Cupholder lighting

(detonate69) · (detonate69) **Join Date: Apr 2001** 12-05-2006, 6:59 PM

How are you people lighting up your cupholders? Specifics and where you bought your lighting would be great. Pics are cool too.

(ralph) · (ralph) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 12-05-2006, 7:14 PM

I am halfway through my project. I got the LED's from http://www.superbrightleds.com/ and the cup holders from http://www.skidim.com/

I have mounted the clusters but using a stainless steel nut & bolt on each side and run them into the existing loom. The overhead light I just changed the std bulb out to a blue LED to match.
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(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-05-2006, 7:20 PM

You can do them a few diffrent way's The easyest Ill talk about first. Hella makes these lights. They only make them in a few diffrent colors, Red, Blue, Green, White. They cost $25 each you can buy them at West marine, Im sure you can find them cheeper if you look around. BUt all you have to do is cut out the bottom of the cup holder and then drop the light into the hole. Upload

The second way is you buy some 4 LED light pucks.
Take them apart. Then drill a hole in the bottom of the cup holder so the wire cam come threw. Then glue the 4 LED light pucks to the bottom of the cup hoder. Now the fun part. You will need to add or fill the bottom of the cup holder with casting resin so you can create a flat surface. Tap plastic sells casting resin it mixes clear.
You will need to put the cup holder in somthing that holds them flat so when you pour the casting resin into the cup holder so it drys level
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The casting resin will create a clear flat surface that drink will sit on.
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(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-05-2006, 7:24 PM

Darren: Are your LED pucks just sitting in the cup holder's above the mounting surface? It looks like from the pic's that you just installed them on the bottom and wired them up? Is this correct. If so how does a drink sit in the cup holder.

(mitchj) · (mitchj) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 12-05-2006, 7:29 PM

On mine some guy put little rubber pads in the bottom so the bottles would not hit the lights

(fhu667) · (fhu667) **Join Date: Oct 2004** 12-05-2006, 7:34 PM

I used a single led in each cupholder. I drilled a hole in the side of the cupholder about two thirds towards the bottom. Then I used some rubber grommets that I bought at Home Depot and inserted them into the cupholder. I put a little dishwashing liquid on the led and slipped it into place. I did this at the end of the winter, and I haven't had any issues with any of them. They are really snug inside the rubber grommets.

(detonate69) · (detonate69) **Join Date: Apr 2001** 12-05-2006, 7:34 PM

I like your casting resin idea grant. I think I'll probably do it that way. a lot cheaper than those pucks.

(fhu667) · (fhu667) **Join Date: Oct 2004** 12-05-2006, 7:37 PM

I forgot one thing. Lights were $21, and I spent about $5 for the grommets.

(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-05-2006, 7:42 PM

Joe: I remember the guy that did your cup's he had some cool trick for putting the rubber pad's on straight. Check your cup holders and see if your rubber pads are put on straight.

abadsvt 12-05-2006, 10:48 PM

What exactly is casting resin? I am familier with fiberglass resin and epoxy resin stuff. I would love to do that to my boat when i get it. Thanks Josh

(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-06-2006, 11:05 AM

Casting resin is a clear 2 part Poly or Epoxy that when mixed dry's clear.

(billthom) · (billthom) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 12-06-2006, 11:23 AM

Frank - I have a Supra as well and am wondering how you wired in your lights?

Did you run a separate harness around and plug into that or somehow tap into the factory wiring.

If anyone else has some thoughts too…

(ralph) · (ralph) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 12-06-2006, 1:37 PM

Hi Grant, Yes as you described. Sourcing some casting resin now, thanks for the tip.

(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-06-2006, 2:46 PM

Darren. No problem. I know you are in New Zelan and my supplyer might be diffrent from yours but the product should be the same. Some products dry with a yellow ting and some dry perfictly clear. Some casting resin's need to be coverd with mylar a clear film that will keep out the air for the casting resin to dry completely hard.
Try putting some casting resin in a cup and fill it us as much as you would need to make it level with the led light. This will be your test peice so you dont wreck a good cup holder and LED light. The test cup will show you how hard and clear it dry's when you cast it that thick.
Some casting resins make bubles in the finish as they dry so try to mix the resin with as little bubbles as possable. Mix it real slow so you dont bring lots of air into the mixing cup. Then poke a hole in the the bottom of the cup and let the resin pour out real slow that will take most of the bubbles out.

(grant_west) · (grant_west) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-06-2006, 2:54 PM

Darren : check this out http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video_detail.php?vid=16&format=windowsmedia&

(san210nut) · (san210nut) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 12-06-2006, 4:10 PM

This is how I light up mine...
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(rallyart) · (rallyart) **Join Date: Nov 2006** 12-06-2006, 10:49 PM

Cheap, prewired, flat tip, designed for outdoor use, and they may encourage gifts from elves for your boat.
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http://canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444329 3498&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396673283&bmUID= 1165474085685

(bennygoodx) · (bennygoodx) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 12-06-2006, 11:05 PM

atta boy red

(klpnautique) · (klpnautique) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 12-16-2006, 7:41 AM

cheap 2" round red LED trailer light with the rubber grommet, drilled a hole and sunk it in the bottom....ghetto, but hey it works! They worked great throughout the boat too....