I put some led light strip in there. Much better! Easy to do by running underneath that rubber and into the center console USB port for power.
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I put some led light strip in there. Much better! Easy to do by running underneath that rubber and into the center console USB port for power.
carteriii
Member
I bought a little USB light on a gooseneck and simply plug it into the USB port when I want it. It's definitely not as convenient as being there & on all the time, but I don't want to leave the gooseneck up and risk catching it on something which in turn stresses the USB port itself. Anyway, for less than $10 on Amazon and zero installation time, I like it.
Nice!
This was pretty easy, actually. I ran the USB along the same channel that the built-in phone dock cable uses.
It's super easy to pull up on that and expose the channel and center hole. You can pass the light strip through that hole down into the console and clip the cable into the built-in clips.
Then I pulled up the rubber "floor" in the console and simply put the cable under it.
Next I used double-sided tape to stick the lightstrip onto the bar that goes across the console at the front just under where the sliding cover rests when it is open.
It's probably 5 minutes work. The hard part is finding a decent lightstrip. I used this one:
Amazon.com: Led Strip Light, AQV USB Decorative Lamp Strip Lights Side Emitting Flexible White SMD 5050 3.28 Ft (1M) 60 leds 12v bias Rope Lighting, Waterproof Adhesive Tape Lights Kit for TV/PC/Laptop Background: Health & Personal Care
For $7, but the color was too blue for my tastes, so I took some extra effort to tint it using orange photography gels so it matches the car better. I would love to find a lightstrip that has the right color to begin with.
This was pretty easy, actually. I ran the USB along the same channel that the built-in phone dock cable uses.
It's super easy to pull up on that and expose the channel and center hole. You can pass the light strip through that hole down into the console and clip the cable into the built-in clips.
Then I pulled up the rubber "floor" in the console and simply put the cable under it.
Next I used double-sided tape to stick the lightstrip onto the bar that goes across the console at the front just under where the sliding cover rests when it is open.
It's probably 5 minutes work. The hard part is finding a decent lightstrip. I used this one:
Amazon.com: Led Strip Light, AQV USB Decorative Lamp Strip Lights Side Emitting Flexible White SMD 5050 3.28 Ft (1M) 60 leds 12v bias Rope Lighting, Waterproof Adhesive Tape Lights Kit for TV/PC/Laptop Background: Health & Personal Care
For $7, but the color was too blue for my tastes, so I took some extra effort to tint it using orange photography gels so it matches the car better. I would love to find a lightstrip that has the right color to begin with.
Spyder14
Member
Very nice idea! I just ordered a multi-colored LED light strip & will show some pix after I install it. I think Red might be a good nighttime color but we'll see...
Also I taped over 70% of the led to darken it so it's a soft glow at night and not noticeable during bright daylight.
Thanks for the idea ! I too was wondering about soft lighting in that area, specifically for me I find it hard to see the IPhone docking connection in the dark.
Thanks for your info !
The link to Amazon doesn't seem to work anymore, but this is something I've been exploring with my lighting manufacturer. The biggest challenge is that 'brighter=better' when it comes to LED lighting, but for something like this, subtle and a better color is far more important.
Agree. I clobbered it together using orange photography gels to warm up the led hue and covered maybe 3/4 of the strip's face so it only puts out a fraction of the light.
There's a good opportunity for someone with manufacturing connections to build a drop-in kit for this. I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Desired:
1. 90 degree usb plug just like the iPhone dock plug the car comes with. This will make it a tiny bit more tidy.
2. White hue to match PUP accent lighting (like on the front doors on X)
3. Perfect cable lead length to go under rubber console floor, out front, and up to the cross support under the sliding top and then nice diffuse soft glow LEDs to stick onto the face of the cross.
4. Nice to have - a small gentle white led on the usb connector itself, aimed forward to light the phone dock area a bit. This would light the cupholders and the phone dock and would be ideal!
There's a good opportunity for someone with manufacturing connections to build a drop-in kit for this. I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Desired:
1. 90 degree usb plug just like the iPhone dock plug the car comes with. This will make it a tiny bit more tidy.
2. White hue to match PUP accent lighting (like on the front doors on X)
3. Perfect cable lead length to go under rubber console floor, out front, and up to the cross support under the sliding top and then nice diffuse soft glow LEDs to stick onto the face of the cross.
4. Nice to have - a small gentle white led on the usb connector itself, aimed forward to light the phone dock area a bit. This would light the cupholders and the phone dock and would be ideal!
Spyder14
Member
I ran a USB extension under the deck under the push-push door and added an LED strip into the console under the drink holders. The LED I bought from Amazon has so many variations of lights that I just set it to solid white, dimmed it a bit and pulled off the backing and stuck it to the bottom of the console on the yacht floor.
gabeincal
Active Member
I'm hoping these are in-progress pictures and you don't plan to leave like that...?
Hey.. I'm trying something similar... but I want to hard wire it to the 12v plug connection so I don't use up a USB or the 12v power point.
Anyone know how to get into the back of the 12v power point?
Thanks..
-m
Anyone know how to get into the back of the 12v power point?
Thanks..
-m
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