Max_Kreeger

Hey guys,

I hope I'm posting this in the right section, anyway. I have a Nissan Pulsar Q1.8L Hatchback 2003. Now I plan to install a few led strips here and there..but my only problem is I don't know how to get the wires through the firewall to the battery. I can't find any holes to put them through.

Thank you
Max

pulsar86

Welcome. Find where the main harness comes through the firewall and you can usually push a piece of stiff wire through next to it in the grommet and pull any new wires through by connecting them to the stiff wire and pulling from the enginebay side.

__________________
Aussie 1986 PULSAR 23 years one owner, still going strong!

Max_Kreeger

Awesome, thank you...I didn't state it before but I'm a car noob. What exactly is the main harness and when I push the wire through where exactly will it pop out ?

Excuse my stupidity
Thank you
Max

Max_Kreeger

EDIT:

Don't worry. Found a hole...running it through the door..well up the door and through a lil hole which takes it to the engine bay What do you recommend is the best way to hook the LED's up ? Directly to the battery or ?

Thanks again
Max

pulsar86

If you are not sure how to wire your lights get a book on basic 12 volt electrics to learn how. It is probably best to pick up the power from a wire that has power in the accessory position on your ignition possibly cigarette lighter and use a scotch loc terminal to tap the power wire run to a switch then to your leds and then the other side of your leds to earth. If you pick a wire that gets power in accessory position the lights will always turn off when you turn off the ignition fully even if you forget to switch them off on their own switch so no flat batteries. the main wiring harness is the big bundle of wires probably coming in near the steering column. if you pick up power in the cab your don't need to get a wire to the battery.

__________________
Aussie 1986 PULSAR 23 years one owner, still going strong!

Max_Kreeger

Well this is my wiring plan:

ground---led strip 1---led strip 2---switch---fuse---positive terminal. That good ? Will they stay on if the ignition is fully off ?

Thanks again
Max

Faja

No, you are hooking it up directly to the battery so they will always be on.

As Pulsar said, find a wire under your dash that only gets power when you turn the ignition on, get an ON/OFF switch and hook up one pin to your LED and the other pin to the wire that has ignition power. Ground the other wire on your LED somewhere on the chassis.

This way you can control the on/off function with the switch and if you forget to turn off the switch, it will automatically shut down when you turn off the car.

You can do a google search on how to hook up LEDs and you will find a diagram that you can visually follow. It's not difficult even if this is your first try.

Max_Kreeger

I don't really want to splice into any wires from under the dash. I've always been more of an electronics/computer type person. So not 100% sure what half the things are or what wire does what haha. The two led strips are going under the dash board to light up the floor and I will only turn them on every now and then. Will the wiring plan I stated above work ? I mean you would have to be blind to forget to turn the LEDs off haha.

Thanks again for putting up with my car noobiness
Max

Faja

I guarantee that you will forget to turn them off sooner or later and you will regret it. If you have a cigarette lighter, just splice into those, it should be close to your underdash so you'll have less wires to deal with.

BUT if you still want to go your way, you'll have to run a wire from dash to engine compartment, attach to positive of battery with in-line fuse (1-3A). and ground the other side of the LED. Hook up your switch the same way as I described earlier. This is probably more work and more difficult than splicing an existing lead from your dash.

Max_Kreeger

Yeah good point..just not comfortable taking things apart and cutting wires just yet. Will I have to remove anything to find the wire for the cigeratte lighter ?

Thanks again
Max

Faja

I'm not familiar with the specifics on the interior of your car but it should be fairly simple. Most panels are just a couple of screws and clips and you pull it off, find the back of the cigarette lighter and you should see the wires connected to it.

PS: you could also use a fuse tap and just connect it to an existing fuse that comes on with ignition so you don't have to splice any wires

Max_Kreeger

Ok, I'll have a poke around, see whats where. My friend had to take out half of his center console to get to the back of his cigarette lighter, so that's why I'm reluctant to do it. If all else fails. I'll just do it the first way I mentioned. One more thing, because the two strips are in series will they light up at maximum brightness or will they be slightly dimmer then normal ? I'm guessing they will be fine because the battery can power the headlights...but just making sure ?

I apologize for my stupidity
Thank you again
Max

Faja

Yes, they will be maximum brightness - LEDs draw very little current.

Max_Kreeger

Ok, awesome....onnnee more problem...how do you take off the plastic cover in the middle ? (The plastic over the hand brake etc.)

Thanks
Max

Faja

Again, I'm not familiar with the interior of this particular model so won't be able to help you there. Maybe someone with similar car can assist or see if you can get a service manual somewhere that shows you exactly how to remove the console. If you actually take a GOOD look at it and you might be able to see how they open up, like I said most of the time you just have to pry the trim open, there might be a couple screws and clips but it should be fairly easy to figure out.