Tapping into footwell lights for constant 12V - tripped fuse?

[kpeng]

I'm trying to hook up an EL wire to light up the trim around my center console, and was trying to tap into the power wires for the passenger side footwell light for power. As soon as it was hooked up, the footwell light stopped working and my EL Wire never lit up. Did I trip the car's fuse for the ambient lights? I know they can sometimes act weird and self-resets after a couple hours. I'm curious if once it resets, both the footwell and the EL Wire will start working...or if I cannot add that additional little bit of draw at all.

Anyone experience this?

 

[icetoev]

Are you running OEM footwell lights? If you’re using abstract ocean or upgraded LEDs, maybe it’s too much. The foot wells are very sensitive.

 

[Puddles]

I tripped a breaker once and found that letting the car sleep caused a reset. Teslafi helped with that quite nicely.

 

[kiNGng3]

I tripped the trunk LED when I T-tapped into it to connect a LED light bar across the trunk. It was reset the next day.

 

[kpeng]

Sure enough...after an hour, it reset.

 

[kpeng]

Problem now is I have to find another way to draw power for the EL Wiring that is a constant 12V that comes on and off with the interior lights.

 

[Jeremy.j.hall]

Found a way of taking footwell feed for switching the lights, and using 12v socket power.

Small electronic circuit involved but means control these lights via touchscreen, and on and off when car locks/unlocks.

Happy to share circuit if people interested

Can't take credit - My dad was the brains behind it all!!

J

 

[ochompsky]

Found a way of taking footwell feed for switching the lights, and using 12v socket power.

Small electronic circuit involved but means control these lights via touchscreen, and on and off when car locks/unlocks.

Happy to share circuit if people interested

Can't take credit - My dad was the brains behind it all!!

J

please do share

 

[kpeng]

Found a way of taking footwell feed for switching the lights, and using 12v socket power.

Small electronic circuit involved but means control these lights via touchscreen, and on and off when car locks/unlocks.

Happy to share circuit if people interested

Can't take credit - My dad was the brains behind it all!!

J

Please do!!! I was thinking about using a relay, but this may be better

 

[MarsOrBust]

Is there a way to manually reset a fuse?
Is there an approved accession section to tap third part devices to?

 

[Jeremy.j.hall]

Please do!!! I was thinking about using a relay, but this may be better

Relay was the first attempt... on its own worked when lights were bright, but not enough juice to keep it pulled in when the footwell lights dimmed. (in gear).
Next attempt involves diode, transistor, cap and relay. Need dad to pin down the finer details of what these colourful components are. He just turned up and helped me solder them together...

Will share as soon as able

 

[Jeremy.j.hall]

Hi All,

Follow on from my post earlier.

I Attach the circuit diagram for this ambient light sensing circuit. This takes a very small amount of power (Max 3mA) form the ambient light positive feed wire and uses it to switch a relay connected to a much bigger 12V supply (i.e. cigarette lighter)
Used in my Model 3 to switch Basenor RGB Led kit on and off with the ambient footwell lights.

Feel free to copy the circuit and use it.
I will put together & post kits of parts for anyone who is interested, and even build the board for you if you like (for a small fee!)

Linked

Disclaimer - If you build this and plug it onto your Tesla - it is at your own risk (obviously!).

Relay HFD23/012-1ZS
Diode 1N4143
Resistors standard 0.25w 1%
Cap 0.47uF Metal film
Transistor BC337-40

Happy tinkering!

 

[ochompsky]

just wanted to drop a message and say the relay posted above by jeremy works perfectly. it's a must have for anyone with these lights.

 

[asian_xl]

The e-fuse is sensitive, I added another 5w bulb to the trunk, so it lighted up both reverse light (European model has rear fog light), all the lights stopped working for a half a day. Even the 12v outlet cannot handle too much power, I won't even let me use the 12v power tire pump for 10 seconds.

I've seen people tap the power from the door map lights, seems fine with all the dash cams

 

[Jeremy.j.hall]

Morning everyone,
Adding to my original basenor light tube kit, I have now put rgb strips in the footwells.
There was (luckily) spare solder pads for 12v and rgb in the Basenor controller. I have connected to this, and the new footwells follow the same colour and pattern set for the light tubes.

YouTube

Happy to build and post relay switch board as posted in an earlier thread. Circuit for self build attached in an earlier post.

Happy tinkering
J

 

[bbush]

Hi All,

Follow on from my post earlier.

I Attach the circuit diagram for this ambient light sensing circuit. This takes a very small amount of power (Max 3mA) form the ambient light positive feed wire and uses it to switch a relay connected to a much bigger 12V supply (i.e. cigarette lighter)
Used in my Model 3 to switch Basenor RGB Led kit on and off with the ambient footwell lights.

Feel free to copy the circuit and use it.
I will put together & post kits of parts for anyone who is interested, and even build the board for you if you like (for a small fee!)

Linked

Disclaimer - If you build this and plug it onto your Tesla - it is at your own risk (obviously!).

Relay HFD23/012-1ZS
Diode 1N4143
Resistors standard 0.25w 1%
Cap 0.47uF Metal film
Transistor BC337-40

Happy tinkering!

Hey Jeremy,

I have a very similar circuit in my car (less the low-pass filter you have), and am trying to implement a filter myself. I had it all ready to go, only to realize that the lights are dimmed when the car is in drive (I assumed it was just providing the lights with the full voltage of the 12V battery). I do not have an oscilloscope to confirm, but I assume this is some sort of PWM signal going to the footwell lighting. But I was taking measurements at different times, and the signal going to the footwell lighting varies tremendously (like from <20% up to ~90%+ duty cycle), and it doesn’t seem to follow much of a pattern. Regardless, I am having a hard time to make this work. From what I have calculated so far, I don’t think I will be able to get it to trigger at the lower end of range of duty cycles its providing. I need ~2.5V to trigger the relay, and do not think I can get there in these cases. I am just wondering if your setup has worked in all situations?

Thanks!

 

[Jeremy.j.hall]

Hey Jeremy,

I have a very similar circuit in my car (less the low-pass filter you have), and am trying to implement a filter myself. I had it all ready to go, only to realize that the lights are dimmed when the car is in drive (I assumed it was just providing the lights with the full voltage of the 12V battery). I do not have an oscilloscope to confirm, but I assume this is some sort of PWM signal going to the footwell lighting. But I was taking measurements at different times, and the signal going to the footwell lighting varies tremendously (like from <20% up to ~90%+ duty cycle), and it doesn’t seem to follow much of a pattern. Regardless, I am having a hard time to make this work. From what I have calculated so far, I don’t think I will be able to get it to trigger at the lower end of range of duty cycles its providing. I need ~2.5V to trigger the relay, and do not think I can get there in these cases. I am just wondering if your setup has worked in all situations?

Thanks!

Hi,
Sorry for the slow reply, hope you have it sorted now?!
We too assumed the leds are dimmed with PWM, but have not put a scope on to confirm. We have not needed to as the switch circuit used has worked flawlessly for 10months now. It did turn off once and I thought it had broken, but I found out a software update had switched off the ambient lights!

The trick (I believe) is using the little capacitor to smooth the input to the transistor so it is always enough to saturate the transistor and this passes enough current to keep the relay energised. It is a very low power relay too... (12mA)
Let me know if you need more help
J

 

[Jeremy.j.hall]

Recently re-tracked this board for switching the ambient lighting on and off from the touchscreen.

Now cheaper.

Youtube Short ambient light control

 

[sharkbyte119]

Thanks for sharing Jeremy. If this can ship to the US I'd be interested to buy one from you.