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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20299

United Kingdom 
Wiring in LEDs to interior lights [It's finished!]
I want to wire in two pairs of LED's into my door handle recess's (2x each door) and be controlled via the interior light circuit. As I have LED interior light bulbs I will not be overloading the circuit and the on off and dimming feature are useful.
Each LED uses a positive and negative so two per door = 2x lives & 2x negatives. This obviously means to wire in I have two options to wire in parallel or in series.
I've done a quick test tonight and found a strange problem which I cannot work out but maybe you can?
Wired both series and parallel work fine turning the interior light on and off however when on the dimming setting in the centre when the interior lights go off or on under door opening or locking this becomes the issue...

Wired in series the LED's turn completely off along with the interior light. (As expected)
Wired in parallel the LED's dim along with the interior light but do not completely go off they seem to glow as if they are powered by very low voltage and they do not turn off at all. (not ideal as will cause battery drain all be it slow) But the interior light does go completely off.
I am aware IIRC that the interior lighting is ECU controlled. But beyond that I have no more inclination.
Or is this because the load of the LED's are very low?
Anyone know why this may be?
Just curious and look forward to comments.
Thumbs Up ⭐️⭐️God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⭐️⭐️


Last edited by custom90 on 10th Jun 2013 9:48am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #229995 23rd Apr 2013 7:52pm
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K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Hi Steve,

Without knowing the intracacies of the ECU one could possibly theorise all day what the issue may be. In series the resistance values of the diodes will be greater than in parallel.
One would 'assume' that there is a capacitor in the system that discharges when the doors are closed putting the lights off when the juice runs out. In series the resistance being greater drains the juice much quicker. In parallel if you wait long enough I'd wager the LEDs will eventually go out perhaps.
As you're not too worried about it I have not looked at the diagrams and my theory is based on assumption only. If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #230000 23rd Apr 2013 8:01pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20299

United Kingdom 
Sounds about right to me Mal. The obvious answer to me seems to be to simply wire in series and that works fine. But parallel does appear slightly brighter but both are bright enough for my purpose. I shall see if I can get a few photo's up to show you in a bit. ⭐️⭐️God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⭐️⭐️
Post #230002 23rd Apr 2013 8:04pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20299

United Kingdom 
Photo's now up HERE
I'm sure you can tell exactly what I've done there. Some of the photo's are just part of the cable run I am making up. The LED's them selves there are 4x two for each door. Every LED has it's own positive + and Negative - to it. To wire in series I was going to put a small link in between one negative and one positive per pair. Leaving one negative and one positive per pair to connect to the wiring I have already made. (I'm sure you'll understand what I've done when you see there photo's)

Thumbs Up

P.S. The connections to the light fixture are soldered and just taped over. Not taped on before you ask. Whistle Laughing ⭐️⭐️God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⭐️⭐️
Post #230023 23rd Apr 2013 8:37pm
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rustyboxx



Member Since: 08 Oct 2012
Location: Poole
Posts: 548

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Montalcino Red
Wiring mine up to the interior light baked my noodle too. I figured out in the end that it was easier just to wire the LEDs to the instrument lights as wiring them up to the interior light kinda defeated the object. Now the door handles are illuminated at night without either switching the interior light on or having to fumble for the door catch in the dark only for them to come on after the door was opened. Gives some nice mood lighting to the cabin too Cool

Hope you get it sussed and gets some pics up. Would be interested to see how you've arranged two LEDs in the recesses Thumbs Up 2015 90 XS CSW TDCi - Beautiful
2007 110 XS DCPU - An itch that needed scratching
2005 90 Td5 XS CSW - Utterly brilliant
2001 Discovery 2 ES Auto - A phase I went through
1996 90 Tdi CSW - Uber reliable
1989 90 2.5 Petrol Hardtop - My first proper Landy
1985 Range Rover Vogue V8 -Troublesome
Post #230036 23rd Apr 2013 9:08pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20299

United Kingdom 
rustyboxx wrote:
Wiring mine up to the interior light baked my noodle too

Your not the only one. Testing everything and taking your time is the answer. Wink
rustyboxx wrote:
I figured out in the end that it was easier just to wire the LEDs to the instrument lights as wiring them up to the interior light kinda defeated the object.

I know where your coming from but for my use the interior lighting set up suits better. I want it to be dark and only regular OE lighting when driving. I also have a couple of other ideas lined up too in the pipeline of which hopefully all being well all the lighting will all be in sync then without having to turn various items on or off. Very Happy
rustyboxx wrote:
Hope you get it sussed and gets some pics up. Would be interested to see how you've arranged two LEDs in the recesses Thumbs Up

I assumed that was how many you mounted too Question Question (I'm guessing then you mounted one in each door recess and two in the rear door?) I was going to put some in the rear door card too but that is another project and I'm not sure if I will or not yet.
Thumbs Up ⭐️⭐️God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⭐️⭐️
Post #230047 23rd Apr 2013 9:36pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

United Kingdom 
If you connect these LEDs to the interior lights, doesn't that mean they'll only come on after you've found the handle in the dark and then opened the door? Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #230077 24th Apr 2013 5:16am
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20299

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It does indeed but as I previously mentioned it suits the purpose I am intending them for. You can wire them in however you want it's up to the owner. Like I said I don't want them on constantly whilst driving if I can help it.
Smile
Another reason is I might be adding some extra's into the same circuit so it will all be in sync and again don't want it on whilst driving. Yes you can add a switch but then that invalidates the point if you are talking about the door handles in the dark if you have to flick switches just to turn it on. You can do that with the interior light anyway.

On a different note Prism IIRC do red and blue LED's but there is also white on E-bay all be it not branded items. Quite cheep too. ⭐️⭐️God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⭐️⭐️
Post #230118 24th Apr 2013 9:04am
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

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I guess that begs the question then, what is the purpose you're intending them for?

More modern cars tend to turn on the interior lights when the ignition is turned off, which will be managed by some type of ECU. A similar effect could be achieved with a time delay relay, which would help with finding handles in the dark? Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #230123 24th Apr 2013 9:22am
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20299

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I know what your saying but also bear in mind that the lighting comes on when un-locked also. I myself personally am not looking to illuminate the handles for the purpose of seeing them to open as I know where they are anyway. Laughing
And yes your right but you can't expect LR to be that up to date can we. Laughing ⭐️⭐️God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⭐️⭐️
Post #230146 24th Apr 2013 12:10pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
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So go on then, why do you want to illuminate the handles Question Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #230156 24th Apr 2013 1:42pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20299

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Why do I not want to illuminate the handles Question Because there isn't a colour match between the dash lighting in green and red. The two don't look right (and I don't want them illuminated constantly). If I wanted to wire in as rustyboxx did ... I.e. on whilst driving (sidelight triggered) and to see the handles and so on I'd go for green a colour match.. But that isn't off the shelf unless you make your own and I don't want to go that route. ⭐️⭐️God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⭐️⭐️
Post #230165 24th Apr 2013 2:39pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
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No, why do you want to illuminate them? If they're only ever going to work when the door is open, or in the brief moment before you open the door when unlocking, what's the purpose? Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #230184 24th Apr 2013 3:50pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20299

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There is no purpose.... Thud
Any more questions?....... ⭐️⭐️God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⭐️⭐️
Post #230188 24th Apr 2013 4:04pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
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United Kingdom 
Not now Laughing Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #230225 24th Apr 2013 5:54pm
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