LED Ground effects kit for your car

Like the cool underglow kits on riced out cars but don't want to break the bank? This will show you how to make your own using LED strings.

Indications:
-This instructable requires some knowledge of electronics and auto body assembly.

-This might involve taking apart large sections of your car's console, if this could void a warranty, do so at your own risk.

-In some states and municipalities, it is illegal to have non-signal lights on while your vehicle in motion. Check with your local authorities before using on the street.

Time: 3-6 Hours
Cost: $20-50 (depending mainly on how many lights you get)
Difficulty: Decently easy

Step 1 Gather materials

Materials:
-One or several waterproof, 12V LED strings - $10 ea.
-Lots of wire. Two-strand polarized wire is great (red-black or white-black)
-SPST switch - Free-$3 (I got a lit-when-on one)
-555 timer - $0.10-$1.50 if you went to Shady-o Rack
-10000-15000 uF worth of 10v capacitors (you can string them in parallel to add the capacitance)
-47uF capacitor
-100uF capacitor
-.01uF capacitor
-1.1kOhm resistor
-15kOhm resistor - the bigger the resistor the slower the pulse - alternatively you can use a potentiometer
-Project box of some sort
-Scrap thin medium-density fiberboard (MDF) or sheet metal
-Epoxy
-Electrical tape

Tools
-Soldering iron and solder
-Wire strippers
-Needlenose pliers
-Hot glue gun
-Power drill
-Various size drill bits
-Various screwdrivers

And of course a car. It's a good idea to know your way around the inside of your car a bit before beginning.

Comments

[Mikey8567]

One thing you could do to make the LED's last long is to take a piece of clear vinyl tubbing (large enought to slide the LED strip in) and once you have it pulled inside then seal the ends with you choice of sealant. This will not only keep the LED array from getting damaged from rocks, salt (if you live in northern states) and other things that would break or ruin it, but you would also make it much easier to clean off the road grime your going to get from every day driving, imagine trying to wipe between all the LED's and such (would be a real pain).  The tubing would slo make it eaiser to mount under the car (IE hose clamps, epoxy, zipties,  ect).

[submariner.89]

Great idea! That's perfect and a cheap solution to a potentially big problem.

[Mikey8567]

The vinyl tubing can be bought from most hardware stores in sizes from 1/4" to 2". As far as zip ties make sure that the black ones are used, they are UV resistant and last much longer and don't get brittle like the clear or white ones do.

As far as sealant make sure it doesn't react badly to vinyl, some discolor it.

[BlackHatCracker]

Depending on your car is how the wires are... Most cars only have 2 wires going to the ligher, and some are swithched. Most cars the top is negative (-) and the center is positive (+) Also you may have to upgrade the fuse that is there, since that line also takes care of a lot of different things on your car... ie.. Dome Light, Clock on the radio, ect... Things that are not needing power all the time, and some have a switch on them so you don't have to have the key in the igntion, and to the on position to get them to work. I would recommend getting a book on your car, or goto the library and finding a book on your model to get specs on it. I personally would run 2 seperate lines, 1 to a barrier strip from the Acc terminal, and then the second one to another barrier strip to run a ground wire from the engine comparment gives you a neater look, and less problems if you want to add or remove anything. Spend a few extra cents, and do it right, less problems in the end.

[Bazzatron]

would it be possible to remove the lighter thingy (as a non-smoker its always appeared more of a weapon than anything,....) and just put a switch there, and use the wires that held the thing in place to power the leds?

[SwishMaxx]

Thats dumb. It can be used to charge your cell phone and other stuff. why would you want to remove it? a bic lighter is more of a weapon. do you never walk into a gas station?

[Bazzatron]

Sorry if I've never needed it - and perhaps weapon was a poor choice of words, more like 'hazard', either way - I'd rather just have the switch, but given I cant remember in the slightest what this instructable is about - I honestly don't care what you say :D

[mdeep]

please just dont. this is tacky!

