How Does The Interior Lighting Work?

[Mike5483]

Im sure the way my interior light functions has changed recently.

 

Im sure it used to come on when you switched the engine off, but now it only seems to come on once the engine is off and you have taken the key out of the ignition.

 

Secondly, you know the C4 does that 'HERE I AM' flash flash thing if you push the lock button once its already locked, well when I do this, the interior light comes on. Im sure it never used to do that either.

 

I have recently been investigating a way of installing 'Ambiance Lighting'.

 

My Brothers Civic has this and its quite nice.

 

All it is is some Blue LED's in the footwells that come on and go off with the interior lights brightly, or if the headlights are on, they stay on but are very dim. You may be surprised to hear that Honda deems it acceptable to charge customers £200 for these three LED's!!! I just bought some for about 10p each.

 

I have been thniking of doing this with Orange LED's. It seems a bit of a sod though cause all the existing cabling seems very small, and I dont really want to load it up any more, even though the LED's I have only take 8.5 mA each.

 

Also, trying to find and trace any cabling in this car is a nightmare!!!

 

The other thing is, in my old Rover, the fading was done by gradually removing the return path.

 

On the C4, it seems that it is the 12V that is 'faded' in and out. This puts a bit of a spanner in my circuit design!!!

 

Does the C4 use a switched return system, or is it a switched voltage system???

[sammys hdi vts]

Mike, my dad paid 200 notes for the ambience pack in his civic, i paid £7 for my C4! Here is a link to a brilliant website, you need a bulb with a 501 marking, this is the size to fir the car. Its deadsimple, take out the old bulb put in the new led, done. I have one in each doorwell so when you open the door its blue in the passenger well and on the drivers road, you know what I mean, one either side on the interior lighting at the front, middle is still white so you can see a map etc if needed, rear passenger is blue and boot works in blue but trrying some lighting strips but they flash on and off, think there is a voltage drop causing it but dont have time to check. They are really bright and much nicer than the civic, they stay on ever so slightly when the engine is running but completely off when you lock the car. So easy and cheap, a great mod!

these are mine,

Ultra leds

 

these are amber like you want

ultraleds- amber

 

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n104/andrew_seal/CIMG1849.jpg

 

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n104/andrew_seal/CIMG1852.jpg

 

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n104/andrew_seal/CIMG1851.jpg

[Mike5483]

How did you get the ones in the door to work??? I know there is a spare plug in the door for the door light, you just connected up to this???

[sammys hdi vts]

yeah just in the door there are lights, it might only be on the vts though? its just a case of taking out the old bulb and slipping in the new led version. no funny stuff! keep the old bulbs for when you sell the car!

[Mike5483]

Ahh good, I dont have the lights, the VTR+ dont have them, but the wiring is there!!! PLAN!!!