistor you could seriously damage the amplifier. Second, an LED is a diode so it needs a certain voltage present just to turn the damn thing on (let's say .7 volts for a typical diode) so any voltage below that, you've got no light. Since you're talking about an AC audio signal, not a DC voltage, that would mean the signal going to the speaker would have to be above that threshold to turn it on AND it would only turn on when the signal has positive phase. So assuming you've got the proper voltage for a given period and the amplifier isn't damaged, you may not even see the light because it's only on for about 33 nanoseconds at a time (assuming a 15kHz audio signal above +.7v). 
You can "light" a diode with an AC source. The RMS voltage would have to be above .7 volts like you said.
A diode in parallel with a speaker will not change its impedance.
Sorry just felt like being critical
A simple find a constant DC 5volts would have worked.
11-01-2009, 06:48 PM
#15
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Thanks. So all I need to find just is a constant power 5 volts or more or something?
All the technical stuff makes it more confusing to me haha. When I did the hardwiring it was pretty easy and just checked to make sure there was a constant power and that was it. Didn't measure all sorts of other things or anything.
All the technical stuff makes it more confusing to me haha. When I did the hardwiring it was pretty easy and just checked to make sure there was a constant power and that was it. Didn't measure all sorts of other things or anything.
11-01-2009, 07:01 PM
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Yea find a constant 5volt or 12volt, etc. source. You can then control your current draw with the resistor size. But just have a go with the resitor you have. If it starts getting hot you are drawing too much current. Usually the resistor that is fitted on the LED is setup to be a good range for 5v, 12v, 18v sources.
11-01-2009, 07:10 PM
#17
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The listing said input voltage 9-16 vdc.
So it has to be in that range then?
Yeah don't know what resistor it has as it just came already inline when I bought them.
So it has to be in that range then?
Yeah don't know what resistor it has as it just came already inline when I bought them.
11-01-2009, 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted by 2003s2k2003,Nov 1 2009, 11:10 PM
The listing said input voltage 9-16 vdc.
So it has to be in that range then?
Yeah don't know what resistor it has as it just came already inline when I bought them.
So it has to be in that range then?
Yeah don't know what resistor it has as it just came already inline when I bought them.
Get a voltmeter and start poking around. Remember some 12volts are on all the time, some with the key in "acc" and some with the key in "ing"
Personally i'd spend the time to wire it up to a switch or your light switch somethign like that. Do it right
11-01-2009, 07:24 PM
#19
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Maybe i can just wire a small switch into the door panel somewhere. Make it nice an accessible and also be able to turn it on or off.
Maybe something like this with a red led instead of blue like shown.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/a...questid=1313811
Would like it to be able to be on all the time if wanted or at least at night. Wiring it to my lights would make it always be on as well since I drive with my headlights on all the time anyways.
For a switch like that what is needed to wire it up? Not sure what the prongs would be used for.
Maybe something like this with a red led instead of blue like shown.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/a...questid=1313811
Would like it to be able to be on all the time if wanted or at least at night. Wiring it to my lights would make it always be on as well since I drive with my headlights on all the time anyways.
For a switch like that what is needed to wire it up? Not sure what the prongs would be used for.
11-02-2009, 02:54 AM
#20
Originally Posted by s2kupo,Nov 1 2009, 07:38 PM
It's a current limiting resistor not a pull down resister. A diode looks like a short in one direction so if there was no resistor it will short out the source. Hence the need or a current limiting resistor not a pull down resistor.
You can "light" a diode with an AC source. The RMS voltage would have to be above .7 volts like you said.
A diode in parallel with a speaker will not change its impedance.
Sorry just felt like being critical A simple find a constant DC 5volts would have worked.
You can "light" a diode with an AC source. The RMS voltage would have to be above .7 volts like you said.
A diode in parallel with a speaker will not change its impedance.
Sorry just felt like being critical
A simple find a constant DC 5volts would have worked.
Yes, you can light an LED with an AC source. Thanks for confirming I said that.
A diode in parallel with a speaker will not change the impedance of the speaker, I didn't say it would. It absolutely WILL change the impedance of the overall load the amplifier is driving so the point remains.