My Interior Illumination mod - Lighted Cup Holders

Did this to my 2013. Couldnt find the infamous diffuser ring anywhere so I innovated for now until I can find one.

StreetGlow single LED's

http://i46.tinypic.com/xmseaq.jpg

Just some 1/4" tubing I got from Lowes for $3

http://i48.tinypic.com/2rca2ok.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/33mv136.jpg

Used double-sided tape to hold tubing on

http://i47.tinypic.com/4j9ouq.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/n35jxg.jpg

Final product. Wish the light was strong enough to reach all the way around but this is just temporary until I can come up with a better solution or find a way to get my hands on one of those rings.

http://i48.tinypic.com/120t2br.jpg

Final product. Wish the light was strong enough to reach all the way around but this is just temporary until I can come up with a better solution or find a way to get my hands on one of those rings.

http://i48.tinypic.com/120t2br.jpg

How about using 4 leds instead of 2 and put the extra 2 in the empty ends of the tubing?

Yeah I was thinking about doing that but the lights I bought have those little boxes on them and theres not enough room to fit two of them in there. The pack of LED's I bought was a four pack so I already have 2 extra lights' date=' I was considering just cutting the other two out of those boxes and soldering them onto the other two lights but the leads are really small and unless I added some wire on I dont think it will reach around that little bend to go the other way. I want to use the ones I already bought but I'll probably just save myself the trouble and buy some more without those little boxes on them and do it that way. I should of just bought some online like that from the start but these StreetGlows were the only thing I could find at stores locally.[/quote']

 

Try radio shack. I bought the LEDs for my son ride on toy there, nice and bright.

Buy some separate LED's in whatever color you want. Just plain ones with the terminals sticking off of them. Pay attention to the voltage they are made for, so you can put them in a series circuit.

 

In case you don't follow what I am saying: Most LED's are made to work in the 3-4volt range. The little box on those Street glow lights you have more than likely has a set of resistors in it to bring the voltage down to operating range.

 

That being said, you can run 3 or 4 LED's (depending on voltage) in a series circuit (all tied together in a line, with one power and one ground) and not have to worry about the resistors.

The ones I bought did not have resistors just wire soldered and heat shrinked to the led. Those burnt out within a year. Planning on rewriring the cup holder. The overhead console led I just added by buying a higher trim switch console on eBay and swapping the non led base version out

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Here's some bad cell phone pics of a test fitment. I was able to get all 4 in there.

As you see, I tested using a 9-volt battery to test, so they will be brighter after permanent installation.

It loks like you used 4 LED's, also what did you use to go around the cupholders? Looks goo though, I am planning on doing an LED set up for my interior soon.

I did use 4 LEDs. I had to trim away part of the cup holder where the bulbs sit to get them in there. I used 1/4" tubing for the diffuser just like Clean13' did. I used the same LEDs as him, too.

here's the part I trimmed away

Did this mod a couple of weeks ago. Decided to post some pictures. The red looks amazing with the diffuser ring.

Finally got around to doing mine this holiday weekend. I spent for the 2010 cupholder assembly ($33 from SubaruOnlineParts.com) that included the diffuser ring but also has a nice little rubber 'mat' at the bottom of the cupholders and the removable divider sits flush at the bottom. My 2012 did not have a mat and the divider had these annoying little tabs at the bottom which tended to trap any keys, coins, etc you put into the cupholder.

I used two 5mm 6000mcd pre-wired leds I got off of ebay ($6 for 10) and tapped into the wiring harness for the gear-indicator lighting for power.

The pictures were actually taken during the day; just in my garage with the window blinds shut - so they're fairly bright.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/3GGuy/2012%20Subaru%20Legacy%203%206R%20Limited/DSC06157-Copy.jpg~original

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/3GGuy/2012%20Subaru%20Legacy%203%206R%20Limited/DSC06155-Copy.jpg~original

Part number of cup holder please.

The site I used doesn't list a Subaru part number, but go here: http://www.subaruonlineparts.com/oempartscat.html

and search Subaru, 2010, Legacy, console, front console, cup holder. You'll have a choice of manual or auto trans, although I'm guessing the cup holders are the same. It's $33.34 plus shipping.

I should have checked the molded part number on the cupholder before I installed it.

Anyone know of a site that does "reverse" part number look-ups?

Is the part no. on your receipt or packing slip?

Yeah, I already thought of that. It might have been... if I could find it. Which is unusual for me; I always keep either e-copies or paper ones.

Sorry, bud. If I ever happen to open up the console again, I'll get the number - assuming I remember.

that diffuser looks like its worth the 30$, looks much better than mine does without it

Yes, I have to agree. It looks very good!!!

Got around to (well....i just got my 2010 last week) doing this mod and added led strips under the footwells by tapping into the same wires.

Blue LEDs always catch my eye and i love seeing them, but after i installed these in my car, i i realized the rest of my interior lights are red.....i mean i knew they were red, it just didnt register in my head when i bought the blue leds.

Once i had the center console apart, was i the only one to notice what appeared to be wedged-based led boards illuminating heated seats and gear lever? I think there were 3 in total. I never attempted to pull them out, but they definitely looked like it. Couldnt these technically be replaced by something like this:confused:: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/wedge-bulbs/194-led-bulb-6-smd-led-wide-angle-wedge-base/211/

It would be great, because at least my blue cupholder and footwell LEDs wouldnt feel so contrast-y compared the to rest of the dash lights. If not, i guess at some point i can get back in there and replace the blue with some red leds....

Anyways,

Thanks ChasWG for the write-up. It helped me tremendously. I have a 2010, so i got lucky with the diffuser around the cupholder. Unfortunately i was unable to locate the LEDs you used...or anything that even resembled them. So i grabbed some bare 12v LEDs from wal-mart.

July 05, 2013-IMG_0044.jpg

July 05, 2013-IMG_0043-2.jpg

They didnt sit well in the space, so i had to drill a 7/32 hole and use a file to file it down a bit more. Then i just seated the leds in the hole. It was a pretty tight fit (stop it)

July 05, 2013-IMG_0046.jpg

July 05, 2013-IMG_0046-2.jpg

July 05, 2013-IMG_0045.jpg

July 05, 2013-IMG_0047.jpg

NOTE: Use caution when drilling. The spot that was drilled out was pretty thin, and so the drill bit will pull itself through at a high speed and cause damage to the diffuser if you are not careful. Just keep it slow, and then back out (whats with the innuendos?) before you hit the diffuser ring....this is where a round file comes in handy.

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