[PSPerson]

too bad its illegal in my state. *sigh*

[Jaycub]

What does 1337 mean?

[Dumchicken]

leet

[rumarch]

LMAO

[The Expert Noob]

it means your not 1337. for you, it means 14.

[farzad_sh_2020]

Hi i do all of these works on the board but there is no pulse on led. what can be wrong ? all the things is correct

[HYPER_piccolo]

hi there, i know its been 3 years from the last reply, but i allways wanted to add the pulse affect on my undercar neons. 
And that's my question, i have installed neons and not leds. can i somehow connects your "pulse generator" to my neons to have that effect?
thanks

[DeusXMachina]

Umm, I don't think neons would work with a pulse setup like that, because they need a constant voltage. It would have to be built into the setup, I think. But LEDs, lights, and certain fluorescents work.

[HYPER_piccolo]

yes, i asked a friend who is very good at electronics and he told me the same thing, so i guess i will make something with leds :)
thanks

[senario 158]

what about my car?

[hernanai]

I love a clean Fairlady..... What year is your car?

[yo man]

paul waker rides again

[yo man]

or run a hot wire to the positive post on the battery clamp. I like to run the wire past the door opening to dash.

[mickey_079]

But that's unecesary... The only time that needs to be done is for an amplifiers power line. Otherwise it just looks ugly under the bonnet and is a waste of wire.

[yo man]

well it is way easer to do or yo could find a opening in
the fire wall

[jobergy]

it would be fun to dink around with it enough to make it pulse to your car stereo music???.....maybe a next instructable lol

[koldkiller]

Simple just direct connect it to your speakers it should pulse to the sound of your music. Or you could use a pulsar XV2

[jobergy]

ok i tried direct connecting it to my speakers, but it didnt work, no lighting even, sound was on but not the lights, so a pulsar i al guessing is a sound sensor?
 

[place name here-]

try this www.instructables.com/id/Raving-out-your-Computer/

[k0ldburn]

What about EL wire? Is it not powerful enough for this? I've never experimented with it but it looks like a good solution

[mazeka.14]

can you skip this step if you just want continuous light? or does this modify the amperage or voltage?

[DeusXMachina]

Yeah you can skip all of that if you just want the lights on the bottom of you car. The box just makes it pulse.

[mazeka.14]

awesome, thanks

[armoandrew]

you have to use a transistor something like a TIP31 transistor but it depends on the amount of current you have coming through your lines

they can be found at your local shady-o-shack : )

[brentonl]

Couldnt you use the 555 to PWM the brightness of the lights? 

[notanaj54]

I was thinking about just using those rope lights you can get at walmart, and an adaptor from 12v car to the 3 plug config. do you think that would work?

[srhadaham]

i see nothing wrong with your plan, except possibly the way the lights are pointing in the strand, if they all point down you'll get better lighting.

[capricorn111]

i want to do same experiment with my car. and i need bit help.. i have a basic knowledge about electronics .. and few questions i want to ask.. that how many LEDs should i use in single (side ) strip? and 2nd question is should i connect LEDs in parallel ? and another question is if i want to attach 2 strips left and right under bottom of my car. can i use one circuit ? or i have to made two individual circuits for strips??

[thoraxe]

would it be possible to hook the led strips up to a cigarrette lighter charger and run it like that?

[jobergy]

or you could possibly JB Weld it on, just have to make sure there is pressure on the epoxy weld if it is under the car so it has time to completely harden

[mmcpherson4]

okay, your basically speeking greek when you say " -555 timer - -10000-15000 uF worth of 10v capacitors -47uF capacitor -100uF capacitor -.01uF capacitor -1.1kOhm resistor -15kOhm resistor ' i dont want the pulsing effect, so will you please list the parts i need to get this to work without the pulsing effect, thanks much! :-)

[Bazzatron]

pretty much just the lights, and the switch, just wire some lights up to your expansion points in your cars fusebox via a switch, simples -yes? -note- i have electronics (intermediate) knowledge, not a great deal about cars though, being that i drive motorbikes....