Hey guys i just got a 2008 mini cooper for my birthday from my grandpa(biggest surprise ive ever had) who got it back in 08 brand new. But im looking to add some Blue interior leds, to match the mood lights already around the car, to light up the floorboard of my car on the drivers side and passenger side and probably in the back seat floorboard as well. My big question is whats the best way to wire them into the car? i would really like for them to turn on when ever i turn on my headlights and parking lights. So if anyone can help me figure this out thatd be awesome! thanks guys!

 

There really isn't a good power tap in the car for when the lights are on. The easiest and safest way to wire the LEDs is to power them with the cigarette lighter power. But they will always be on when the car is running unless you use a switch.

The problem with the parking light/lights is that all of the lighting is independently computer controlled and expects certain bulbs on each circuit.

 

I just got this kit from fastmini.net

http://www.fastmini.net/ledinli.html

Plug-in LED direct replacement bulbs. Obviously they just change the color of your interior lights and not stay on like you want them to, but it's a start to at least having the bulbs be a nicer color than the stock incandescent bulbs.

The other thing is having all the interior lights stay on while you drive at night is super distracting. You could also get pulled over for it.

 

I had interior LED's, orange wired up to a seperate rocker switch. Add-a-fuse ran off of the cigarette lighter fuse.

I purchased some LED strips, wire, and a rocker switch (with LED Light) from onzium.com - i highly recommend them, my switch failed and a replacement was in the mail super quick! I put one strip in each footwell and one surface mount LED by the cup holders.

Basically just run positive power off the add a fuse, find a good negative grounding point, and hide the wires. 3M tape to stick the LED's (which oznium sends with the strips). I enjoyed the project...

Let me see if I can find the thread I used for my ideas...

 

I have blue neons in my car now with a switch, and I had LED's in my other car, they came with a switch as well, I had those from eBay. Setting up a switch isn't hard, and mine is wired to the cigarette lighter as well. You can buy something called "fuse taps"? (I don't remember the name) which lets you tap power from a fuse, but the thing that you're using to tap the power will have its own separate fuse.

found it...http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/ja...FcqP7QodlVIAxQ

 

Thanks guys i kinda ended up taking from all of your suggestions and ended up using an add a fuse a switch and two blue led strips. all together i think it cost me about 30 dollars. I was able to find the LED's from walmart surprisingly in the auto section and i have to say they look great. they arent to distracting at night because theyre blue and there are not any laws against interior LED's that i know of in texas so i dont believe ill ever get pulled over for them.

 

Looks good!