Additional interior LED lights
06-22-2013 | 07:31 PM
#1
Thread Starter
JK Freak
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 553
Likes: 20
From: Moss Beach, CA
Additional interior LED lights
I did the LED dome (front and rear) replacement, and while an improvement, the front dome light points down and doesn't really throw the light where you need it.
Superbright makes a "bolt" LED light that has a spherical lens that disperses the light 120 degrees, and throws 25 lumens. A picture of the bolt light is below; they're $5 each.
I installed two of these lights in the angled area of the sound bar that faces forward; spacing them so that they would cast light over the driver's and passenger's shoulder. I drilled 3/8" holes and then used a rat tail file to get to just the right size (about 7/16"). I wired them into the dome light circuitry, both left and right, and they come on when the door is opened and fade out when the dome light goes out. The left light also comes on when you hit the left dome light button and the same for the right side. It's a big improvement because it puts the light where you need it; I can now read a map or even find items I've dropped in the footwell.
Since I usually sleep in the back of the JKUR when I'm camping, I also wanted a light that faced to the rear and that I could turn on or off without having to reach for the ignition key. I installed a single bolt light and a micro-toggle switch in the rear of the sound bar that is wired to constant power.
Because the electronics of these lights are well-sealed and because they disperse the light over a wide area, I'm considering also installing these in the wheel wells as rock lights. At $5 each, it's a low cost mod.
Superbright makes a "bolt" LED light that has a spherical lens that disperses the light 120 degrees, and throws 25 lumens. A picture of the bolt light is below; they're $5 each.
I installed two of these lights in the angled area of the sound bar that faces forward; spacing them so that they would cast light over the driver's and passenger's shoulder. I drilled 3/8" holes and then used a rat tail file to get to just the right size (about 7/16"). I wired them into the dome light circuitry, both left and right, and they come on when the door is opened and fade out when the dome light goes out. The left light also comes on when you hit the left dome light button and the same for the right side. It's a big improvement because it puts the light where you need it; I can now read a map or even find items I've dropped in the footwell.
Since I usually sleep in the back of the JKUR when I'm camping, I also wanted a light that faced to the rear and that I could turn on or off without having to reach for the ignition key. I installed a single bolt light and a micro-toggle switch in the rear of the sound bar that is wired to constant power.
Because the electronics of these lights are well-sealed and because they disperse the light over a wide area, I'm considering also installing these in the wheel wells as rock lights. At $5 each, it's a low cost mod.
Last edited by Grand Umpah; 06-23-2013 at 07:34 AM.
06-23-2013 | 02:32 PM
#6
JK Super Freak
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1,054
Likes: 0
From: Canada
I did the LED dome (front and rear) replacement, and while an improvement, the front dome light points down and doesn't really throw the light where you need it.
Superbright makes a "bolt" LED light that has a spherical lens that disperses the light 120 degrees, and throws 25 lumens. A picture of the bolt light is below; they're $5 each.
<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=470768"/>
I installed two of these lights in the angled area of the sound bar that faces forward; spacing them so that they would cast light over the driver's and passenger's shoulder. I drilled 3/8" holes and then used a rat tail file to get to just the right size (about 7/16"). I wired them into the dome light circuitry, both left and right, and they come on when the door is opened and fade out when the dome light goes out. The left light also comes on when you hit the left dome light button and the same for the right side. It's a big improvement because it puts the light where you need it; I can now read a map or even find items I've dropped in the footwell.
<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=470772"/>
Since I usually sleep in the back of the JKUR when I'm camping, I also wanted a light that faced to the rear and that I could turn on or off without having to reach for the ignition key. I installed a single bolt light and a micro-toggle switch in the rear of the sound bar that is wired to constant power.
<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=470773"/> <img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=470862"/>
Because the electronics of these lights are well-sealed and because they disperse the light over a wide area, I'm considering also installing these in the wheel wells as rock lights. At $5 each, it's a low cost mod.
