irideflatland

OK, I have been in the process of installing my own underglow. First I tested out 2 cold cathode lights (if you know about modding computers, then you should know about these. They are like neons and they have an invertor that takes 12volts normally from a computer) under my front seats.

I took power from the plug thing under my steering wheel. I found a wire that gave out about 13volts and just stuck the inverter power wire in the socket thing. Then I stuck the inverter ground wire in black wire socket. I don't know what this group of wires is for (it's right below my hood release thing), but it worked fine for my 2 lights.

Then yesterday I attached 2 more invertors (so I can have 4 more lights) to the same wire. I didn't have the lights for under the car yet, but I tested it with some other lights. It worked fine for the few seconds that I tested it.

Now today I got my lights, but first I had to get my new glasses, so when I was driving to the eye doctors, I decided just to test the lights again (only the 2 of them under my seats) and they did not work. My dome lamp won't work either. What's going on???

lando

are you reffering to the thing with the computer type plug? If so, you very well could **** up your car by messing with the wrong **** there, that's the access to the computer, for OBD diagnostics and such

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Satyllac

The group of wires and plug near your hood release is your input/output port for your OBDI or OBDII diagnostics... Just like lando said. Don't tap anything off of any terminal or wire in that bundle...

Sounds like you blew a fuse, maybe even shorted something out.

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*Note To Self*
Spend less on car, more on guns.
*/Note*
-Randy

irideflatland

Ya, I thought it was for the computer. Well, I just changed a fuse for "body" I think. Everything works again. It was a 10. If I put in like a 30 would that fix the problem?

Edit: or is there a way to go "fuseless"?

SaturnTKT

If it's stock at 10 then leave it, You could fry the poop out of the whole circiut. It's good to fry chicken, not your cars electrical system.

lando

No, replace it with a 10, the same as it had, and stay away from that cluster of wires! find a different 12v line, or simply run right off the battery with an inline fuse and a switch. If you are looking for a source inside the car,crack open the middle console and tap into the cigarette lighter power, always a safe bet.

Don't know about your car, but in my ION the rear outlet is only on when Acc power is on, and the front outlet is on all the time, however it switches off at start and back on right away (could use that power inturrupt for an electric switch, but from your apparent knowledge of electronice we wont do that)

It appears you must a multimeter, seeing as you knew the line had 13v, so use that to find the outlet line.

PS. Fuses are your friend, put one wherever you are taking your power from, shorts just cause big problems (how big depends on the draw of what your installing)

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irideflatland

The only thing I could fry would be my lights though, right?

lando

no, if you short out that 13v wire to the input of the OBD port, you could easily fry your OBD system and quite possibly the ECU. That is not just a output only port, it is used to send data to the car as well, such as clearing a SES light. stay away!

Not sure if the OBD shtuff and the ECU are all one unit, anyone want to clarify that?

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irideflatland

So I should try to get the power directly from the battery? Such a pain. I already had everything rigged up. Well, should I be able to use the ground wire for the OBD connector thing, or should I go directly to the battery for that too?

EDIT: Oh, I didn't see your other post, because we posted at the same time. So why do I need a fuse? And I already have a switch for the lights so I can turn them on only at night.

PurdueGuy