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Rice is nice. Overriding on/off underbody LED

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Old May 18, 2009 | 01:33 PM
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Default Rice is nice. Overriding on/off underbody LED

So to many Z owners chagrin I installed a underbody LED kit. [insert barrage of negative opinions and rice mockery] My intentions were to have this illuminate when you press the door unlock/lock button on the remote, then fade off like the interior lights. So even though I wired the kit utilizing the dome supervision wire, the LED kits out there all require the on button to be pressed to activate the module. So the kit comes on... but you still have to be close enough to use the LED remote control to turn ON the lights. Anyone know how to bypass the on/off module requirement, so I can wire it to illuminate based on power supply versus the on/off switch?!?! I'd post pics... but with all the negativity on this forum.. I'll pass.
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Old May 18, 2009 | 01:43 PM
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Pics! I would never do it to my car, but I want to seeeee! PM them to me
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Old May 18, 2009 | 02:50 PM
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LED's aren't going to fade with the ramp voltage sent to them by the stock lights. They can be faded but it's going to need a dedicated driver circuit.

I tapped into the ground pins in each door to drive an LED steering network to turn my under the dash courtesy lights on. Without the steering network if the passenger gets out her door the system sees the ground on both doors and thinks that the driver is getting out with the key in the slot and starts the idiot chime going. A steering circuit is two diodes connected together, in this case cathode to cathode, and the anodes out to the door pins. The center junction between the two diodes is the output to the lights. It's a "T" circuit.

Edited to add: rice!

Last edited by Paul350Z; May 18, 2009 at 02:53 PM.
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Old May 18, 2009 | 03:09 PM
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You might as well post pics. The flames are going to come regardless. I just want to see how the job looks! What color LEDs on what color car?
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Old May 18, 2009 | 04:17 PM
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yup.. in for pics
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Old May 19, 2009 | 11:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Xzero
You might as well post pics. The flames are going to come regardless. I just want to see how the job looks! What color LEDs on what color car?
+1

If you're gonna flaunt it, might as well own up to it.
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Old May 19, 2009 | 11:15 AM
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I had this on my Celica. I had it riced out with a multicolor LED underbody kit, and they lit up like a courtesy light when the doors were unlocked, etc.
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Old May 19, 2009 | 04:24 PM
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Hyperwhite that turns on with unlock and fades off would actually be pretty cool. I wouldn't do it though.
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Old May 19, 2009 | 05:56 PM
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would never do this ...
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Old May 19, 2009 | 11:30 PM
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i know i'm rice but i still like streetglow. haha
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Old May 21, 2009 | 09:22 PM
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Since everyone was so well behaved.. I'll post some rice pics and a link to a youtube video tomorrow.
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Old May 21, 2009 | 09:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Paul350Z
LED's aren't going to fade with the ramp voltage sent to them by the stock lights. They can be faded but it's going to need a dedicated driver circuit.

I tapped into the ground pins in each door to drive an LED steering network to turn my under the dash courtesy lights on.
Hey Paul, thanks man... my problem isn't creating the power source fade, it's actually bypassing the LED control module which needs to be turned ON manually via remote, or button on control module. If these were LED's without computer modulation which changes the colors, sequences, and sound sensitivities then your method would certainly work... however since this control module receives the power input then requires the device to be powered on via a button rather than the actual power input I'm unable to do so. Hopefully my video post will help to clear this up!

Thanks again though.
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Old May 22, 2009 | 09:47 AM
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Nice to see someone is trying this. I wanted to do the same thing awhile ago with white LED's that would only turn on/off with lock/unlock. Always thought it'd be cool to walk toward a row of cars parked on a dark street, press unlock and see my car illuminate for a brief moment.
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Old May 22, 2009 | 09:13 PM
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Apparently youtube is updating right now.. so I'll have to wait on the video uploads. Here's some pics of the "white" led underglow!!

By the way fellas. I realize there's a few that want to drop their negative opinions even when nobody cares. So let it be known, the first time somebody says anything negative I'll pull the pics. This post is to show what it looks like, nobody cares whether you think it looks "ricey", if you don't like it don't do it to your car.... easy as that.

Last edited by cheneymatthews; May 24, 2009 at 10:24 PM.
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Old May 23, 2009 | 08:27 AM
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Prepare to pull the pics.... Not my style, but you should at least find a way to diffuse the light so it seems more evenly spread, not just hot spots IMO.
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Old May 23, 2009 | 08:31 AM
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So ricey
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Old May 23, 2009 | 08:39 AM
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who did the r8 mod?

for diffusing sand the bottom of the led bar to a light haze
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Old May 23, 2009 | 12:40 PM
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Never thought I'd say this, but instead of doing those pointless mods IE; decals, groundlights, headlights, STOP! Save your money and get suspension, engine mods, or some rims.
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Old May 23, 2009 | 12:51 PM
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nice stickers
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Old May 23, 2009 | 02:21 PM
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what are you doing to your car? that looks so bad.
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