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DIY: Illuminated Cup Holders

nemo

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nemo Grand Master

nemo

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So I wanted to set about making illuminated cup holders for the Legacy, and here is what I came up with. I made a few mistakes along the way which will make it easier for you guys.

 

Remember, I'm doing this on an 08, so it might be a BIT different for you. I know the 05-07 have the heated seat control located elsewhere. Also, it's not my fault if you screw this up. It's pretty simple, just take your time.

 

Tools:

  • LEDs
  • 10mm Socket/Wrench/Rachet
  • Wire
  • Heatshrink
  • Electrical Tape
  • Quick Taps
  • Drill
  • Drill Bit (sized for your LED/holder)
  • Soldering Iron

 

Okay, to start... get in the car, and take apart your armrest console. Don't know how?

 

Open up your armrest. Clean it out. Pull up the carpet thing. Underneath you'll find two 10mm bolts. Take them out.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/3124208290_2c2fac920a_o.jpg

 

Next, pull up your e-brake boot thing. There are a few clips which make it hard. Just pull, it'll come up.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3092/3124208206_86f638fe1a_o.jpg

 

Once that's off, you'll see a little white clip thing. There's one exposed and one hidden (like underneath SI-Drive knob). See pic:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3099/3124208266_b30bce7929_o.jpg

 

I used a flathead screwdriver to pop it up. Be careful though... it looks like it could break. Once that's out, pull up on the entire console and the other one should pop out pretty easily. Lift it up, and you'll see this:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/3123381195_2f04eb8b62_o.jpg

 

Disconnect the harness, take your console out of your car, and to wherever you want to work. I chose my kitchen table

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3113/3123381263_b022707a9c_o.jpg

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/3123381297_4a137b0004_o.jpg

 

Flip it over, disconnect your SI-Drive harness, and your heated seat control harness. There are (4) four screws holding in your SI-Drive control. Unscrew and set aside. On the bottom of the cup holder there is another screw holding it in. Unscrew.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3237/3123381321_dcf4d1ab00_o.jpg

 

There are tabs along the sides of the cup holder holding it in. I had a piece of hard styrofoam stuck in there, pretty annoying to get out. Just be careful and maneuver the cup holder out.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/3124208450_1e2c225064_o.jpg

 

Layout your LEDs. This is one of my mistakes that you guys should learn from. I bought 4 of these from radio shack:

 

http://rsk.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pRS1C-2160478w345.jpg

 

Stupid me, I didn't take a picture. But they come pre-wired for 12V applications. However, the wire is only about 2" long. Which sucks for this application. So I had to extend the wires. If I had to do it again, I'd probably go on ebay and get some of these 12v pre-wired LEDs:

 

http://thmb.inkfrog.com/thumbn/zdchao1981/10_mm_12v_white.JPG=600

 

Only difference the ones from ebay are rounded so they'll protrude quite a bit. You could dremel them down, but that's why I bought the flat ones.. cause they're flat. Up to you, your choice. It also depends on where you're placing the LEDs. Just whatever you do, make sure that anything downstream of the LED can fit through the hole you drill.

 

Before you continue, test all your LEDs to make sure they work! You don't want to complete everything to to find out one was dead from the start. Be especially careful if you buy from eBay. Some of those come DoA.

 

Next, pick out where you want your LEDs to be placed. I wasn't thinking and drilled one high. You want to keep them lower, though. Make sure your drill bit is the right size for your LED/Holder. These were 5mm (3/16") I think.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3284/3123381425_5bcc8602bf_o.jpg

 

Test fit:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/3124208538_dd56ac1b9b_o.jpg

 

Nice and Flat:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/3123381477_772c903fcc_o.jpg

 

Pick out your other locations, drill, and fit:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/3123381547_ef325e8b38_o.jpg

 

Note: I wanted an LED on each side of the cup holders. Where the two sides joined together. If you look at the above image, on the right side, it was impossible to get a drill bit in there. So I marked the spot and took the cup holder apart. I don't have any pictures of this, sorry. But it's simple. There are 5 tabs (I believe). You just pop them out and it falls apart pretty much. Then I used a soldering iron to shape out the hole for my LED, and put it all back together. This is the layout I used:

 

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/5167/65842898em8.jpg

 

Moving on... Once you have your LEDs in and cup holder back together and all, you want to run the wires along the side of the cup holder. I ran it along the left side. I should have ran it along the right side. It would have been easier to tap into the harness later on.

