Adding LED Strips

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redram2007

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I recently bought 2 sets of Oracle SMD LED strips and want to tap them all together, 2 under the dash and 2 under the rear seats. I really want to have these come on with my dome lights/power door locks. I also ordered a few Oracle flush mount switches to have everything uniformed. I really want to add a switch to turn these on whenever but still have them connected to my dome light. Ive read a few threads about installing them but i cant find the answer im looking for. I already have my 3 autometer gauges tapped into my headlight dimmer switch and dont want to overload any circuits. I am planning on using a relay but not sure which posts to go to and what wires to run to the on/off switch. Here's a diagram of the switch and the led strips i have.

ORACLE Flexible LED Strips- (2) 15" Sections

http://automotivelightstore.com/ebayimages/flush%20switches/on_off_diagram.jpg
 
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Bigboy0207

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At the moment I have them all into my headlight dimmer with out any issuies you should be ok in my opinion.
 
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redram2007

redram2007

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The only thing that concerns me is I have all 3 autometer gauges tapped into that already. Plus that wouldn't work right would it? Does yours come on when you open your door and dim out when started and when you lock your truck?
 

Bigboy0207

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It does but that does seem like a lot now that I am thinking about it. Tommrow when it's light I'll take a look for you and see where the rest is running to and get back with you. I know I ran two separate I wanna give you the right info tho
 

Bigboy0207

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Hey brotha im sorry got home. Late from. Work. And could. Not get out in the light tommrow. Is my day off I'll get out there and get er done for you
 

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I added 2 lights under my dash on my '11. I found the wire that ran to the dome light using my multimeter. I just use that for ground (it was a switched ground, if I recall right) and then tapped into a constant hot power.

I plan on doing it more... beautifully in my 2500. Likely put a pair under the dash, and another pair under the back of the front seats to light up the pass floor boards.

As for wiring, you should have no issue adding a pair of LED strips to a circuit. They pull maybe .5A each.
 

Bigboy0207

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Yea they pull almost nothing I agree but he is running a lot to It already and blowing it is a ***** on the other hand. I'm gonna look tommrow either way tho I truly think you'll be ok
 
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redram2007

redram2007

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I added 2 lights under my dash on my '11. I found the wire that ran to the dome light using my multimeter. I just use that for ground (it was a switched ground, if I recall right) and then tapped into a constant hot power.

I plan on doing it more... beautifully in my 2500. Likely put a pair under the dash, and another pair under the back of the front seats to light up the pass floor boards.

As for wiring, you should have no issue adding a pair of LED strips to a circuit. They pull maybe .5A each.

The things im concerned about is when adding them to my dome light is figuring out if its a switched ground or positive. How do you determine that? Secondly i really want to add a switch to turn on at will. I have a total of 72" of led's.

Yea they pull almost nothing I agree but he is running a lot to It already and blowing it is a ***** on the other hand. I'm gonna look tommrow either way tho I truly think you'll be ok

Thank you.
 

Bigboy0207

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Did u make any headway on this
 
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redram2007

redram2007

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Not yet, I keep getting different answers and opinions but no how to that has been done, tried, and or works. I was going to get started tom or sunday, I'm just not sure if the dome light is positive or negative switched.
 
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redram2007

redram2007

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Step 1: I took an OEM heated seat switch bezel, gutted it, epoxied a plastic trip behind for strength and to help fill the holes, filled the 2 square holes with filler, drilled my holes, sand and painted. I have 3 on/off and 1 momentary for my e-cutout, and i also picked up some of the interior plastics to replace the ones i drilled previously for my hella's, e-fan, and e-cutout. I will add more info and some before and after pics when i wire it up, hopefully tom.

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IMAG0044_zpsde126444.jpg"]IMAG0044_zpsde126444.jpg[/URL]
 
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redram2007

redram2007

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This advice was given to me from a guy on another forum, sounds to me like it will work.

I hope i give you the right info here, but i installed my own led strips in the footwells of the driver & pass side, as well as under the driver and pass seats so theres light in the back too. I wired it up exactly how you're describing for how you want it. I have them on a switch so i can turn them on and off whenever i want, and they also come on when I open up the door/unlock the doors. Its actually pretty simple, and only took me a couple hours, just because i hid every wire because i'm a bit of a perfectionist...but aren't we all when it comes to our trucks? Anyway, I had 4 seperate led strips. I tied the rear and front drivers side together, and same for the passenger side. Basically just + wire for back led's connected to + wire of the front LED's. Then do the same for negative. I used quick connects because they are easier than soldering to me. I did this for both sides. Then i bought some extra wire and ran a positive and negative wire from the rear dome light (i did this because it seemed easier to get to than the front dome light wiring). Then i just used quick connects and ran those wires to the positive and negative wire of the LED's. Since all 4 of my strips went to the same switch, i only had to do this for one side and it have power to all of the strips. So now its all wired up and will come on when the door is opened/unlocked. The only problem with doing it this way is if you turn the switch on to turn your LED's on, it will backfeed power to the dome lights and it will turn the dome lights on, which you dont want. Go to radioshack or whatever your electronic store is and buy a diode, i think mine was just 10 amp, even though you can get by with a 1 amp. If you dont know what it is, just ask, it looks like a tiny battery with a piece of wire coming out of each side. Solder this somewhere before your switch and this will keep the electricity from backfeeding from the switch to your dome lights. This is how i wired mine up and it works perfect! (sorry about the length, i know, tl;dr, but i just wanted to try to be clear!) Hope this helps!
 

Bigboy0207

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Sounds solid.. U do it. Sorry I haven't been of much help 5am to 7pm days haven't had a chance to do anything in the light brotha or else I would have done it already
 
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redram2007

redram2007

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I know what you mean there. I wake up at 3am get to work by 5 and get home around 6. The wife works on Sundays so Saturday is family things and Sunday is my day to work on the truck and try to keep the kids tame lol.
 

Bigboy0207

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Yea it sux sometimes go to work in he dark come home no he dark but hey I can afford the mods that way lol
 
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