Door and window lock switch controls illumination how to.
As you all know your door lock/window lock switches don't illuminate like other switches do, after many different tries at this modification here is the one I managed to make work.
It uses a very simple wire illumination know as Electroluminescent wire, or EL wire for short, basically this wire glows just like Indiglo dashboard gauges do.
It comes in various colours so there should be one to suit you, I chose blue so below are the picture guides.
Please feel free to use the pics as you want to, excuse some of the pics being a bit blurry as my digital camera is a bit old now......
The EL wire can be cut to any length you want, as long as you insulate the cut end, I chose not to shorten the 1 metre length I got, as it could also shorten it's effective lifespan.
The wire is very flexible and can be wrapped around almost any bend or into any tight corner.
This next pic is a revision I did to make the illumination even brighter.
I have marked in blue the extra loop of blue EL wire I installed as I forgot to take a pic of that part.
The brightness is now perfect.
Time to put the switch back together now and refit to the door.
I would suggest to test the connections at this point, before reassembling the door panel onto door, if all connections are working your switches should now light when your side lights are turned on.
Fuse protection is through the normal side lights own fuse and this should not be upgraded, the extra load is so minimal.
Now attach door trim panel onto top edge of door, pull it down into correct position before pushing at base of trim to locate the clips.
Refit all 4 screws and screw covers.
Total install time is around 2-3 hours (mostly fitting the doublesided tape and routing the EL wire) and on the 1 to 10 scale I rate this mod as a 3, or very simple, if you can join 2 wires together you can do this modification.
Tools required are a basic set of screwdrivers, flat bladed scraper, 2 cable jointers to connect the power leads into door harness (various types of these so you decide that) and some doublesided tape.
Total cost for kit was 10 UK but I think parts will be less in USA
I hope this is detailed enough for you but if there are any questions, you know where I am.
As you all know your door lock/window lock switches don't illuminate like other switches do, after many different tries at this modification here is the one I managed to make work.
It uses a very simple wire illumination know as Electroluminescent wire, or EL wire for short, basically this wire glows just like Indiglo dashboard gauges do.
It comes in various colours so there should be one to suit you, I chose blue so below are the picture guides.
Please feel free to use the pics as you want to, excuse some of the pics being a bit blurry as my digital camera is a bit old now......
The EL wire can be cut to any length you want, as long as you insulate the cut end, I chose not to shorten the 1 metre length I got, as it could also shorten it's effective lifespan.
The wire is very flexible and can be wrapped around almost any bend or into any tight corner.
This next pic is a revision I did to make the illumination even brighter.
I have marked in blue the extra loop of blue EL wire I installed as I forgot to take a pic of that part.
The brightness is now perfect.
Time to put the switch back together now and refit to the door.
I would suggest to test the connections at this point, before reassembling the door panel onto door, if all connections are working your switches should now light when your side lights are turned on.
Fuse protection is through the normal side lights own fuse and this should not be upgraded, the extra load is so minimal.
Now attach door trim panel onto top edge of door, pull it down into correct position before pushing at base of trim to locate the clips.
Refit all 4 screws and screw covers.
Total install time is around 2-3 hours (mostly fitting the doublesided tape and routing the EL wire) and on the 1 to 10 scale I rate this mod as a 3, or very simple, if you can join 2 wires together you can do this modification.
Tools required are a basic set of screwdrivers, flat bladed scraper, 2 cable jointers to connect the power leads into door harness (various types of these so you decide that) and some doublesided tape.
Total cost for kit was 10 UK but I think parts will be less in USA
I hope this is detailed enough for you but if there are any questions, you know where I am.
