Flashing LED in the dashboard

[UKPhilTR7]

<b><font color="green">Not so long ago, I brought a flashing LED from Frost, to give the impression that I have a car alarm. I was going to fit it in the middle of the switch panel so that it is nice and visible. My car has a four switches in the panel, two either side with a spare slot in the middle. This LED comes with a 5 meter cable, so should be enough to reach the battery.
With this in mind, I was wondering if anyone had done anything like this and how easy it will be to trail the cable from the LED in the dash to the battery. Are there any other cables that you can recommend that I follow? Fitting the LED itself should be easy enough as there is already a hole there where it looks like the last owner had something like this.</b></font id="green">

[mikehardwick]

Just a thought - my car came with a flashing LED mounted in the middle of the large grill on the top centre of the dash - easy access to the wiring loom, so you could tape the wiring to any existing part of the loom going the right way, and VERY visible through the windscreen. A standard Triumph (lol) switch was mounted on the switch panel - you could use your spare space - to activate the LED

Mike

[UKPhilTR7]

<b><font color="green">Mike, I must admit that is a good idea as it would be more visible from the whole of the car, rather than just the sides or the back, with the panel mounted LED. This would then give me space in the centre of the panel to put my root release button.
Not having taken the grill off and looking at the wiring loom, can anyone suggest any wires (positive and negative) that I could tap into and take a feed from for my LED to always flash?</b></font id="green">

[saabfast]

If you have a modern radio there is probably a permanent live (from the battery or ignition feed). However, it will be on and flashing all the time and may be distrcting at night unless you put a switch in.

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1
'81 TR7 DHC

[jclay (RIP 2018)]

If you value your TR7 that much, why not just go and get an alarm installed and have them put the light in the middle of the grill.

P.S. Mounting the alarm horn in the boot doesn't work that well! It can't be heard!

Have fun, drive fast & safe, be kewl,

jclay

[stevie_a]

<font color="green"><b>If the car has no alarm and you only want it as a visual deterrent

The best way to do this is:-

• As mentioned lift the speaker grill on the top of the dash
look at the back you will see the centre is marked by the moulding process you
will see a thick circle of plastic drill your hole here.

• The best way to wire it up is a very good way it sounds bizarre but trust me it works

• First you say it is a flashing kit you have two wires coming from the light
1 for your live 1 for your earth


• Firstly connect your live to a wire that Is permanent live from one of the wires from under where the grill was.

• Next (this is the strange bit) in the same area find a live that only works with the ignition on.

• Now connect the other wire to this.



You now have a flashing light but when you turn on your ignition it will go off ( so no switches)

I have the lights mounted in the door tops</b></font id="green">








<font size="4"><font color="green"><i>If it's not broke don't fix it.</i></font id="green"></font id="size4">

[paul w]

I have one mounted in the top grill too,but it runs off a 9v
battery with a hidden switch.This way you cannot drain the
cars battery if you forget it.Also,if you have electronic
ignition you can make a simple immobiliser by putting a
switch in the earth line.When earth is isolated ,engine
spins over but will not fire,which gives a 'phantom'
ignition/fuel problem to a thief.You just have to hide
switch somewhere convenient.

See ya. Paul

[stevie_a]

<font color="green"><b>Paul to be honest an LED bulb would not use enough power to run a car battery down

As I say I have one on each door with no effect on the battery.

As for the ignition immobiliser what you say is a good idea I also have this as well as a full cat 1 alarm system.

Ok I go over the top but it is my baby...[:D] </b> </font id="green">




<font size="4"><font color="green"><i>If it's not broke don't fix it.</i></font id="green"></font id="size4">

[UKPhilTR7]

<b><font color="green">Paul, I must admit that what you said really sounds a good idea. I could put it under the steering rack. However, with the cold weather now, my car has been starting a little slow, so this may put a thief off lol. Cheers, for the idea though, will look into that. </b></font id="green">

[Henk]

I've mounted the led in de lightbar and they go on when the contact is off.
But i like the leds in de doors!

[img][IMG]http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z26/TRHENK/dash.jpg[/img][/img]

Henk

1980 TR7 US Convertible
1978 Mini Clubman Estate

[frankman]

...[:D] I like the Ferrari Sticker

Hello from Switzerland

Frank

[UKPhilTR7]

<b><font color="green">Thanks for this it has been a great help and I must admit that the pics look great. Had the same idea myself with the LED's on the doors, very easy for people to see. This for the moment I will look at putting it either in under the grill on the dash or just on the front by the switches.
Would anyone who has done this be able to send me a pic or post one of where they took the supply from please. It sounds an easy job, but not too sure with the electrics and want to get it right. A picture will help me, cheers guys.</b></font id="green">

[saabfast]

Sorry to resurrect this but I have wired up a flashing LED in the manner recommended by stevie_a, using the permanent and switched live to the radio for connections. It worked in the garage (albeit the LED is fairly dim).
Having had the car out this w/e, I parked in the drive with the top down. Then, walking past, I noticed a clicking. I tracked this to the relay I put in to operate the aerial from the radio output terminal. Then saw that the LCD display on the radio was flicking on and off in time with the clicking. By chance I found that if I covered the flashing LED (located in the square plate on the top of the dash), the clicking and all stopped. Uncover it and it starts again.
Now, this may be another 'senior moment', and I don't pretend to understand electronics and black boxes at all, but how does the sun act on an LED to operate the radio and cause it to switch the aerial relay, if only for a fraction of a second, on and off?

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1
'81 TR7 DHC

[stevie_a]

<font color="purple"><b>Best and easiest remedy for that is to find a different live for that feed </b> </font id="purple">



<font size="4"><font color="green"><i>If it's not broke don't fix it.</i></font id="green"></font id="size4">

[Peter Nuss]

I would think having a red light on all the time would be distracting / annoying, flashing even worst. I know on US cars there's a wire that runs part of the emmissions system that goes hot when the key is turned off to close some type of control valve. But, I would think a relay would also do the same thing. Turn the key off and it would trip a light, I guess off the ground wire would be better. Just thinking out loud.

TR8