Flexible LED lights for interior van lighting

[human compass]

awesome! thanks!
_________________
84 Westy Syncro- 3.3L SVX stage 2 tune,subaru gears 6speed with tbd, front locker, porche brakes x4, aux tank, radflo susp

[BigBlueWesty]

[ThankYouJerry]

[madspaniard]

[joetiger]

[shadetreetim]

I recently added these little 3 bulb LED's above the engine hatch. With a switch accessible from the rear or when lying in bed.

Switch is indicated by red arrow

Engine is illuminated enough to check oil, etc.

Having camped with these now, it was great to simply reach up and turn on a light while lying in bed. Before I had to sit up and feel around for the stock interior light.

Now I'm wondering where else I should put them. Under the dash? On the bottom of the door to illuminate the ground while door is open? They came in a roll of 20 light pods.
_________________
Tim Potts

Doing my best every time I drive it to dispel the myth these Vanagons have to be slow!


'89 Vanagon Bluestar/Country Homes 1.8T & .77 4th
'74 Jeep CJ5

[Jake de Villiers]

[joetiger]

I installed a second one yesterday, up under the A/C shelf in the back. I tapped into the one above the table for power.

Setting up my fish tape:

Feeding through the hole:

I got lucky and the feed just popped right out the other side:

Drilled a couple of holes to feed the wires through and mounted the LED bar:

It works! The cool thing about putting it here is that it can be a reading light, a light for working on the motor, and with it rotated out, it lights up the open hatch area.

(I gotta do something about that trippy melted trim...)

ETA: I was concerned about the light blocking my view from the rearview mirror, but the angle is such that I don't see it back there.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[Tsavelle]

Here are some images of my execution on this subject. Just a snippet here, I have more images posted in my gallery.

I must thank climberjohn for starting this thread and getting the inspiration rolling, timwhy for the tip about running wire behind the shelf without actually removing the shelf, and to heliodon for the inspiration to use angle-stock for the valance. There are too many others to thank for the suggested materials and online sources, and for contributing to collective development and vetting of this idea.

My goals from the onset were to:

1. Modernize the lighting plan with modern materials
2. Decrease the glare from the factory fixture
3. Create a dimmable solution that would allow brightness for tasks, or gentle ambient light for relaxing
4. Improve task lighting over the galley
5. Eliminate exposed and dangling wires from PO’s lighting solution above the rear seat

I had a single design directive: the fixture needed to be invisible. To an untrained eye, I wanted the aesthetic that it “came from the factory like that”.

Based on previous posts I concluded I wanted two LED strips to accomplish my task lighting goals, and I would use angle stock to create the fixture. I ran the angle the entire length of the shelf to make it as un-obtrusive as possible. I used 1”x1”x.125” angle stock and painted it to match the existing interior colors. In the end, I find it as invisible as is possible. I also got super OCD and painted the screw heads I used for mounting. Even though they are not outward facing, I feel this is a more completely “finished” solution. (Thanks to Houstonphotog for that tip from his blog.)

I obsessed over switch options. I wanted everything in a central location that was easily reached from both a seated and a standing position. I also wanted a round rocker switch. I reasoned that the aesthetic of a round switch would please the sensitivities of a German designer (see: “came from the factory like that”). I struggled to find a rocker switch that was not 7/8” in diameter. While I am not yet sold on the red, the form-factor of what I ultimately sourced is perfect. I wanted a low-profile solution, and the full size rocker would have required much larger angle dimensions to accommodate the switch. This mini-switch required a smaller through-hole, easily accommodated by my 1” aluminum stock.

I also wanted a dimmer knob in a permanent mount, as opposed to an in-line dimmer like many have used. I found a PWM dimmer with remote rheostat; as above, this choice allowed me to us a slimmer profile angle stock. The rheostat is mounted forward-facing through the valance. The circuit board I mounted to the shelf close by, offset with some plastic washers to create clearance.

