dadrett Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) Looking for inexpensive cup holder illumination? Assuming U’ve already got wire, quick taps, bullet connectors & shrink tubing, U can put this together for less than $5 & have parts left over. I used a blue 3mm, 4V, 30mA, LED (NTE #30036 – 1 pk), 330 ohm, ¼ watt resistor (NTE #QW133 – 4 pk) & 3mm LED snap-in lamp holder (Philmore #11-400 – 5 bk.) Move shifter to Neutral, open console compartment lid & remove silver console cover by lifting at rear. Loosen 4 shifter bolts, lift & lean to right for access. U’ll tap into PRNDL lamp wires. Black is neg. Blue is pos. On LED bulb, longer lead is pos. & U solder resistor (using alligator clips as heat sinks) to this lead. Use enough wire to reach LED while silver console cover is raised to go over shift lever. Using a tap handle (so I wouldn’t crack plastic) to hold bits, I “drilled” hole in steps to 3/16”. Press lamp holder into hole. Push LED into holder from behind. Connect wires, replace console cover, turn on parking lights & enjoy the glow. While U’r in there, U can tap into power point for a console compartment light. See next post. Edited October 24, 2009 by dadrett 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadrett Posted October 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) Lex Telionis did this in Jan 2009. U can read his post at “Accessories and Modifications>DIY center console / glove box LED lighting mod, something that should have been stock.” His was a little more expensive & he placed his light & push button at rear of compartment because he used power from rear seat power point. When I did cup holder illumination, it occurred to me that this could easily be done at front end of compartment. I used Blazer utility light #B461 from Kragen Auto Parts (now O’Reilly Auto Parts) & Gardner Bender SPST, normally closed (or ON), push button switch #GSW-23 from Orchard Supply Hardware (they’re owned by Sears & are in California,) but a Google search will get U results. At first glance light seemed too large, but it does offer options. Light comes with 194 incandescent wedge bulb that can be replaced with 194 LED bulb. I happened to have a spare red which is nice at night. U can pretend U’r a fighter pilot. Frosted lens can be removed for brighter light & with lens removed U can replace 194 LED bulb. U have to remove light (easy to do from inside compartment w/o disturbing anything else) to change 194 incandescent. Most time consuming was positioning of switch, which, because of size, required relieving of a strengthening “rib,” but switch went into position with no need for height adjustment. Edited February 1, 2010 by dadrett 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pxb006 Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Great work! Thanks for sharing. Been thinking about giving the cup holder illumination a try myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyedwardsmith Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Excellent - I really appreciate you taking the time to share these. I will attempt these mods. Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Talionis Posted October 19, 2009 Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 well done.. I like. At the time I did not know the power/ground connections were available right under the shifter and I did know I could tap into them clean and easy at the rear of the console - that is why I went that route. Either way, both produce results. Given the size of the light you put in, it puts out significant more light. are you going to do the glove box... seems a natural next step Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadrett Posted October 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) well done.. I like. Are you going to do the glove box... seems a natural next step Hey Lex, The only things in glove box are OM, plastic envelope with registration & insurance papers & "gas book." What's a "gas book" you ask? We gentleman of a certain age used to deduct cigarette, liquor & gas taxes (& maybe others I don't remember - I said I was of a certain age) on our Federal income tax returns. Of course the Fed, doing what it does best, eliminated all that & more. :yup: IIRC, U could take an allowance based on U'r income OR take actual expense if U could prove that it was higher. U who've read some of my other posts know I'm blessed (or burdened) with OCD so U KNOW I kept track of the gas. In back of book was record of warranty work, repairs, service, etc. Well (again OCD) I've had a "gas book" in every vehicle I've owned since 1961 (did I mention I was of a certain age? ) Lex (nor anyone else) will probably never ask me a question again. BTW, the short answer to Lex's question is no. :beerchug: Edited October 21, 2009 by dadrett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadrett Posted October 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) Had a PM from a member wanting to know