Topic: Map Light LED question

[Excelsior]

I purchased the x5 and x12 lights for the map lights and have them in.  But it seems the lights are staying on at about 1/10 power with the car off and driving.  Everything else works as normal and the other LEDs are off off when off.  It is JUST the map lights that do this to me.

Any ideas?

[johnnys]

You need can bus lights... With build on resistor so they stay closed completly...

[Brad Kenny]

Wierd, I have no problems like this. TS any input here?

[TomatoSoup]

It's to be expected.  The current never completely shuts off and with the higher efficiency of LED bulbs, they'll still generate some light. 

Easiest thing to do is to wire up footwell lights on the same "dimming" ground circuit as the map lights.  This will have two effects: 1) Give you footwell lights, which are really nice and usefull IMO! and 2) Provide another path for the current, reducing the light from the mirror bulbs - possibly to the LED shut-off point.

In my car I have the footwell lights and those do stay on a very little bit, giving a very small amount of 'mood' lighting in the dark - an effect I really like.  The map lights stay off (or dark enough that I don't notice them).

Just FYI - I used the white DIODER lights from IKEA for my footwells.  They come in a pack of 4 for ~$30, but include mounting plates and can run directly from car voltage.  I used two for the footwells and the other two under the doors for 'puddle' lights when the doors are open. UPDATE: Link... cr*p they're $40 now: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00119424

[Sly Bob]

Or use these ones that they have as well and you can change colors at will.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80192378

I got my footwell lighting from Oznium.

[Brad Kenny]

I also used Oznium and did same as TS, I have NO extra light from this. I wonder if this is what caused 1LILNDN's issue a while back with the battery.

[TomatoSoup]

I also used Oznium and did same as TS, I have NO extra light from this. I wonder if this is what caused 1LILNDN's issue a while back with the battery.

The current flows, come what may.  It's just that you can't see any light from it with the regular filament bulbs.  However, the BCM *does* cut that flow off after about 15-20mins inactivity with the car (ignition off, doors closed) at which point the map light glow (if any) *will* go out.

This would not have had any untoward effect on 1LILNDN's battery life (at least, beyond anyone else's).

BTW, the Oznium's might have a voltage or current regulator in them (I don't know, I don't have one).  If so, this could well cut off the flow in the LED when the applied voltage is low.

[cartmann32]

I put in 12 LEDs into the top winshield trim piece (the piece that has the sun visors attached to them) and mine stay on VERY VERY dim for (as Soup said) a few minutes after i turn off the car...and are on ALL the time while I drive....but it gives a (as Soup said ) mood lighting that i've grown to like. 
It's been like this for over 2 years now and I'm running the stock battery and never had a voltage issue (knock on wood).....

[60 s Sol]

I added LED footwell lights (without the maplight) and had the same low glow problem.  Crappa on the Solstice Forum told me to wire in a 2200 ohm resistor in parallel with the lights.  His explanation was "The resistor is in parallel with the LEDs, the ground side of the interior lights does the fading. I got the idea from a ballast resistor used for LED turn signals. So when the lights are faded out, there is still a very small current flow. Not enough to light the bulbs, but enough to light the LEDs. The theory is the resistor allows some of the current to flow around the LEDs. Hope this helps."  I did that and it worked perfectly.  The LEDs went out as soon as the ground circuit timed out.