need some help with an idea

ok so i have an idea that i believe will be pretty sweet mod

the idea is to create a small fiberglass "pocket" right behind the Toyota symbol. then i want to put a small light behind the Toyota symbol and have it shining back on the pocket so it will give a nice ambient glow. i do not want it to be so bright that it is like a head light just bright enough to basically glow.

however i do need some help with the wiring. so basically what i need is to run a light (something no bigger than lets say a trailer light and possibly even as small as a led. that part im going to have to test) from the cab to the front of my truck. i need to know if i need a relay or anything like that. i can go from a in switch to the light just need to know how to do the fuse/power/relay part.

any ideas?

 

edited with mod detail

 

i would say look into getting a led strip of your choice check out superbrightleds.com that got all manner of parts to choose from. i would look into a really low power unit so hopefully its not stupidly bright like a headlight as you said.. either that or just get one medium sized bulb and plug in the back and have the housing you make disperse the light as evenly as possible and maybe use filters to get the color you want and to limit some of the light output? i dunno just ideas

 

If you do a small LED strip, you do not need a relay. As long as the amperage of the LED does not exceed the rated amperage of the switch, you can just wire the switch in series with the LED itself.

I'd recommend these.



They are a cuttable LED strip with a sticky back that are very bright. Just google "cuttable LED strips" and you should be able to find a place to buy them room. They are usually 12v.

 

BTW, this isn't a new idea.

 

That would be exactly opposite of what you should do, you need a switch with an amperage rating higher than that of the LED, not lower. The switch is not a power-consuming device, it must be selected with the circuits amperage in mind.

 

agree...LED's draw such little current you shouldn't need a relay. I would use a relay for any type of bulb, and I don't recommend tapping straight off of a wire to power it. Check out my electrical basics thread, i talk all about wire sizes and basic circuit design (link in signature).

 

hey guys i just finished it!
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/171563-toyota-symbol-back-light.html