Mods - Interior Discussion related to the looks of the interior of the HHR.

Dome/cargo light resistor tap

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Old Aug 22, 2013 | 11:30 PM
  #1  
Dracos's Avatar
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From: El Paso, TX
Dome/cargo light resistor tap

A few weeks ago I ordered Plazma LEDs to replace in my dome/cargo bulbs. They're not supposed to need a resistor to prevent residual glow, but they do. So CarID sent me a 50w, 6 Ohm resistor kit. After finding a video on how this thing actually gets installed, I'm now wondering exactly where to put it. It needs to go on the hot side of the first of the three lights on the circuit (assuming these are wired in series) and to its own ground.

Fuse #27 in the interior block is labeled "interior lights" which tells me that it goes to more than just these three. I'm also not very keen on severing a factory wire to install the resistor. Plus, later I plan to put an add-a-fuse on #27 to power a set of under-dash LED strips. The CarID tech department said it can go behind the fuse block, but I'm almost certain I don't want to put it between fuse #27 and the first thing on that circuit.

I suspect that putting this resistor in is going to cause problems later, especially if it's not located in the best place... anyone know where that would be?

This is just for the central bulbs in the overhead fixtures, not the 4 individual map lights.
Old Aug 23, 2013 | 01:39 AM
  #2  
TEKNOnaut's Avatar
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From: Buford, GA
Originally Posted by Dracos
A few weeks ago I ordered Plazma LEDs to replace in my dome/cargo bulbs. They're not supposed to need a resistor to prevent residual glow, but they do. So CarID sent me a 50w, 6 Ohm resistor kit. After finding a video on how this thing actually gets installed, I'm now wondering exactly where to put it. It needs to go on the hot side of the first of the three lights on the circuit (assuming these are wired in series) and to its own ground.

Fuse #27 in the interior block is labeled "interior lights" which tells me that it goes to more than just these three. I'm also not very keen on severing a factory wire to install the resistor. Plus, later I plan to put an add-a-fuse on #27 to power a set of under-dash LED strips. The CarID tech department said it can go behind the fuse block, but I'm almost certain I don't want to put it between fuse #27 and the first thing on that circuit.

I suspect that putting this resistor in is going to cause problems later, especially if it's not located in the best place... anyone know where that would be?

This is just for the central bulbs in the overhead fixtures, not the 4 individual map lights.
Just return them and order from VLEDS.com
I had the same issue, but I ordered these and now I have no issues. And I didn't need to install resistors.
Old Aug 23, 2013 | 11:03 AM
  #3  
Dracos's Avatar
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Originally Posted by TEKNOnaut
Just return them and order from VLEDS.com
I had the same issue, but I ordered these and now I have no issues. And I didn't need to install resistors.
The trick is, the LEDs I got are amber, which isn't a popular color.
Old Aug 23, 2013 | 08:41 PM
  #4  
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From: Buford, GA
Originally Posted by Dracos
The trick is, the LEDs I got are amber, which isn't a popular color.
yeah,that might be a problem :-/
Old Aug 23, 2013 | 08:55 PM
  #5  
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Put the resistor AT the light fixture?
Old Aug 24, 2013 | 01:14 AM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by donbrew
Put the resistor AT the light fixture?
I'd need to put it before the first fixture, and that assumes that the three are wired in series. There's not much to ground to in the roof, it's pretty much just cloth and sheet metal up there as far as I've seen, but there might be something suitable for attaching a ground to nearby.
Old Aug 24, 2013 | 11:26 AM
  #7  
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There has to be a ground of some sort near the radio antenna? If I remember correctly that's where the wiring harness for the lights runs.

The lights are wired up to gradually dim after the door is closed, I wonder if that isn't by way of a resistor/capacitor. Maybe changing values at that point is the key.

I just remembered that my memory sucks. The headliner wiring is at the rear, making a good ground available down by the tail lights/battery.

Last edited by donbrew; Aug 25, 2013 at 02:19 PM.
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