LED Armrest cargo light

[wkparker]

Several people asked about the small light I put in the tissue box space under the armrest. Here is a picture of the inside of the unit:

In the armrest:

It's just a cheap LED light designed to be plugged into a laptop USB port. I cut off the USB plug and wired it to a clip that holds 3 AAA batteries. Current flows when the armrest is lifted and a small mercury switch completes the circuit. A slide switch cuts power completely if I need to remove it. The plastic box is what the light came in, and I wrapped it in a piece of high density foam to hold it in place. Lots of hot glue holds all the wires and switches in place - not pretty, but it works.

Total cost was about $10, not counting the mercury switch, which has been in a box of junk electronics for years.

 

[wkparker]

Switch closeup:

 

[JB.]

..no..

..say you didn't..

..for gawds sakes..

..WHAT ABOUT THE TISSUES, MAN!!..

 

[sharp4runr]

Ever work for the IRA? :

Nice, I know its a simple setup but I'm an idiot when it comes to electronics.

 

[rando]

You could wire that directly into the cigarette lighter circuit. There's an unused (switched 12V) plug right under the center console trim. If you went that route, you could also eliminate the mercury switch. Assuming the light doesn't get hot, there shouldn't be much harm in leaving it on all the time.

You can use a linear voltage regulator (7805) from radio shack to adjust the 12V input back to 5V. The regulator is about $1 and for powering an LED shouldn't need any other components.

Switched 12v -> Regulator Input
Ground -> Regulator Ground
Regulator Output -> LED anode(+) lead
LED cathode(-) lead -> Ground

 

[wkparker]

Rando, that's what I had planned to do, but the local Radio Shark was out of the 5vdc regulators and I didn't want to bother with the additional components for a variable model. I decide to make it portable so I could pull it out and use it if I needed another small flashlight. Next time I have the console trim out I'll probably put a permanent LED in the storage area and connect to the light power.

 

[afsu]

This wins the "most trailer mod" of the year award. Awesome!