LED footwell purple lights=fail? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Just_Bill · 12-27-2012, 09:21 AM

I installed purple LED light strips on my friend's black Camaro the other day as a Christmas present. It's all black with all black interior. I got the lights from AAC so I'm sure they are good.

You can hardly see the lights at all! I tapped into the dome light using the wire you can find on the passenger side kick panel like it was explained in another thread.

At full dark you can see a little bit of purple but not much. I also put the purple LED light in the dome light. That also does not seem to put out much light. It's very disappointing after all the threads I've read on here about how great they are.

Could it be because the black interior and purple lights do not make a good combo? Is there a dim switch that might have the lights dimmer than normal I am not aware of? I'm thinking of adding a second LED strip to each side under the dash, would that work? I'm just really disappointed.

jdenotter · 12-27-2012, 10:01 AM

Im not sure of the footwells but my AAC dome and trunk lights are bright. Take a few pics and show us.
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Just_Bill · 12-27-2012, 10:54 AM

Yeah I guess I will take some pics and post them so everyone can see what I mean, thanks.

chef-beavis · 12-27-2012, 11:48 AM

Throw something light-colored into the floor and see the difference. I'm thinking the light is just not reflected by all the black, much like a blacklight.

Another thing worth noting is that all of these pictures you see with interior lighting are metered a LOT. Mine looks good but it is WAY dimmer in person than I anticipated based on everyone's pictures. They simply are not that bright, IMHO.

Just_Bill · 12-27-2012, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Another thing worth noting is that all of these pictures you see with interior lighting are metered a LOT. Mine looks good but it is WAY dimmer in person than I anticipated based on everyone's pictures. They simply are not that bright, IMHO.

Yeah I'm afraid that is most likely the case. I'm going to wire the switch to power from the fuse box and see if that makes any difference. That's what I wanted to do anyways, one from the fuse box and one from the dome light so she can switch them if she wants.

But chances are it's just because of the black on purple. I suppose an extra set of lights under the dash would help. In daylight you cannot see any light at all under there, even though her windows are tinted.

PIPE · 12-27-2012, 01:35 PM

All my lights came from SJMAutoprod. He's a vendor here. All my lights are purple and I too have the black leather interior. I have 1 LED on both sides of the console for the footwell lights. Its an accent light so its just bright enough to show off the footwells not blare light like a center stage. I also have purple dome light which is also a accent light. I wish it was a lil brighter so I could actually turn it on to find stuff, but it works for me. Along with all mentioned I have purple ambiant door lights, cupholder, Door pull, lights on back of console, and finally lights under back seats that shine in back footwell area. Again its all accent lighting not made to blare light like center stage at a rock concert. If you try to take pics its gonna turn out blue. Purple is very hard to take pics of or id post some up

St33lsinger · 12-28-2012, 09:08 AM

Purple is going to hard to see in daylight anyway. I have blue and they are hard to see in bright daylight. I can see them but in day light i think most footwell lights won't show up good. At night though...

Just_Bill · 12-28-2012, 09:20 AM

Thanks everyone. Well I'm going to install a second strip under the dash on both sides and see how that looks. I'm sure it will help at least a bit. Then put some under the back seat, I already have a wire going to it. I guess it looks okay, just not what I imagined.

Just_Bill · 12-31-2012, 08:00 AM

Well I found something out that was very interesting. I still had a set of lights from AAC. I decided I would put those with the other lights under the dash and get one more set for the back seats.

I went to my local autozone shop and saw the LED strips they had came with a test button to see the lights on. I could tell they were much brighter. I bought a set and put them under the back seats.

The "12 single strips under the back seats show up MUCH brighter than the two "15 strips that are under both sides of the dash! So there IS a big difference in who makes the lights. The "12 strips are even thinner and more narrow than the others. Cheaper to boot!

dorfmac · 01-01-2013, 08:05 PM

I have purple AAC foot wells - can't see at all during day, can see them fine at night. Make sure they are angled properly when connecting.

