HLS30-08077 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Interior lighting upgrade for All Z's Being winter, it's dark sooner and longer than normal. So with that in mind, I really notice how dark the interior is when I drop my keys on the mat in front me. After digging for a minute and finally having to get out of the car and reach down to get the keys, I figure it's time for an upgrade. Some of you will like it and some of you won't. But the plain and simple truth is "The dome lights in these cars SUCK azz" So I got online and started looking for your basic 12 volt interior lights. this turned out to be Mission Impossible. So I used Goooogle to look deeper and found this site.... Directron.com and this link will take you directly to the lights in question. It's a Computer supply site and I found 12" (12 Volt DC) Cold Cathode Tube lights. Used to light up the inside of a computer case with a clear plastic side panel. The Cold Cathode tube only require 5.0ma which is practically nothing. The picture below will show before and after as well as cutting off the "T" plugs from the inverter that normally plug into the inside of the computer. They put off a Beautiful white light when placed under the dash. I mounted the first tube at the bootom back corner of the glove box, using the supplied Velcro that came with it. It sits just on the back corner but not on the down facing panel of the glove box. Out of site but able to light everything up. The blue inverter box sits in the dash area just above the radio. The wires from the inverter to the tubes are only about 12" each so the box has to be placed in the middle of the dash. **DO NOT CUT THE WHITE WIRES THAT GO TO THE TUBES** THEY ARE SPECIALTY HI VOLTAGE WIRES!! The drivers side was different. The tube sits on the upper side of the steering columnm, with the wired end touching the mid-section of the defrost tube and the other end just barely touching the curved dash support on the left of the steering column. So I Velcro'd the wired end to the plastic defrost tube and doubled up the Velcro on the other end to reach the dash support better. Best $15 I ever spent on lighting up a very dark interior. They sit low enough to even light the dark seats, just enough to make sure I don't end up with seat belt up my butt, AGAIN!! Here's the pics.. Dave. If you have any other lighting upgrades, please post them here, as the title of this forum should pop up when ever someone is looking for lighting options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CArFAn Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLS30-08077 Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 Pics? Pics are up, I hit the darn button before the upload window was up. sorry. Let me know what ya think. It's a day and night difference, I'm definately going to put 2 tubes in the back or one in the back and one where the regular dome light is. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CArFAn Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Its bright thats for sure if i can find them on amazon i would get them and i would try to source something for a dome light and the other light above the heater controls/vents. And inside the glovebox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Buy a zx, they have lights on the lower panel under the glove box and steering wheel! heehee. P.S. also in the key lock on the doors, ingnition, inside trunk light and two overhead interior lights:). I even believe on in the glove box as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrumpetRhapsody Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I did the front and back seats of my Regal with red cold cathodes to fancy it up. I love the look, and plan to do it to any car I get. The 260z is next! Look at the far right of my sig pic for an example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I'll admit that its neater than just plain lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HLS30-08077 Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 Buy a zx, they have lights on the lower panel under the glove box and steering wheel! heehee. P.S. also in the key lock on the doors, ingnition, inside trunk light and two overhead interior lights:). I even believe on in the glove box as well! That's great, But you could'nt pay me to buy a ZX. Call me picky or what-ever, I just don't like the ZX. I'll stick with my 70' Z. It's nice that Nissan finally go the lighting correct, and all Z's have lights in the glovebox, I quess they figured we'd wanna be able to find the registration after dark, when being pulled over for having a fast sports car. Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Lol^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughdogz Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Buy a zx, they have lights on the lower panel under the glove box and steering wheel! heehee. P.S. also in the key lock on the doors, ingnition, inside trunk light and two overhead interior lights:). I even believe on in the glove box as well! Don't forget about the cigarette lighter socket! My lighter shoots out and lands between the seat and tranny tunnel to let you know it is ready. I need to fix that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Thats what mine dose tooo! Came out with a force! Happens at the worst time as well. I bent the holders in a little but now its almost too stiff! PS some times it lights, some time not. Looking forward to seeing the results of the cathodes on your Z;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 That is great man. Those things really light it up!!! Seriously... does the camera make it look better than it really is?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armand Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 So how do you turn them on? Just mounted a switch somewhere on your dash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJLamberson Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 ha my cig lighter does that too, only I dont smoke so I dont use it and it still jumps out at random! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jknc90 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 My cigarette lighter falls out when I pull out fast lol. I really like the lights, I'm gonna have to do something like that when I get it back on the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrumpetRhapsody Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 So how do you turn them on? Just mounted a switch somewhere on your dash? They got control boxes with switches, yeah. Mine actually has a sound sensitive attachment. Works nice with my 12" sub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffer949 Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 why not hook it up to come on with your dome light? thats what i would want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJLamberson Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 why not hook it up to come on with your dome light? thats what i would want now that would be really sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrumpetRhapsody Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 It probably wouldn't be tough: Some have a PCI slot blank with a switch on it, which would be really easy to tap into for the dome light input. Mine is more like a plastic box with a flat slider. You'd have to break into it and solder onto the leads probably. Still not too bad, but a little more involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nismo280zEd Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 wow... I guess i'm not the only one who though of using those lol. I was thinking about using a color, I think the bright white is a little harsh. Looks good! -Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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