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CyberCharlie

Member Since: 01 Jul 2010
Location: Reading
Posts: 140

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Java Black

Another electrical question

I'm planning to install some foot well LEDs connected to the courtesy light on the roof lining. My question is: would it be ok if I take down a couple of wires from the existing light? and if so, shall I run them down in the same spot where the alarm antenna is (I have done the alarm cable extension trick) or there is a better place already in the dash that I can connect to?

Thanks guys, ciao

8th Jun 2014 11:59am

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20546

I did mine from the light fixture, down the A pillar as you mention.
Be sure that no wires get trapped anywhere as I had that issue.
Fit a 1A in-line fuse too in case this happens, if it blows you preserve the standard system.
https://www.defender2.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1183
If you want everything to mimic the light system and switching you cannot take a direct tap off of the lighting wires.
It has to be after the switch so the interior light bulb contacts.
Ideally the interior light should be LED too to keep the draw down.
Any other questions let me know!

8th Jun 2014 12:22pm

CyberCharlie

Member Since: 01 Jul 2010
Location: Reading
Posts: 140

Thanks Steve. Yes the internal lights are LED already. I will do as you said. cheers.

8th Jun 2014 12:29pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20546

I split mine x3 each side which made it fairly complicated which included door handle recess LED's foot wells and bulkhead in my case.
For your purposes you just want to go from earth and live at the light and split it in two for each footwell so you have two pairs of earth and live.
I wouldn't recommend just earthing anywhere take all connections from the light fixture so there are no possible future issues with the AS10 system.
This includes both earth and live, this way it mimics factory in every way with no issues with the circuit getting a connection it possibly shouldn't.
Parallel circuits only too not series or that comes with issues, I found this out myself.
You might find that the dimming of the lighting system with a low current load might be more of and on and off affair or much more abrupt compared to standard, but that is more even the more load there is.
Anyway - I've had mine fitted for well over a year and not a single smallest issue at all.

8th Jun 2014 1:14pm

CyberCharlie

Member Since: 01 Jul 2010
Location: Reading
Posts: 140

Yeah, the plan now is soldering 2 contacts for line and earth to the back of the light fixture. then drive a couple of wires down the a pillar to the driver's footwell and there have a line of sticky LEDs (which will be in parallel with the light in the roof. Then I still have to decide if I drive 2 more wires from this LED strip through the center console and out to the passenger's footwell (which will be in series with the first strip and of course in parallel with the ceiling light). It should work, the strips I am using come in a 5-mt strip so putting them in series should be ok. If I don't get electrocuted it means I did a good job

8th Jun 2014 4:20pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20546

If you split them near the light you could run a live and earth down each side to exactly where you want.

I did this:

Click image to enlarge
But the adhesive backing didn't work very well and I used Sellotape across it in a strip, and you'd never know it's there done the trick too.
In fact the footwells are brighter than the rest.
I used pre ins spade connectors but Superseals or econoseal a do the same job too.
Doesn't really matter.

8th Jun 2014 4:32pm

achuakh

Member Since: 12 Apr 2012
Location: Singapore
Posts: 158

well, if you only have the front courtesy light, you can take a parallel directly off from the 2 tab that holds the bulb. so solder one wire to each in parallel to the bulb and pull them to where you want it.

this reduces the possiblity of trying to find where the approperte grounding and messing with the ground of the 10AS.

I'v had this mod on my defender for a good many years, parellel to 2 LED lights in the rear. those were 5W halogen bulbs initially. so i'm sure the 10AS will confidently switch 10W. From the land of the most expensive land rover defenders on planet earth. At �125k for a XS 110 csw and you get to own it only for 10yrs! Please find me a good reason to stay on this island.

9th Jun 2014 8:55am

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