Led interior light questions

[Ashtonguyton]

I just ordered 5 one foot blue light strips to place inside the car for some ambient lighting. I also bought 100 feet of 18 guage wire and a simple on and off switch. I'm completely new to wiring things so I have a couple questions. Can I just run the positive wire from the switch all the way to the battery. Or do I have to use the fuse box? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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[Derek G]

I just ordered 5 one foot blue light strips to place inside the car for some ambient lighting. I also bought 100 feet of 18 guage wire and a simple on and off switch. I'm completely new to wiring things so I have a couple questions. Can I just run the positive wire from the switch all the way to the battery. Or do I have to use the fuse box? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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Need a little more info. Is your switch backlit? How many amps is the switch rated for and how many amps do the lights draw?

 

[Ashtonguyton]

Need a little more info. Is your switch backlit? How many amps is the switch rated for and how many amps do the lights draw?

Heres a little more info. Here's the switch. I made sure to not get a lighted one because I know that needs more wiring
New Ace Long Handle Toggle Switch on Off SPST 20 Amp 6376 | eBay

And here is the light strips themselves
5X Waterproof 15 LED 30cm Car Lighting Flexible Decorative Light Lamp Strip Blue | eBay

I also ordered some wire nut connectors in case I need them.

Here is the specifications for the light strips
Specification:
Color: Blue
View angle: 120°
Working voltage: DC 12V
LED quantity: 15 LEDs
Output power: 0.9W/pcs
Working temperature: -20 to 50°
Lifetime: 20,000 hrs
Waterproof: IP67
Size: 300*8mm

 

[Derek G]

Heres a little more info. Here's the switch. I made sure to not get a lighted one because I know that needs more wiring
New Ace Long Handle Toggle Switch on Off SPST 20 Amp 6376 | eBay

And here is the light strips themselves
5X Waterproof 15 LED 30cm Car Lighting Flexible Decorative Light Lamp Strip Blue | eBay

I also ordered some wire nut connectors in case I need them.

Here is the specifications for the light strips
Specification:
Color: Blue
View angle: 120°
Working voltage: DC 12V
LED quantity: 15 LEDs
Output power: 0.9W/pcs
Working temperature: -20 to 50°
Lifetime: 20,000 hrs
Waterproof: IP67
Size: 300*8mm

I'm not seeing anything indicating how many amps the lights draw, I would email the seller to find out. That information is crucial to wiring it properly. Wire nut connectors are for AC power only! To connect these wires you will need wire crimps and butt connectors. You can buy a kit including the crimps and assorted connectors for about $20 at your local auto parts store. If the amperage the accessory draws is higher than the amperage rating of the switch (or even 75% to be safe) you are going to need to wire it with a relay. The relay will have 4 prongs on it; 1 to the batt, 1 to the ground, 1 to the accessory (the LED lights) and 1 to your switch. The switch will need to be wired from a lower amp spot (usually in your fuse block) to the relay. The switch then uses low amperage to "trip" or switch the relay which then powers the higher amperage accessory without running the high amps through the switch which can cause it to overheat, or even cause the wire to melt or catch on fire. Depending on the amount of amps the accessory draws, 18 GA wire may not be thick enough.

 

[Derek G]

Heres a little more info. Here's the switch. I made sure to not get a lighted one because I know that needs more wiring
New Ace Long Handle Toggle Switch on Off SPST 20 Amp 6376 | eBay

And here is the light strips themselves
5X Waterproof 15 LED 30cm Car Lighting Flexible Decorative Light Lamp Strip Blue | eBay

I also ordered some wire nut connectors in case I need them.

Here is the specifications for the light strips
Specification:
Color: Blue
View angle: 120°
Working voltage: DC 12V
LED quantity: 15 LEDs
Output power: 0.9W/pcs
Working temperature: -20 to 50°
Lifetime: 20,000 hrs
Waterproof: IP67
Size: 300*8mm

Another thing VERY IMPORTANT!!! I just looked at the link to the switch you ordered, that switch is an AC switch, you need a DC switch for this application. Again, something you can pick up when you get your wire crimps.

 

[Ashtonguyton]

Another thing VERY IMPORTANT!!! I just looked at the link to the switch you ordered, that switch is an AC switch, you need a DC switch for this application. Again, something you can pick up when you get your wire crimps.

We'll it looks like I'll just have a random AC switch lying around then. Thanks for all the help. I'll take a trip to the store today and invest in a wiring kit. Thanks again for everything

 

[HokieRunner]

I just ordered 5 one foot blue light strips to place inside the car for some ambient lighting. I also bought 100 feet of 18 guage wire and a simple on and off switch. I'm completely new to wiring things so I have a couple questions. Can I just run the positive wire from the switch all the way to the battery. Or do I have to use the fuse box? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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For folks new to 12V systems, this is a good read:

12V DC Basics

Most LED strips like that draw upwards of 2Watts/foot. So you'd be looking at 10Watts total /12volt. Or under 1 Amp.

I'm sure a simple in line fuse from the battery to the interior switch would work just fine. Relays are always a good idea and safer alternative but given the low draw, may be overkill for this particular application. If you see yourself adding on more electrical accessories down the line you may consider a Blue Seas fuse panel (or something similar) as it will help with the organization and simplify any future additions. It will also help keep the OEM fuse panel separate from aftermarket wiring which is, IMO, always a great idea.

 

[gshadow325]

I just ordered 5 one foot blue light strips to place inside the car for some ambient lighting. I also bought 100 feet of 18 guage wire and a simple on and off switch. I'm completely new to wiring things so I have a couple questions. Can I just run the positive wire from the switch all the way to the battery. Or do I have to use the fuse box? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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why do you need to run it all the way to the battery?

You have a fuse box.

Thats a real fugly switch, fugly is worse than ugly.

OTRATTW

here's some led ideas for you. http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...come-show-off-your-leds-here.html#post1446835

my switches