12-27-2012, 09:21 AM	#1
Just_Bill Camaro newbie Drives: Camaro Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Orlando, Fl. Posts: 14	LED footwell purple lights=fail? I installed purple LED light strips on my friend's black Camaro the other day as a Christmas present. It's all black with all black interior. I got the lights from AAC so I'm sure they are good. You can hardly see the lights at all! I tapped into the dome light using the wire you can find on the passenger side kick panel like it was explained in another thread. At full dark you can see a little bit of purple but not much. I also put the purple LED light in the dome light. That also does not seem to put out much light. It's very disappointing after all the threads I've read on here about how great they are. Could it be because the black interior and purple lights do not make a good combo? Is there a dim switch that might have the lights dimmer than normal I am not aware of? I'm thinking of adding a second LED strip to each side under the dash, would that work? I'm just really disappointed.

12-27-2012, 10:01 AM	#2
jdenotter Drives: 2010 2SS/RS,M6,Black w/CGM Stripes Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Nashville, NC Posts: 1,778 View My Garage	Im not sure of the footwells but my AAC dome and trunk lights are bright. Take a few pics and show us. Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2 __________________ 3" RDP Motorsports aggressive cat-back exhaust w/ x-pipe, Vararam CAI, Hurst's short throw shifter, Gary's Customs painted bowties, Ofer's HID DRL/Fog Light wiring harness, Kelvin 8K HID DRL bulbs, ZL1 grille. Johnson's window tint film, LSR lowering springs, Metra dash kit with Pioneer In-Dash DVD head unit.

12-27-2012, 01:35 PM	#6
PIPE Hating prius's since 1997 Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS (JENNA) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,039	All my lights came from SJMAutoprod. He's a vendor here. All my lights are purple and I too have the black leather interior. I have 1 LED on both sides of the console for the footwell lights. Its an accent light so its just bright enough to show off the footwells not blare light like a center stage. I also have purple dome light which is also a accent light. I wish it was a lil brighter so I could actually turn it on to find stuff, but it works for me. Along with all mentioned I have purple ambiant door lights, cupholder, Door pull, lights on back of console, and finally lights under back seats that shine in back footwell area. Again its all accent lighting not made to blare light like center stage at a rock concert. If you try to take pics its gonna turn out blue. Purple is very hard to take pics of or id post some up __________________ PIPE

12-28-2012, 09:08 AM	#7
St33lsinger Emerald Coast Camaros Drives: 2010 1 RS/SS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 1,095 View My Garage	Purple is going to hard to see in daylight anyway. I have blue and they are hard to see in bright daylight. I can see them but in day light i think most footwell lights won't show up good. At night though... Attached Images __________________ Had: 69' RS, 78' Z28, 98' SS Have: 2010 1RS/SS

12-27-2012, 10:54 AM	#3
Just_Bill Camaro newbie Drives: Camaro Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Orlando, Fl. Posts: 14	Yeah I guess I will take some pics and post them so everyone can see what I mean, thanks.

12-27-2012, 11:48 AM	#4
chef-beavis Drives: IOM 2013 2SS/RS, Greenie, 06 FXSTBi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Turd Town, WI Posts: 1,585	Throw something light-colored into the floor and see the difference. I'm thinking the light is just not reflected by all the black, much like a blacklight. Another thing worth noting is that all of these pictures you see with interior lighting are metered a LOT. Mine looks good but it is WAY dimmer in person than I anticipated based on everyone's pictures. They simply are not that bright, IMHO.

12-28-2012, 09:20 AM	#8
Just_Bill Camaro newbie Drives: Camaro Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Orlando, Fl. Posts: 14	Thanks everyone. Well I'm going to install a second strip under the dash on both sides and see how that looks. I'm sure it will help at least a bit. Then put some under the back seat, I already have a wire going to it. I guess it looks okay, just not what I imagined.

12-31-2012, 08:00 AM	#9
Just_Bill Camaro newbie Drives: Camaro Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Orlando, Fl. Posts: 14	Well I found something out that was very interesting. I still had a set of lights from AAC. I decided I would put those with the other lights under the dash and get one more set for the back seats. I went to my local autozone shop and saw the LED strips they had came with a test button to see the lights on. I could tell they were much brighter. I bought a set and put them under the back seats. The "12 single strips under the back seats show up MUCH brighter than the two "15 strips that are under both sides of the dash! So there IS a big difference in who makes the lights. The "12 strips are even thinner and more narrow than the others. Cheaper to boot!

01-01-2013, 08:05 PM	#10
dorfmac www.macsautodetail.com Drives: 2010 2LT/RS Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Baltimore Posts: 1,894 View My Garage	I have purple AAC foot wells - can't see at all during day, can see them fine at night. Make sure they are angled properly when connecting.