Fuse necessary with LED lighting? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

firengnred · 06-14-2010, 09:05 AM

I'm going to be wiring up LED foot well lighting and was wondering if I had to use a fuse? I seem to recall reading on here somewhere that you don't need to with LED's but now I can't find it. Thanks for any help.

The Stig · 06-14-2010, 10:10 AM

Dont need a fuse. All you have to do is tap into the dome light wire underneather the steering wheel. I'm guessing here that you want it tied into the dome light. It's a real easy install. Short of it: Directly under the steering wheel is a bundle of wires, cut off the nice little wrap on it. T-tap connector to the grey wire (that's the dome light one) and then run it to your LEDs. If you pop of the side panels of the center console you'll find a bolt with some sort of color marker on it on each side. Those are your grounds.

TonyNo · 06-14-2010, 11:28 AM

I'd rather be safe than sorry. You never know if a wire may get pinched and short out the BCM output. They may be current-limited, but I'll use fuses until that is verified.

skuttduck · 06-14-2010, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyNo

I'd rather be safe than sorry. You never know if a wire may get pinched and short out the BCM output. They may be current-limited, but I'll use fuses until that is verified.

If this means anything or helps, I shorted out the ambient light circuit a couple of times. You have to turn the car off and back on for it to work again once you do that.

firengnred · 06-15-2010, 09:06 PM

Thanks. I'll play it safe.

wylde1 · 06-16-2010, 09:33 AM

LED's don't draw enough current to really do any damage to anything if it shorts out. They typically run about 20mA. So if you have 50 in a string you can draw up to 1 A. it'd be a pretty damn small fuse in there if you really wanted to protect it. That's why most don't bother.

TonyNo · 06-16-2010, 11:49 AM

I'm not worried about the LED's.

It's the BCM that I want to protect.

HeavyD · 06-16-2010, 12:31 PM

I wired in an in-line mini fuse holder with a 2amp fuse. I put the fuse right after the body controller connector and before the "T" connection to the two LED strips. Same thing, just want to protect the factory hardware.

06-14-2010, 09:05 AM	#1
firengnred Drives: 2010 2SS/RS, 2006 2500 Silverado Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Torrance, Ca. Posts: 682 View My Garage	Fuse necessary with LED lighting? I'm going to be wiring up LED foot well lighting and was wondering if I had to use a fuse? I seem to recall reading on here somewhere that you don't need to with LED's but now I can't find it. Thanks for any help. __________________ "Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose your words, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for they will become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny."

06-14-2010, 10:10 AM	#2
The Stig knows 2 facts about ducks Drives: ...and they're both wrong Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The HMS Invincible Posts: 25,072 View My Garage	Dont need a fuse. All you have to do is tap into the dome light wire underneather the steering wheel. I'm guessing here that you want it tied into the dome light. It's a real easy install. Short of it: Directly under the steering wheel is a bundle of wires, cut off the nice little wrap on it. T-tap connector to the grey wire (that's the dome light one) and then run it to your LEDs. If you pop of the side panels of the center console you'll find a bolt with some sort of color marker on it on each side. Those are your grounds. __________________

06-14-2010, 11:28 AM	#3
TonyNo Drives: 2016 2SS, SW Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Chicago Suburbs Posts: 1,079	I'd rather be safe than sorry. You never know if a wire may get pinched and short out the BCM output. They may be current-limited, but I'll use fuses until that is verified. __________________

06-15-2010, 09:06 PM	#5
firengnred Drives: 2010 2SS/RS, 2006 2500 Silverado Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Torrance, Ca. Posts: 682 View My Garage	Thanks. I'll play it safe. __________________ "Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Choose your words, for they become actions. Understand your actions, for they become habits. Study your habits, for they will become your character. Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny."

06-16-2010, 09:33 AM	#6
wylde1 I am the Stig Drives: Black w/ IOM stripe 1SS Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Saskatoon, SK, CAN Posts: 1,312	LED's don't draw enough current to really do any damage to anything if it shorts out. They typically run about 20mA. So if you have 50 in a string you can draw up to 1 A. it'd be a pretty damn small fuse in there if you really wanted to protect it. That's why most don't bother. __________________ 2010 Camaro - 1SS, Black w/ Orange stripes

06-16-2010, 11:49 AM	#7
TonyNo Drives: 2016 2SS, SW Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Chicago Suburbs Posts: 1,079	I'm not worried about the LED's. It's the BCM that I want to protect. __________________

06-16-2010, 12:31 PM	#8
HeavyD Drives: 1SSRS RY L99 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ontario Posts: 1,329	I wired in an in-line mini fuse holder with a 2amp fuse. I put the fuse right after the body controller connector and before the "T" connection to the two LED strips. Same thing, just want to protect the factory hardware.

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