where I got parts for cup holder illumination. He was having trouble finding all parts in one place. I think others might benefit from my reply to him: Hi ........., I happen to be lucky enough to have a little "hole-in-wall" electronics shop near me that seems to have just the stuff I need from time to time. :yup: If U'd be happy with red, green or amber, I've got an alternative suggestion. Radio Shack has LED lights that have resistor built in. U'r limited for colors but good news is no soldering fine wires. IIRC, it mounts into a 1/4" hole. Use part #276-272 to look at amber. Regards, Dave R :beerchug: Edited October 21, 2009 by dadrett 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN_Yank Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 GREAT Job, Dadrett.... Thanks for posting and pix. A couple questions: In the cup holder lighting mod, I assume the resister is needed in order to reduce 12 volts to 4 volts? And did you have to be careful to place the resister where heat isn't an issue? I'm wondering how much illumination you get in the cup holders? I'm hoping the answer is "minimal". I want to do a similar mod but I don't want a bright glare on a dark night; just barely enough light to locate the cup holder as I return my coffee cup to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadrett Posted October 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) In the cup holder lighting mod, I assume the resister is needed in order to reduce 12 volts to 4 volts? And did you have to be careful to place the resister where heat isn't an issue? I'm wondering how much illumination you get in the cup holders? I'm hoping the answer is "minimal". I want to do a similar mod but I don't want a bright glare on a dark night; just barely enough light to locate the cup holder as I return my coffee cup to it. Hi Yank, Yes, resistor is necessary to drop voltage. I think heat insignificant in area under console cover. LEDs, by design, are pretty intense. My blue, while fairly bright, is not distracting. U could use a Radio Shack unit as described in post #7 above if any of those colors works for U. They have a nice soft glow. Home brew cigarette lighter cup holder light for '05 F-150 using Radio Shack amber. I used parts similar to these: Wal-Mart has better cigarette lighter plug with wires already attached. IIRC, about $2.00. Edited November 24, 2009 by dadrett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pxb006 Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 (edited) I followed dadrett's instructions and installed LED in the cupholder today. Had a little trouble getting the shifter bolted back in, but once I got past that, it went pretty smoothly. Really happy with this mod. Thanks for the guidance! Edited November 9, 2009 by pxb006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattmilw Posted March 27, 2010 Report Share Posted March 27, 2010 I just completed this mod as well. Thanks to dadrett for the well documented instructions. A very straight forward project. I did not have to mess with the shifter- the blue wire was easily accessed once the console cover came off. I used the ground from the power point. I was concerned with the amount of light this would give off. I contacted a supply house and said I was looking for minimal light, and they recommended a NTE3183, which is what I used. I'm pleased with it. On a side note, I rewired my console compartment light mod off of the blue wire as well. The tolerance of the switch and the compartment door is not generous, and I've always wondered if the light was really off with the door down, and possibly running my battery down. Now, it'll only come on when the headlights are on and thus, when the engine is running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CenterShock Posted April 12, 2010 Report Share Posted April 12, 2010 Inspired by this thread I tore apart my Edge that I have had for under 2 weeks!! LOL I went to RadioShack and snagged some green LEDs that have a built in resistor. 3 lights total. $1.99 each. To be safe I got a few other supplies such as wire and connectors and went to work. I placed one LED in the tray where the power source is. Another one went in the cup holder and the last one went in the storage compartment. I had a switch laying around so I put it on the one in the storage compartment so it can only be on with the switch AND if the lights are on. That way even if I leave the light on it is only on with the lights. Here are some pics of the supplies I used and the installed lights. I took some in the dark but you do not see much. They light enough to illuminate the areas that they are intended and no more. I did grab a 4th LED which I may add to the storage compartment but I can see chargers, i-pod, etc. just well with the one LED. Thanks for all that posted pics and instructions here. They were most helpful! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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