hello everyone, i have a problem on my hands and i cant seem to figure out how to fix it.

ive been wiring up some LED lights for my interior, and becuase there a little bigger then the standard feston, ive had to saw away at some pieces so everything can fit.

so far everything fits, no hassles. i wired it up to a 12v supply to test it out and working fine (in the ON mode, the middle selection).

but once i moved it left or right, i got hardly any current going through, and a wired noise coming from the 12V power supply (no fuses here)

im thinking its a grounding issue

NOW BEFORE i did all this, i decided to give this a test run in the car, and *pop* a fuse went, i had it grounded for sure, as it is still using its orginal grounding holes.

so im thinking its one of the leads i soldered to the metal bits, as i had to cut away part of it. this is a photo of how its grounded, its the little wire that bridges over the LED bank.

its just really pissing me off as it looks fine, screws in no hassles but when i replced the fuse, as soon as i put the fuse in, pop, it went., now i do have a LIGHT TESTER but i have no idea how to use it!!!! any info on using it would be cool!!!.
ANYHOO, does anyone have thoughts as to what could be going wrong?
im thinking grounding? but could be something different as the joins seem solid.
ALSO, when i move it to the left (when the curcuit goes to ground) do i just connect up a wire from the ground position to like my shed? (where im working atm)....(is the shed a ground)
really need some info guys ill stay on for like 20-30 mins and hopefully ill get some responses!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a52/dodgeviper89/zoemodel022.jpg

Not sure mate, but check this....

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17642&referrerid=708

hmmmm....thanks for the post man, sorta opened up a few possibilitys, well ill go outside and resolder the joint - just to be double safe.

but then im thinking when i installed the fuse with the light connected, and in ON mode, it just blew, so im thinking maybe i should keep it in OFF mode when connecting, and try to connect it with all doors locked.

but then ill be scared when i flick it to ON it will blow again.....>.<........lucky im loaded with fuses lol.

but that was a helpful post thanks mulga

An LED will need to be current limited!!!!

You will need a series resistor in series with the LED, which is probably why you are blowing fuses.

Oh Edit: I just noticed the SMD resistors on the back of the LED... hmmm forget I even posted. Im not sure what it could be other than that.

ok well i was thinking of doing this.....using my current tester (the stick thing which lights up when you touch it to metal) can i see if any current if all is going through the earth wire?.......now im doing this in my shed atm, so would wiring the earth direct to the metal work? (also whats the mamimum length an earth wire can be?).

since its so small (and my mate f*cked the plastci hlder thing by melting it) ive had to do alot of minute work to make sure its fine, atm just making sure the switch paths are even. but besdies that its really confusing as all the wires seem to be joined properly.

if this is still happning in like a weeks time, im just going to take it to school and let my systems technology teacher (electronics) have a look.

but would that earthing to my shed possibly work?

hmmmmm, this is really pissing me off as i want to make the license plate holder lights LED's aswell but i doubt ill do that as it'll take 4 months becuase i cant do it right :rant:

I would love to be able to assist you on this one but I have never attempted anything like you are trying to do.. You are a Pioneer in this field.. You are going to have to do alot of trial and error.. We can try to help but my back ground on your Mod is Zero..

I used Autotechnica Interior Light LED's for my last ride and they fitted fine and came in Two sizes..
I have one that I will try and see if I can fit to my TE..

lollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll you serious? no-one has ever tried this?..lol wow.

anyhoo. if this doesnt work out im going to try and go wreckers and ill just make it back to standard.

but yeah, most likely thing is ill leave it till next week when a teacher can have a look at it. i have this weird feeling that if i keep putting it in, and blowing fuses, im going to stuff the whole electrical cuircut in the car :confused:

i got the idea off markfivestar who works at jaycar. little did i realise his feston bulb holder is completly different and he would not of had to gone through what i have had to.

bugger.

ill try this again some time soon, again, im just making sure all leads r connected and no
solder is "touching" other parts of the curcuit.
thanks for the re-assurance though :P lol

*EDIT*.

Where?
How Much?
HAve you got A picture?

See here for what they look like in Blue
( this is not my ride but looked the same)
http://vwroadtrip.peterbeers.net/GTI/GTI_Mods/LED_Dome_Lights/DSCN2855_LEDs_Installed.JPG


This is what the One I have looks like in my Shed except it is a Disco light LED that flashed red green and Orange..
The one Belew is Blue

http://superlumination.com/images/auto_bulbs/42mm_blue_led.jpg

hmm they seem like good ideas.

for now ill try and get this working as, somehow, with all the wires going everywhere...;it still fits, which was one of my major concerns.

anyhoo, can you give me a rough estimate on these lights?

and yeah they look nice but i dont want inside to become a disoc (yet), just to light up the car nicely when i step in.lol

I bought a Plain Blue LED which fitted my Mondeo for $9.95
The Disco one I have ( Which Two Colors now Dont work) was $19.95..
Autotechnica make them, you just take your Stock Light bulb in and Match up the size ..

My Mondeo had foot well lights, but there does not seem to be the relay or the wiring for it in my Executive..
My Parents Altera has a Foot well light on the Drivers side only.. I am sure there has to be an Easier way to do it then what you are trying to acheive??

yeah ive drawn a diagram (which i shall post tomorrow as im going to go bed now)
and i know what lead goes where, no probs, the LED's DO work but this is when hard wired to a 12v battery pack i have, as soon as i touch the wires with the ones in the roof *pop* fuse gone :doubt:

the main thing im trying to work out is if theres some device i can get which can tell me what part of the curcuit current is not getting though

when LED's are in the middle or the position that when the door opens the Lights come on - fine, lights work fine.

when i move it to the left (ON) i get a buzzing sound coming from the batterys, and hardly any current coming though.

same deal when i move it to the right position (OFF)....no lights of course but still a buzzing sound.

now bare in mind this was when hard wired to a 12v battery with NO GROUND. as i have no idea how to ground it/length of wire etc.

i was thinking this could help