I wanted to completely eliminate parasitic draw, hence the dimmer and the rocker in tandem. I discovered that most (all?) dimmers retain some current draw even when in “off” position. For long-term storage, I wanted zero draw so I added the switch.

A corollary benefit to this project: I was able to hide the wiring for the existing lighting over the rear seat by fishing it into the space behind the shelf, and to power I had already run to the closet. Again – thanks to timwhy for this tip. The dangling wires from PO were inelegant, at best.

Parts:

Angle stock came from onlinemetals.com. They were easy to work with, and have an amazing selection of raw material. I fortunately live near one of their will-call locations, but they do ship. I discovered that Rustoleum has a basic brown that nearly matches the interior. The difference is almost indiscernible.

LED tape came from superbrightleds.com. I opted for warm-white. Their customer service team was responsive and helpful when I posed questions to them. I used two 20” self-adhesive strips, and trimmed 3” off of each side. I don’t think I needed it, and plan to use the off-cuts in another project at a later date. Maybe the glove box, or something around the center console.

Dimmer switch w/ wired remote came from Pilotlights.net. They were also very responsive and helpful when I posed questions to them.

The mini-rocker switch came from Vetco Electronics; vetco.net online. If you happen to live in the Seattle metro area – you owe yourself a visit (Bellevue). It is a wonderland of parts and oddities. The staff is extra helpful and very knowledgeable. I think one could spend hours in there wondering and wandering the isles.

Vetco was also the source of the braided expanding wire management sleeve I used to keep my bundle neat. I will never go back to the corrugated plastic management option. This expansion sleeve requires a little up-front planning, but the result is much more professional and tidy; it is also lower bulk.

Once again – thank you to the myriad of folks that have contributed to this thread. I’ve read and re-read every post and they were all informative to me in formulating my plan.

_________________
"Even an asshole can enrich your life." K. Liebetanz

86 Westy

[newfisher]

Tosed up some multi color remote controlled strips on each side of the ac tube. Tons of light, dimmable and gets your party on

[Xevin]

^^^DUDE! Are those new? Never noticed them before. You and your light show keeps getting better and better. You need to put some of those fancy lights in your roof top box and along the canopy rail that pulsate to the music
(He does)
_________________
Keep on Busin'

[Team WorldTour]

Here are some pictures of my LED set-up:

_________________
1990 Feldjäger Syncro AAZ
Click to view image
H6 Subaru Engine Swap Thread
WV2ZZZ25ZFH094138(x)/ WV2YB0257LH057308(x)/ WV2ZZZ25ZLG113270/
"Where am I going? And what am I doing in this handbasket?" -Nicodemus Jordan
When All Else Fails: Lather, Rinse, Repeat!

[newfisher]

[professorplumb]

newfisher, those look spiffy! Where did you tap into for power?

Also, where did you get the cargo net in front of the evaporator compartment? That is a very helpful storage solution.

[newfisher]

I ordered the cargo net from Amazon. I can not remember the size, just measured the area I wanted and ordered the net just undersized so it would be taught when hung.

The power wire runs down the left D pillar into my Blue Seas fuse panel. The remote eye sticks out of the top of the finish panel on the same D pilar

[captainkarl]

[[email protected]]

[Timwhy]

[ThankYouJerry]

Great upgrade! Great Samba vendor! Highly recommended!

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1695181

Here is an easy place to tie the positive wire into power (besides the recommended cig lighter):

The negative wire is tied into the door switch wire directly above the + wire in my photo (per the directions sent with the kit).

Thank you Adrian (supdude)!!!
_________________
1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD

[SteveVanB]

Not sure if this is the proper thread, but I was at the local junk yard a while back and found some LED's in a Ford Focus. Come to find out they were multi color ones. I believe they had 3 leads and a multitude of colors. Hooking up certain wires produced different colors....pretty spiffy
_________________
91 CARAT