Duffy
04-04-2006, 03:21 PM
Here is a little project for NBC owners who don't have the CD player and want to light up that little dark hole called a storage area.
I used the same light that goes under the dash that lights up the cup holders. About $10.00 from VW. I removed the PC board and with fashioned three high brightness white LED's in series with a 150 Ohm resistor for 12V operation. A thin piece of foam tape in the top of the black housing holds the assembly in place. You will notice that I filed off the bullet end of the LED's. polished with 2000 grit sandpaper. This allowed a better fit of the assembly in the tiny case.
I went a little complex with the project to switch the light off when the lid is closed. Using a junk box micro switch, with lever actuation, was placed so the the ratchet device of the lid closing mechanism would operate the switch turning off the light. The hand made bracket is mounted to the end of two screws using speed nut(s). The bracket has about a 45deg. bend to provide alignment. If you choose not to use a switch the light will be on all the time when the headlights are on. When the console lid is closed, would it really matter if the light stays on?
The light was centered in the back side of box about mid way down to provide clearance for the light so the box could be inserted and removed. I used on old TV two pin connector to apply power (12V) to the light so the box can be removed and laid aside. The connector is optional but recommended. This location was the only place I could find for the light to mount and still insert/remove the box.
Power (12V) was accessed at the top up/down switch. Release the connector to expose the wiring and splice onto the gray/blue, (switch back lighting) and the brown (ground) wire.
If someone wants to tackle this project please ask questions.
I used the same light that goes under the dash that lights up the cup holders. About $10.00 from VW. I removed the PC board and with fashioned three high brightness white LED's in series with a 150 Ohm resistor for 12V operation. A thin piece of foam tape in the top of the black housing holds the assembly in place. You will notice that I filed off the bullet end of the LED's. polished with 2000 grit sandpaper. This allowed a better fit of the assembly in the tiny case.
I went a little complex with the project to switch the light off when the lid is closed. Using a junk box micro switch, with lever actuation, was placed so the the ratchet device of the lid closing mechanism would operate the switch turning off the light. The hand made bracket is mounted to the end of two screws using speed nut(s). The bracket has about a 45deg. bend to provide alignment. If you choose not to use a switch the light will be on all the time when the headlights are on. When the console lid is closed, would it really matter if the light stays on?
The light was centered in the back side of box about mid way down to provide clearance for the light so the box could be inserted and removed. I used on old TV two pin connector to apply power (12V) to the light so the box can be removed and laid aside. The connector is optional but recommended. This location was the only place I could find for the light to mount and still insert/remove the box.
Power (12V) was accessed at the top up/down switch. Release the connector to expose the wiring and splice onto the gray/blue, (switch back lighting) and the brown (ground) wire.
If someone wants to tackle this project please ask questions.