Led Eyebrow as interior gauge cluster light

[shrek77]

I purchased an led flexible eyebrow to place in front of my white gauges to make them glow. Ive googled the crap out of this not seeing anything like my idea. What would be the best way to wire this so they turn on with the factory gauge lighting, or a switch by the factory light switches, as mine does not have fog lights. Any help is appreciated!!!View attachment 25750

 

[dockers]

Wire it to the power and ground of the headlamp switch

 

[blazinlow89]

Wire it to the power and ground of the headlamp switch

Any specific wires?

Ground it to the metal bar in the dash, or somewhere metal. As for the power side, you can find the running light wire at the back of the headlight control switch, or you can tap into the ignition or accessory wires in the main harness under the steering column. Using a relay would be recommended. Your other option would be to tap into the forward fuse panel, and run the wire into the truck using an add-a-fuse.

 

[shrek77]

Thanks for the input, I ordered an cigarette adapter from LOWE'S that allows me to just wire it directly and plug it in. That way I don't need any switches or to tap into any wires. If it doesn't work I will use the suggestion to tap into the headlight switch. Thanks for the help!!

 

[mrphoenix80]

Are you going the remove the cluster to install? If so you could seperate the lens (it just unsnaps) and install it inside the lens then tap into the br/wh wire(pin A7) for the dash light circuit at the cluster and the bk/wh wire (pin A4) for ground at the cluster connector. The pins are set up with the "A" pins on the top near the latch. I think this will give you dimming also.

 

[blazinlow89]

Going the route of the 12v socket with an adapter, it does not sound like opening the cluster is part of the plan. Although I could be wrong.

 

[mrphoenix80]

Just thought it would make a clean install and its not excessivly hard to do. And on the plus side it would give you dimming. Because those eyebrow leds can be bright.

 

[blazinlow89]

Never disagreed. Still trying to figure out what the exact desired effect is. I see the pic, but trying to figure out if the less will face towards the gauge's, towards the drivers face or what. Will be interesting to see pictures.

 

[shrek77]

I was going to place it on the outside of the Bezel and angle it towards the guages. the led brow is super slim. I was going to remove the trim to run the wires so I may install it inside the gauge cluster, I wonder if the angle straight up would not provide even lighting when inside the cluster. I will try different locations before installing. Thanks for all the input I greatly appreciate it.

 

[STLtrailbSS]

You probably need to put it in the cluster man. You will get a glare if you place it out. you will get a nice recessed look inside the cluster and passengers wont see the individual SMD's instead you will get a nice glow on the face of the cluster and I would take electrical tape and black out some of the leds and put more intensity on the gauges and leave out dead space. My 2 cents. Honestly I want you to put it in the cluster because i want to see what It Looks like Whatever you do pretty cool idea.

 

[shrek77]

You probably need to put it in the cluster man. You will get a glare if you place it out. you will get a nice recessed look inside the cluster and passengers wont see the individual SMD's instead you will get a nice glow on the face of the cluster and I would take electrical tape and black out some of the leds and put more intensity on the gauges and leave out dead space. My 2 cents. Honestly I want you to put it in the cluster because i want to see what It Looks like Whatever you do pretty cool idea.

Thanks man, I`m not to keen on wiring and taking the gauges apart and sodering in new led`s. Having only $12.50 for the same effect I will be happy. I will take your advice and try it inside the Bezel. I will watch YouTube to learn how to take it all apart. And of course pictures when it's done. I just have to wait until the cigarette adapter comes in at work. IM on vacation starting Friday and my altezza taillights should be in around then. Can't fricken wait lol..:wootwoot: Thanks for your help and support for my project!!!

 

[jaguarjoe]

LED's won't dim very well without a special dimming power supply (like PWM- pulse width modulation). If the cluster is already lit up by LED's and they can be dimmed, you might be able to piggy back your LED's with the cluster's LED's. Just don't overload their power supply. One LED typically consumes about 20ma at full brilliance. Watch the polarities- the LED won't fail if wired backwards, it just won't light.