Superbright makes a "bolt" LED light that has a spherical lens that disperses the light 120 degrees, and throws 25 lumens. A picture of the bolt light is below; they're $5 each.
<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=470768"/>
I installed two of these lights in the angled area of the sound bar that faces forward; spacing them so that they would cast light over the driver's and passenger's shoulder. I drilled 3/8" holes and then used a rat tail file to get to just the right size (about 7/16"). I wired them into the dome light circuitry, both left and right, and they come on when the door is opened and fade out when the dome light goes out. The left light also comes on when you hit the left dome light button and the same for the right side. It's a big improvement because it puts the light where you need it; I can now read a map or even find items I've dropped in the footwell.
<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=470772"/>
Since I usually sleep in the back of the JKUR when I'm camping, I also wanted a light that faced to the rear and that I could turn on or off without having to reach for the ignition key. I installed a single bolt light and a micro-toggle switch in the rear of the sound bar that is wired to constant power.
<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=470773"/> <img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=470862"/>
Because the electronics of these lights are well-sealed and because they disperse the light over a wide area, I'm considering also installing these in the wheel wells as rock lights. At $5 each, it's a low cost mod.
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06-23-2013 | 10:32 PM
#8
Thread Starter
JK Freak
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 553
Likes: 20
From: Moss Beach, CA
Short answer: it's tied in to the battery with a fuse in-line.
Longer answer: I set up an auxillary fuse box under the hood for all of my electrical accessories. https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-s...-panel-266459/
For the rear light, the constant power wire runs through the firewall hole on the drivers side, up the A pillar, along the roll bar and into the sound bar and to the switch and the light.
I took off the sound bar to drill the holes, run the wire and make the connections for the lights. It might be possible to do it without taking the sound bar down, but you'd have to be good at threading the needle to get the wires where they need to be.
I also did the polyfill around the soundbar speakers at the same time, so it made sense to just take it off and do it without any gymnastics and odd positions.
Having used them for a few days now, you could get away with a single light facing forward, but the 2 lights are pretty nice if you really want to see what's in the front compartment.
Longer answer: I set up an auxillary fuse box under the hood for all of my electrical accessories. https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/jk-s...-panel-266459/
For the rear light, the constant power wire runs through the firewall hole on the drivers side, up the A pillar, along the roll bar and into the sound bar and to the switch and the light.
I took off the sound bar to drill the holes, run the wire and make the connections for the lights. It might be possible to do it without taking the sound bar down, but you'd have to be good at threading the needle to get the wires where they need to be.
I also did the polyfill around the soundbar speakers at the same time, so it made sense to just take it off and do it without any gymnastics and odd positions.
Having used them for a few days now, you could get away with a single light facing forward, but the 2 lights are pretty nice if you really want to see what's in the front compartment.
Last edited by Grand Umpah; 06-23-2013 at 10:44 PM.
06-25-2013 | 06:43 PM
#9
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Turlock, Ca
I'm not sure how you all are getting around the CANBUS system. I installed bulbs in the dome lights and it killed my battery. At first it seemed OK until I let the jeep sit over the weekend in garage. Got in Monday morning and battery was dead. I took off the light covers and noticed all the LED bulbs were very dimly lit. It's as if the power was continuously on at a low voltage?? Either way, dead cell on battery for a 12' wrangler. $160 lesson (actually $180 with bulbs). Has anyone else had issues? These bulbs were purchased at the same place as OP.
06-25-2013 | 06:53 PM
#10
JK Junkie
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,873
Likes: 0
From: 36* N
How would installing lower usage bulbs into the factory dome lights kill your battery or have anything to do with CANBUS? You've got something else going on that we're not privy to.
The bulbs don't draw when they're not on and the system doesn't keep track of that- there's no code for a blub being different in your domes.
Sent from my DROID4
The bulbs don't draw when they're not on and the system doesn't keep track of that- there's no code for a blub being different in your domes.
Sent from my DROID4