 

Neaten up the wires, shorten them up, and join them.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/3124208652_df4aac5e83_o.jpg

 

Put the male end of the quick-tap along your power and ground. Another one of my mistakes. I bought quick-taps for 22-18 AWG wire. Not thinking that I would twist four 22AWG wires together. I didn't want to go to Radio Shack to get some more so I just ghetto-rigged it. So plan accordingly:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/3124208790_1e9622463c_o.jpg

 

Test:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/3123381737_1b2f61c6cd_o.jpg

 

This is where I need your guy's help. I tapped off the cigarette adapter for my ground, and the purple striped for my power. I *thought* that wire dimmed with the interior lights, but it doesn't. So if anyone knows let me know so I can fix this.

 

Anyways, clip the female end of the quick-taps to the appropriate wires and connect. This is why I should have gone along the right side of the cup holder instead of the left. I would have been able to connect directly to the quick tap if I did. However I had to make a jumper to go across the bottom of the cup holder. You can't see it in this picture. I ran the power to the heated seat control line. I didn't think it was right so I ran it across.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/3123381769_c7d5d99249_o.jpg

 

Go test with your 12V source. If everything works, go in your car and plug into the harness. Turn the car on. See if it lights up:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/3123381793_e0a17fb70f_o.jpg

If you don't vote Trump, out, you're a bigot who hates america.
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nemo Grand Master

nemo

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If it does... put everything back together. Pop the front in. Screw the bolts back in. Put the e-brake cover on. Turn your lights on:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3286/3124198602_9e56a9bc7d_b.jpg

 

Turn your lights on, they come on. Turn them off, they're gone. Now I just need some help getting them to dim with the rest of the interior lights. Mine really aren't very bright either way.

 

Put some water bottles in:

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/3124208920_421307ef94_o.jpg

 

Clean up. You're done.

 

If anyone has any questions lemme know and I'll try to help out.

If you don't vote Trump, out, you're a bigot who hates america.
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TSiWRX Grand Master

TSiWRX

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Great stuff, nemo. :D

 

BTW, I like your kitchen table. It looks like ours, what with the kiddo's stuff on it and all. ;)

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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nemo Grand Master

nemo

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Thanks, guys :)

 

I'm thinking of doing illuminated footwells as well, but I'm really torn between Rice or Not, lol.

 

As for the LED's that I used, I used these: #276-270 @ radioshack.

 

However as I said I'd recommend going on eBay and buying a pack of 12V pre-wired LEDs. Like from here You get like 20 for $8 as opposed to $2 each from radio shack. The 25cm tails that are pre-wired make all the difference. I probably spent half the the time wiring up the LEDs.

 

And @TSi, LOL. I knew someone was going to make a comment about it when I was going through the pictures :lol:. My sister, brother-in-law, and niece are visiting for Christmas from Chicago.

If you don't vote Trump, out, you're a bigot who hates america.
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TSiWRX Grand Master

TSiWRX

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^ Hey, that's what our table looks like, year-round.

 

Anna's got her Peanuts coloring book, magnetic acrobats, and Emma Bridgewater tea-set, plus an empty crayon box, occupying space on our table, right now! :lol:

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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uberwagon Rising Star

uberwagon

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Thanks, guys :)

 

I'm thinking of doing illuminated footwells as well, but I'm really torn between Rice or Not, lol.

 

As for the LED's that I used, I used these: #276-270 @ radioshack.

 

However as I said I'd recommend going on eBay and buying a pack of 12V pre-wired LEDs. Like from here You get like 20 for $8 as opposed to $2 each from radio shack. The 25cm tails that are pre-wired make all the difference. I probably spent half the the time wiring up the LEDs.

 

And @TSi, LOL. I knew someone was going to make a comment about it when I was going through the pictures :lol:. My sister, brother-in-law, and niece are visiting for Christmas from Chicago.

 

I think the footwells would be real nice not rice !! My buddy's Lexus has it and it looks great !!...... IMHO :)

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TSiWRX Grand Master

TSiWRX

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^ I'm all-in for the waterfall!

 

I really think that I'll do this for Winky, this spring ( too cold in the garage, now! :lol: ). I like the look, and I know that if I did the rear for Anna, she'd just go nuts. :D

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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ArcTec34 Veteran

ArcTec34

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I think the footwells would be real nice not rice !! My buddy's Lexus has it and it looks great !!...... IMHO :)

 

yeah, im thinking of just doing these to go on with the other lights only when you open up the doors, but not all the time

 

My father's audi A8 also has the lighting in the doors below the handles and such, so I'm going to look into doing something along thos elines as well

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