Hey i was wondering if anyone has any idea how to put LED's in the heat/ac vents on a cavalier. I have some of the stuff to do this but im not entirely sure how to wire it in and could it be possible to make them turn on when you open your door along with the dome light. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
you will have to rip the dash apart to put the LEDs in the vents and for them to come on when you open the door you'll have to wire them to the dome light
i just put leds in my vents 2 weeks ago its so easy take the top dash pad off. drill holes (i had 5mm leds). if u have the same leds as me make sure you drill the holes small at first and then pressure fit the leds it. Then wire all the leds up. ground them where ever u can i grounded them to the cig lighter's ground. Then take the power to a switch and then from the switch to the power of the cig lighter. took me about 30 mins to do all that. I used 2 leds per vent and they are BRIGHT, i also put 1 in each of the 2 little vents but if u put them in there make sure u aim them right.
+1, except I tapped off a parking light wire, to a switch, then to the LED's. 3 per since I was using a lower MCD (3k red)
I had varad LEDs, 4 total, one in each of the main vents. As stated above rip the dash apart and get in there...however I added another step to my process. I sprayed the insides of the vent tubes with a chrome paint to ensure a good glow. It was extremely bright and I was quite happy with only 4 leds with the chromed tubes. Run power from any 12 volt source, like the cig fuse and switch as needed.
Memeber since '99
cardomain New England Tunerz
Code Zero wrote:I had varad LEDs, 4 total, one in each of the main vents. As stated above rip the dash apart and get in there...however I added another step to my process. I sprayed the insides of the vent tubes with a chrome paint to ensure a good glow. It was extremely bright and I was quite happy with only 4 leds with the chromed tubes. Run power from any 12 volt source, like the cig fuse and switch as needed.
Can you post a pic or link, I'm really interested in seeing how this would look as apposed to just putting the led in. Do the vents give a chrome look or did you just spray the area around the l.e.d.
Sadly blue...I don't have any photos anymore...it was a while ago when it was done (like late 99, early 00)... The vents were pretty silver/chromed (not exactly chrome, but still very reflective, like a very shiney silver) in there, and it reflected the light MUCH better after painting it than before when it was just the LEDs.
Memeber since '99
cardomain New England Tunerz
I'm not exactly sure - but I'd be willing to bet the fuse that powers the dome light only has juice when the dome light is on. Maybe a simple wire from your fusebox, to your leds, would work?
I'm not exactly sure, though. I did take a voltmeter to every fuse - and it's only like 5 that do NOT have power when your car is off (Well, for 3rd gens, my car is an 04) - most of them have power no matter if doors are open, closed, key is in, or not in the ignition. The 2nd gens aren't like that, because my cousins fuses mainly have no power without the key in the ignition+in the starter position.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2508821
I have them in all of my vents, just haven't wired 'em up yet. I have a switch I just need the time to figure out how to wire it. It's a 3 prong rocker switch. Also dunno where I'm gonna mount the switch either tho lol
Hey thx on all your input and thx to rich grayo jr for that calculator im goin to try and do this soon
I've got my vent LEDs powered direct off the battery, and grounded to a bolt I found under the steering wheel column.
Are you guys happy with the result? I have been thinking of doing this for quite some time now, I may end up going for it. Anyone have any pictures?
I bet the dust in your vents looks good glowing. lol
...
not sure how much dust builds up in an area with pretty constant high volume air flow...
Memeber since '99
cardomain New England Tunerz
Hey i finally got this done they look pretty cool What do you think?
Ahh can't get the pictures to work sorry im not too sure how to do this
I used to have blue ones in my vents, and one by one they all started flickering out and then dying? I think the heat got to them?? Strange.
I did this to mine about 2 years and a few months ago. I really want to take them out now though, they don't look that great and get attention from the police where I live.
i have led's in my vents. check out my cardomain site to see them. it wasn't too hard to put them in