 

[shrek77]

Just wired this up to the cigarette adapter and sat the leds in front of the cluster. The first pic is normal gauge lighting with truck running, second picture with qauge lighting and leds on. Looks sweet cant wait to install!!!View attachment 25848

 

[blazinlow89]

I see the pic, but trying to figure out if the less will face towards the gauge's, towards the drivers face or what. Will be interesting to see pictures.

Just wired this up to the cigarette adapter and sat the leds in front of the cluster. The first pic is normal gauge lighting with truck running, second picture with qauge lighting and leds on. Looks sweet cant wait to install!!

I feel like a freaking moron now, when you posted the picture I envisionsd that you had found LED versions of these things.

Shake your heads guys im a dumb ass.

However what you have done looks pretty cool. Too dab you could not get a hold of a set of RGB LED's and have the ability to change colors. I think finding a way to control brightness should also be in your plans.

 

[mikeinDE]

I feel like a freaking moron now, when you posted the picture I envisionsd that you had found LED versions of these things.

Shake your heads guys im a dumb ass.

However what you have done looks pretty cool. Too dab you could not get a hold of a set of RGB LED's and have the ability to change colors. I think finding a way to control brightness should also be in your plans.

Those would actually be "eyelashes" and not "eyebrows"

 

[blazinlow89]

Those would actually be "eyelashes" and not "eyebrows"

Correct, what had me scratching my head was the drawing. For some reason didn't put it together that the lines represented light.

 

[mikeinDE]

Correct, what had me scratching my head was the drawing. For some reason didn't put it together that the lines represented light.

oh yea, i see what ya mean now, i never really thought about that before....

 

[shrek77]

Sorry I confused anyone with my shitty s-pen representation! I am going to install later tonight will post a pic when done!:wootwoot:

 

[blazinlow89]

Sorry I confused anyone with my shitty s-pen representation! I am going to install later tonight will post a pic when done!:wootwoot:

Its all good, the only one who got confused was me. I know I read eye brow. For some reason the lines made me think lashes.

 

[mrphoenix80]

Yes it will be interesting to see the effect without the glare. I am going a different route as I like the red of the dash in the '10 and up terrains and so on. I have a feeling you will come over and join us with the led bug.

 

[shrek77]

Got it done not inside cluster. I took it all apart and there is no place to run the wire out unless you drill a hole through the bottom of the cluster. So I put it outside angled at the gauges. It looks pretty good. It was easy to hide the wires behind the paneling. View attachment 25858

 

[ItsOnVoy]

I feel like that would be really distracting while driving to have leds right up in your face like that

 

[shrek77]

Nah, I drove around a good bit last evining and they didn't bother me. Its not like their pointed at my face, their angled at the gauges. I like the way it turned out.

 

[CdnGMan]

Nah, I drove around a good bit last evining and they didn't bother me. Its not like their pointed at my face, their angled at the gauges. I like the way it turned out.

While that's not my cup of coffee, as long as YOU like it, that's all that matters in the end... nice work.

 

[shrek77]

While that's not my cup of coffee, as long as YOU like it, that's all that matters in the end... nice work.

Thank you I appreciate that!!!

 

[Black_tb]

My personal opinion and its just mine it would look cool if u could almost hide the LEDs so it was just the light shinning up at the cluster but I do like how it looks

 

[NinjuhhNutz]

Got it done not inside cluster. I took it all apart and there is no place to run the wire out unless you drill a hole through the bottom of the cluster. So I put it outside angled at the gauges. It looks pretty good. It was easy to hide the wires behind the paneling. View attachment 11727

I did something quite similar on my 92 civic years ago (out of necessity as the lights behind my gauges quit on me) yes, I am a former ricer but grew out of that quite quickly after the speeding tickets and lawyer bills started adding up

I set them at an angle, and sanded/painted (very gently) the side of the led facing the plactic cover for the cluster. Prevented that reflection you get at the bottom of the gauge cluster. was a good bit of work getting it just right, but I was happy with the outcome.
Might have a pic hiding on here somewhere, will try to dig it out