LED Map Bulb Installation Guide

Refer to the Dome Lamp LED Install Guide for details on taking apart your dome lamp.

Warning - These Thumbnails will generate LARGE pics!

Supplies - One or more (usually two) 10mm LEDs, configured with wire and resistor (see pic below)
Note - the SILVER wire is the (-) and the COPPER wire with RESISTORS is the (+).

Repeat each of these steps PER SIDE!

IMG_0863.JPG (3424713 bytes)

 

Step 1: Push the copper contact aside, as shown, and then route the wiring so that the LED is in the reflector section.
Then, configure the wiring as shown. You may simply push the tinned SILVER wire in between the copper and plastic post. Alternatively, you can place this wire between the two copper contact plates. Either way, the SILVER wire must not be allowed to touch the aluminum plate, below.

IMG_0859.JPG (3324010 bytes)

IMG_0851.JPG (3253076 bytes)

IMG_0858.JPG (3254482 bytes)

Step 2: Sandwich the RESISTOR leads between the aluminum plate and the plastic pin. In this picture, I routed the lead down and then used needle-nosed pliers to pull the remaining slack back up and out.

IMG_0852.JPG (3300770 bytes)

Step 3: Eyeball the LED so that it appears to be pointing like so. This makes it easier to perform the final steps.

IMG_0854.JPG (3304675 bytes)

Step 4: The PITA part. You will want to use tape, epoxy putty, or other suitable adhesive to accomplish this last step. However, before using any adhesives, perform the following: Assemble your dome lamp and be sure that your map LED points like so:

IMG_0891.JPG (3171674 bytes)

IMG_0892.JPG (3293313 bytes)

IMG_0894.JPG (3115035 bytes)

Step 5: You may want to assemble the dome lamp as shown in this last picture, above, and then mount it into your car to see how the LED is pointing. Without adhesive support, the LED will just hang there, but if you want more precise aiming of the map bulb, you may want to see how it projects the light output in its current location.

Step 6: Unfortunately, I didn't offer pics of this because my lamp is the guinea pig and I need to be able to change things in and out of it. However, in my first demo, I used a common 3M packaging tape and kind of crinkled it up in the hemispherical reflector cavity, then wrapped it around the LED and wire and eyeballed it to where I thought it would sit perfectly.