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  1. #1
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    RT188 compartment lighting

    I'm wanting to add some lighting to the front 3 compartments. My plan is to wire them all together and put them on the unused accessory switch at the console so when I flip it on, all the compartment lighting turns on. Really...I think just adding 4 feet of LED strip lighting to each side of the rod box will probably be enough. Execution, I think, looks pretty simple. There's a tiny hole in the front corners of each compartment that the wiring can run through and I can then run all the wiring to the dash via the wiring tube. Going /w 18g wire and 2x 2ft LED white 50/50 strips on each side of the rod box and possibly 1 on each side of each of the side boxes. My question is placement. I haven't found much in the way of guys adding the lighting to the rod box. Anybody have any pics or thoughts of where they put them? My first instinct was to put them under the lip on each side. There's no carpet and it will go almost unnoticeable. I'm going to use some 3M VHB adhesive for the strips. I wanted 2 of the cook's goto tackle bars under the rod locker lid and /w the 1 support bar, I used some of that 3m VHB to hold them to that one bar instead of drilling. That stuff is amazing....anyway... Is 2 LED strips on each side too much? Will just 1x 2ft strip on each side suffice?

    I haven't looked too hard under the dash at the switch yet but does anybody know if I need to wire anything particular for this? I looked once and I believe there is a black/white stripe (might be black/red stripe) coming off the switch that goes to I think the fuse panel on the side. Assuming this switch has power to it already (I'm pretty sure it illuminates when I switch it on, I'll check soon), can I just put a spade connector on the hot wire of the LEDs, the ground wire of the LEDs, and then put them on the acc switch and good to go? I guess I could also just wire them + the current under dash LED together and use that switch.
    Last edited by iabass8; 09-30-2017 at 10:38 PM.

  2. Member lilduckx3's Avatar
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    #2
    I put lighting under the gunnels june this year. wired the negative to the panel in the bow. positive to empty switch on dash . works good .I got my lighting strips at Walmart they have different colors and sizes . they have 3m adhesive tape on them already . I am planning to add lights in the lockers . I am going to put micro switches to turn them on and off and attach the positive and negative to the panel in the bow.
    2016 RT 188

  3. Member
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    #3
    Quote Originally Posted by lilduckx3 View Post
    I put lighting under the gunnels june this year. wired the negative to the panel in the bow. positive to empty switch on dash . works good .I got my lighting strips at Walmart they have different colors and sizes . they have 3m adhesive tape on them already . I am planning to add lights in the lockers . I am going to put micro switches to turn them on and off and attach the positive and negative to the panel in the bow.
    thanks sir. Is there a reason you used the block at the box for the ground instead of running both wires to the dash switch?

  4. FOOTLONG MEMBER Ranger RT's Avatar
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    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by iabass8 View Post
    thanks sir. Is there a reason you used the block at the box for the ground instead of running both wires to the dash switch?
    The switch only has 12volts on the empty terminal.. . So connect your positive wire from your LED's there.... The switch does have a ground for the lighted switch .. But it is easier to use the ground block ... A lot of empty terminals there that you can just plug right in
    2013 Pre-Johnny Ranger RT 178
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    Honda certified Master technician 33 Years

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    #5
    Thanks guys. I went ahead and ordered some LED 5050 lighting /w some 16g marine wire. Should be here this week and I will probably install them next week. I think I'm going to put 1 in each side compartment and 2 in the rod locker.

  6. FOOTLONG MEMBER Ranger RT's Avatar
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    #6
    2013 Pre-Johnny Ranger RT 178
    115 PRO XS
    Due to the increase of ammunition prices... There will be no warning shots
    Honda certified Master technician 33 Years

  7. Member
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Ranger RT View Post
    Still waiting on the LED's. I ordered a few other odds and ends and forgot to unclick "ship all items together". Hopefully will be here tomorrow/wednesday. Should get to it this week pending rain.

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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by iabass8 View Post
    Is there a reason you used the block at the box for the ground instead of running both wires to the dash switch?
    Easiest is best. No need to run the negative somewhere specific as they all eventually make their way to the battery. You're only going to switch and fuse the + side. FYI strip lights pull about .1 amp per foot or 1 amp per 10 linear feet. Make sure you fuse the switch accordingly. The lights come wired with, I believe 18ga wire. You will need to connect all the lights creating a parallel circuit My advice is to make the connection(s) with at least 16ga if not 14ga wire back to the switch.

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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by slonezp View Post
    Easiest is best. No need to run the negative somewhere specific as they all eventually make their way to the battery. You're only going to switch and fuse the + side. FYI strip lights pull about .1 amp per foot or 1 amp per 10 linear feet. Make sure you fuse the switch accordingly. The lights come wired with, I believe 18ga wire. You will need to connect all the lights creating a parallel circuit My advice is to make the connection(s) with at least 16ga if not 14ga wire back to the switch.
    Would I need to add an additional fuse to the + side of the lighting if the dash switch I'm hooking it up to is already fused? The empty dash switch is already back lit so I think I just have to throw the wire on to the back of the switch. Haven't checked the fuse size at the panel yet(pretty sure it's 3a) but I'll put in the correct size based on the amount of strips I decide to use. I'm only using 15-16ft of wire anyway for this project. I've got a computer power supply I converted to a 12v power supply so I'll be able to test the lights on it before actually hooking them into the boat. I'm usually one to go overkill on boat wiring but I went /w 16g marine wire for this. Plan so far is just solder/heat shrink the wire's to each strip and run all the wires together under the deck. pos /w pos and neg /w neg.Then solder/heat shrink the Pos bundle to a single wire (same /w neg) and run them to their respective areas.

    This particular lighting won't get heavy use. More of a convenience thing. Bow lighting will be a winter project.

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    #10
    Project's put on hold. New 115 Etec started acting up. In the shop. I guess projects are for the winter.

    I do have all the LED's soldered to their wire, heat shrunk, tested, and working. Went /w bright white 5050 waterproof. They look sharp. . All that has to be done is run adhere them to the underside of the lip of each hatch and run the wiring to the switch. Hard part is done.

    It's only been gone an hour and I feel so alone