ARCHIVE Owl plug-and-play LX courtesy/puddle replacement and rock lights

[Ramathorn15]

Wow, that's a good looking LC.

Definitely forgot to tag the pioneer!

 

[THRNBCK]

03 LX owner here, great work on these puddle lights!

I will definitly get my hands on a set in a very near future to show support and interest in your work and what you're doing. Possibly even picking up second set as a gift to my dad (04 LX). I'm very much interested in the final kit as well if a switch makes its way around into production.

Just a thought, but I was also thinking about adding a cut off switch to turn off the lights completely. An "incognito" mode maybe? A completely seperate switch all together? Maybe a 3 position selector switch [ (OFF/Incognito) | (Normal/Door Operation) | (ON/Rock Lights) ]? I dunno I'm no electrician, just an idea.

Anyways, all your content in this forum and on youtube is awesome! Keep it up!

 

[pokie1313]

03 LX owner here, great work on these puddle lights!

I will definitly get my hands on a set in a very near future to show support and interest in your work and what you're doing. Possibly even picking up second set as a gift to my dad (04 LX). I'm very much interested in the final kit as well if a switch makes its way around into production.

Just a thought, but I was also thinking about adding a cut off switch to turn off the lights completely. An "incognito" mode maybe? A completely seperate switch all together? Maybe a 3 position selector switch [ (OFF/Incognito) | (Normal/Door Operation) | (ON/Rock Lights) ]? I dunno I'm no electrician, just an idea.

Anyways, all your content in this forum and on youtube is awesome! Keep it up!

I also plan to set up my switching option to turn off completely.
The issue is that the factory ground (remote activated) is through a computer. Makes circuit a bit more involved for tapping into. Not really expecting plug and play for that functionality at this price point.

 

[Ramathorn15]

03 LX owner here, great work on these puddle lights!

I will definitly get my hands on a set in a very near future to show support and interest in your work and what you're doing. Possibly even picking up second set as a gift to my dad (04 LX). I'm very much interested in the final kit as well if a switch makes its way around into production.

Just a thought, but I was also thinking about adding a cut off switch to turn off the lights completely. An "incognito" mode maybe? A completely seperate switch all together? Maybe a 3 position selector switch [ (OFF/Incognito) | (Normal/Door Operation) | (ON/Rock Lights) ]? I dunno I'm no electrician, just an idea.

Anyways, all your content in this forum and on youtube is awesome! Keep it up!

I also plan to set up my switching option to turn off completely.
The issue is that the factory ground (remote activated) is through a computer. Makes circuit a bit more involved for tapping into. Not really expecting plug and play for that functionality at this price point.

I like this idea, and yes, my final kit won't be quite plug and play. I am on a mission to make it a one job that most anyone can accomplish.

With the setup so far, it would need relatively simple to make it turn off entirely. You would just need to add your own relay to the circuit that is always on until switched. Then when you switch to the off position, the relay would break the circuit.

I have the entire kit working, im just ordering different parts now to make it as simple and elegant as possible. Once I'm satisfied with a kit, I'll likely send 2 out to get some feedback before officially selling them.

 

[pokie1313]

I like this idea, and yes, my final kit won't be quite plug and play. I am on a mission to make it a one job that most anyone can accomplish.

With the setup so far, it would need relatively simple to make it turn off entirely. You would just need to add your own relay to the circuit that is always on until switched. Then when you switch to the off position, the relay would break the circuit.

I have the entire kit working, im just ordering different parts now to make it as simple and elegant as possible. Once I'm satisfied with a kit, I'll likely send 2 out to get some feedback before officially selling them.

I’ll be a guinea pig.

 

[Ramathorn15]

I’ll be a guinea pig.

I'll probably take you up on that. What year/LC or LX?

I won't be able to give much of a discount to the guinea pigs since my margins are already so low. I'll try to work something out though.

 

[pokie1313]

I'll probably take you up on that. What year/LC or LX?

I won't be able to give much of a discount to the guinea pigs since my margins are already so low. I'll try to work something out though.

2006 LX, AHC intact, connectors in good condition.

 

[PabloCruise]

That's a good question. I'm not 100% sure which years of LXs came with the lights. An easy way to tell is to look under the truck were the boards used to be in the front and see if there's a couple inches of wire and a plug coming from the floor of the body.

I'm brain storming the switch idea. It would be a lot more difficult to get it to work on a switch though.

I don't think my '99 LX had the courtesy lights...

 

[Ramathorn15]

I don't think my '99 LX had the courtesy lights...

You likely have the plugs/wiring for them though. I've found that the late model LX's have the wires plugged into the factory boards, but the boards didn't have lights. Seemed they planned to put lights on the boards and wired them up, but didn't put the actual lights on them until later.

I'm almost certain every LX has the wiring and plugs under the front floor boards.

Let me know if you find otherwise

 

[PabloCruise]

You likely have the plugs/wiring for them though. I've found that the late model LX's have the wires plugged into the factory boards, but the boards didn't have lights. Seemed they planned to put lights on the boards and wired them up, but didn't put the actual lights on them until later.

I'm almost certain every LX has the wiring and plugs under the front floor boards.

Let me know if you find otherwise

Okay! I will check this out!

 

[GoldenLX]

Just placed my order! Can't wait to get them in!

 

[Ramathorn15]

Just placed my order! Can't wait to get them in!

I'll get it out tomorrow! You should see it mid week.

Thanks!

 

[Ramathorn15]

Btw, I'm throwing in free logo decals for each order until I get the kit ready to go.

 

[GoldenLX]

I'll get it out tomorrow! You should see it mid week.

Thanks!

Wow. That's awesome! Thanks!

 

[dasgeek]

Once I'm satisfied with a kit, I'll likely send 2 out to get some feedback before officially selling them.

I just ordered a set and would love to be a tester when the switch kit is available. Can provide pictures of the install.

I have a 2002 LX470 and plugs from when I removed my running boards and lights last year. The plugs have been taped up waiting for me to do what you have here. Thanks for your hard work on this.

 

[GoldenLX]

Wow. That's awesome! Thanks!

Probably the only good thing about daylight savings time ending is that I get to see these things in action more often. They were easy to install (30-45 min). I love the way it looks and lights up the car!

 

[Ramathorn15]

I have everything working with the rock kit, Im just working on making it as pretty as possible. Having trouble finding a nice solid state relay, so I may have to use a functional, but ugly one in the kit. I'm waiting on shippment from a couple other suppliers to test and then I'll start ordering bulk once I settle on one.

Trying to make sure this is perfect before it goes out. Sorry for the wait, but it's so close!

 

[Ramathorn15]

Okay. I have two working system for the switchable rock lights that will work with both the 100 series LX and LC of every year.

Last hurdle is this:

Option A: The lights on most years (I think just excluding 98-99) will fade on/off like the dome light. To make it work, I have to use a bulky/ugly/more expesive solid state relay. It would be out of sight, it just doesn't look as clean as I wanted. Let's say that's $40 (just a ballpark)

Option B: use standard mechanical relays which looks a lot cleaner, but not allow the fade on/off. It's a much less complex setup and would be let's say $20 (again, a ballpark)

Hopefully all interest in this hasn't died. I know it's been forever but it's coming along nicely. Once I have the answer to this, it's simply building the kits.

I want to get opinions from you guys, the customers. Which do you value more? Simplicity or fade on/off?

 

[TheForger]

I vote Option B for a couple reasons: I prefer the simplicity route because it's obviously cheaper, and plus I'm not a a huge fan of the fade on/off feature.

 

[maxse01]

I’m still in for just a standard set of non switchable lights for my LX. Thanks Rami!