2013 Center Console LED light install
12-10-2014, 06:56 PM
#21
One Clean Machine
iTrader: (5)
I forget the wire color but its in with the Green connector harness in the P.S. kick panel! So dumb Ford didnt put all these lights in, glovebox is another overlooked area!
12-11-2014, 01:22 PM
#22
Senior Member
Sweet thanks man, that'll definitely help me get going. Now to wait for a break in the weather.
12-24-2014, 08:46 PM
#23
Senior Member
Finally got around to installing the light! Brief write-up below...
The idea was to make a plug-n-play unit rather than hard-wire everything because I didn't feel like taking the console apart. Unfortunately, the reed switch I bought wasn't going to work. So I used a momentary switch instead which required a bit of drilling so it wasn't quite plug-n-play afterall.
Materials:
Left over piece of 3528 SMD strip from Bed Light project (I used a ~31cm length)
DC multi-selectable voltage adapter with removable tips (I had this laying around)
$0.99 Extension cord for DC adapter (Optional but allows LED to disconnect from adapter)
Un-used materials: Reed switch (lower-left), spool of wire (top-right)
I spent some time looking for the right location to mount the switch. So far, I've only seen photos of this mod on older style consoles so I had to hunt for a good spot on my 2013 console.
I decided to mount it in the lid right next to the latching mechanism. This way when the lid closes the switch makes contact with the little black rectangle that the latch goes into (visible in first pic). I figure this is better than having it touch a painted surface. So I removed the lid, disassembled it and drilled a hole for the switch.
Unfortunately, I discovered there wasn't enough clearance inside the lid so I had to do some trimming to the lock/latch assembly. I was a little worried that this might compromise the integrity of the lock/latch but it turned out just fine.
I then drilled a tiny hole at the base of the lid near the hinge to feed the wires through. I soldered all of the connections, re-assembled the lid and then re-attached everything to the console.
Last thing to do was stick on the LEDs. I used a single strip and tuck it onto the two sides and rear of the compartment in a U-shape. I made sure to place them under the overhang so they don't blind me when I look in. I stuffed the excess wire into the overhang and taped it in place with reflective ducting tape.
It works great! I had to adjust the depth of the switch to allow the lid to click shut but that was all.
One day I might decide to hardwire it but this will certainly do for now. If I ever need to use the socket or the adapter for something else it's a simple disconnect to free it up.
Illuminating the inside really makes a world of difference and was definitely worth the effort!
The idea was to make a plug-n-play unit rather than hard-wire everything because I didn't feel like taking the console apart. Unfortunately, the reed switch I bought wasn't going to work. So I used a momentary switch instead which required a bit of drilling so it wasn't quite plug-n-play afterall.
Materials:
Left over piece of 3528 SMD strip from Bed Light project (I used a ~31cm length)
DC multi-selectable voltage adapter with removable tips (I had this laying around)
$0.99 Extension cord for DC adapter (Optional but allows LED to disconnect from adapter)
Un-used materials: Reed switch (lower-left), spool of wire (top-right)
I spent some time looking for the right location to mount the switch. So far, I've only seen photos of this mod on older style consoles so I had to hunt for a good spot on my 2013 console.
I decided to mount it in the lid right next to the latching mechanism. This way when the lid closes the switch makes contact with the little black rectangle that the latch goes into (visible in first pic). I figure this is better than having it touch a painted surface. So I removed the lid, disassembled it and drilled a hole for the switch.
Unfortunately, I discovered there wasn't enough clearance inside the lid so I had to do some trimming to the lock/latch assembly. I was a little worried that this might compromise the integrity of the lock/latch but it turned out just fine.
I then drilled a tiny hole at the base of the lid near the hinge to feed the wires through. I soldered all of the connections, re-assembled the lid and then re-attached everything to the console.
Last thing to do was stick on the LEDs. I used a single strip and tuck it onto the two sides and rear of the compartment in a U-shape. I made sure to place them under the overhang so they don't blind me when I look in. I stuffed the excess wire into the overhang and taped it in place with reflective ducting tape.
It works great! I had to adjust the depth of the switch to allow the lid to click shut but that was all.
One day I might decide to hardwire it but this will certainly do for now. If I ever need to use the socket or the adapter for something else it's a simple disconnect to free it up.
Illuminating the inside really makes a world of difference and was definitely worth the effort!
Last edited by kobayashi maru; 12-24-2014 at 09:00 PM.
12-27-2014, 12:29 AM
#24
One Clean Machine
iTrader: (5)
Looks good, but leds appear a little blue for my taste!
12-27-2014, 01:17 AM
#25
Senior Member
Yea it looks that way on camera but it's much closer to white to the naked eye. Not sure what the exact colour temp is.