LED lights installed in forward compartments

[ifishinxs]

This is the follow up to the Tread I started asking about what lights to use.
I found what I was looking for on Amazon. 12 V 4’ water proof Led strip lights with the 3m adhesive backing.

This is a pretty straight forward install. The Interior light switch is conviently attached to a buss bar under the dash. Attach positive and negative to the buss bar. Run the wires next to the rigging tube into your driver side compartment. I used a few pieces of duct tape to hold the wires up under the console area until the wires reached the edge of the compartment lid.
I used the rubber lip on the weather seal and carpet to hold and hide wires. I used some 16 gauge red and black stranded wire I had laying around.
I ran all the wires along the top. You may need to trim carpet along the top area of the compartment lids so that you have room to stick the light strip in place. My light strips were 4’ long so they had to be cut to length.
I only had to drill 1 hole to each compartment at top to pass wires.
I used crimps to attach my wires along with adhesive lined heat shrink.
This was a very clean and easy install. DC430A24-B8AC-4349-96A8-4CEA8655D134.jpeg

Now I won’t need a flash light in the early morning to see my gear.

Here are the lights I used.
37B72F4A-31BA-4623-9DDF-7F8FC8E43982.png

[Foxtrot]

Looks awesome, will definitely be doing that.

[BoatNoobie]

Isnt there an "interior light" switch on the console? Can you have tapped into that?

[ifishinxs]

Isnt there an "interior light" switch on the console? Can you have tapped into that?

I did! The buss bar is activated by the interior switch. Made things super easy.

[BoatNoobie]

I did! The buss bar is activated by the interior switch. Made things super easy.

I'm having a hard time picturing this. Will need to stick my head underneath later this week.

[zaprod71]

lights.jpg
I used the Port side console wire for mine. It's deadened off inside the port compartment. Removed the "steps" inside the center rod locker and ran the wires under that.

[Lou22]

Looks nice!! Wtg!!

[mactlman]

i did same thing in my boat years ago with bluewater leds. works great BUT the heat in the box will ruin the adhesive in a season or two. then I used some clear silicone to re-glue the strips and they still work great

[MarkG52]

Very nice job!

[ifishinxs]

Here is the Interior light switch buss bar. As you can see its wide open to add more lights.
Just added lights to the day box as well.
56B99202-7CE6-4426-BD40-CCD56B332270.jpeg 8A1CAE55-45B9-44FB-8D2D-8C80F3D78C2A.jpeg

[tcesni]

Sweet install. I've been putting off installing lights on my boat since I bought it but it looks like I might be doing more night fishing so I need to get it done.

[BoatNoobie]

Here is the Interior light switch buss bar. As you can see its wide open to add more lights.
Just added lights to the day box as well.
56B99202-7CE6-4426-BD40-CCD56B332270.jpeg 8A1CAE55-45B9-44FB-8D2D-8C80F3D78C2A.jpeg

Eh? The light switch actually controls those bus bar? That's where my console display is connected. I think the bus bar is live without a switch.

[ifishinxs]

Eh? The light switch actually controls those bus bar? That's where my console display is connected. I think the bus bar is live without a switch.

Nope! If not my lights would be on anytime the main power was on. Your electronics are on a buss bar right behind this one as shown.
Bottom buss bar is constant power. Top bar is active only with the interior light switch. These could easily be reversed if needed.
609BF47C-FDDE-4E81-805B-79AE73F442DF.jpeg

[ifishinxs]

Sweet install. I've been putting off installing lights on my boat since I bought it but it looks like I might be doing more night fishing so I need to get it done.

This was exactly my motivation to get this done. The pleasure boats have turned the lake into a wave pool during the day. Im looking at blue lights for under the rail.

[BoatNoobie]

Nope! If not my lights would be on anytime the main power was on. Your electronics are on a buss bar right behind this one as shown.
Bottom buss bar is constant power. Top bar is active only with the interior light switch. These could easily be reversed if needed.
609BF47C-FDDE-4E81-805B-79AE73F442DF.jpeg

Mine is a 2020. Unfortunately my boat is at a yard so I can't verify at the moment but I do not remember that bottom block underneath my bus bar.

[ifishinxs]

Mine is a 2020. Unfortunately my boat is at a yard so I can't verify at the moment but I do not remember that bottom block underneath my bus bar.

Certainly could be different. Mine is a 2021

[BoatNoobie]

Certainly could be different. Mine is a 2021

So I went and looked at mine today. I do have that smaller block on the bottom.

My fishfinder is connected to the long skinny bus bar. It looks like my "Interior lights" are connected to the bottom block. I dont know how that bottom block is setup. I cant tell which is positive or negative or what.

[ifishinxs]

Blue/yellow are positive from your interior light switch. Black is ground. The doubled up wires are whats running your interior light. The single hot and ground are set up to attach another light.

[BoatNoobie]

Blue/yellow are positive from your interior light switch. Black is ground. The doubled up wires are whats running your interior light. The single hot and ground are set up to attach another light.

So looks like they switched it up between the 2020 and 2021 for some reason.

I'm still confused on how that bottom block works. Like the top one, I can tell the left side is negative and right is positive. Simple. The other design looks like whatever you want it to be?

Also when I was looking and feeling the corners of the rod locker and side locker, there feels like a small 1/2" gap in the corner on each side. I didnt have anything to fish through to see just how open it is there. Maybe next time.