- Messages
- 13,385
- Reaction score
- 13,502
- Points
- 857
- Location
- Royal, AR
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2007
- Boat Model
- SX
- Boat Length
- 23
Today I added RGB LED strips to 7 of my cup holders. I ran out of wire before I got to the two on the swim deck so they will be next week.
Let's start with a few videos of the end result
Now the how.
I used a $31 TQ Music 2 controller wired to a switch on the distribution panel that I added last year. It is installed inside the console. I left enough extra wire to pull it out to make connections. I used a 20M supply of 4 wire cable to run wires to the cup holders. One was enough for the seating and bow but I need a second roll to get to the swim deck cup holders. The LEDs are from this $13 set. The LEDs came with their own fire starting controller that melted after less than an hour when I was using it for testing. So just throw that thing away.
First I cut the LEDs into sections that were the correct length to fit inside the cup holder. Then I soldered an 18" wire to each and shrink tubed to keep water away. In the pic below you can see a soldered connection, shrink tube stretched over the connection and finally after heat shrinking.
Then I used a dremel and cutting wheel to cut a vertical slot into each cup holder for the wire to run through, cleaned the cup holders with steel wool and acetone and installed the LED strips.
Then I pulled cables from cup holder to cup holder soldering together three cables at each. I tested each connection as I went.
I found that the most efficient method was to separate each cable into four wires about an inch back then hold the three cables stacked together and in the same order and tape them together. Then I would pull the three wires of each color to the side, cut them to the same length, strip them all at the same time with a pair of dykes and twist them together. I repeated this process for each color then soldered the wires together. After soldering I wrapped the black wires with electrical tape twice then started adding an additional color per wrap. If I have issues with water intrusion I will go back and add shrink tubing but where these wires are and with the minimal current I am happy with this efficient method.
Let's start with a few videos of the end result
Now the how.
I used a $31 TQ Music 2 controller wired to a switch on the distribution panel that I added last year. It is installed inside the console. I left enough extra wire to pull it out to make connections. I used a 20M supply of 4 wire cable to run wires to the cup holders. One was enough for the seating and bow but I need a second roll to get to the swim deck cup holders. The LEDs are from this $13 set. The LEDs came with their own fire starting controller that melted after less than an hour when I was using it for testing. So just throw that thing away.
First I cut the LEDs into sections that were the correct length to fit inside the cup holder. Then I soldered an 18" wire to each and shrink tubed to keep water away. In the pic below you can see a soldered connection, shrink tube stretched over the connection and finally after heat shrinking.
Then I used a dremel and cutting wheel to cut a vertical slot into each cup holder for the wire to run through, cleaned the cup holders with steel wool and acetone and installed the LED strips.
Then I pulled cables from cup holder to cup holder soldering together three cables at each. I tested each connection as I went.
I found that the most efficient method was to separate each cable into four wires about an inch back then hold the three cables stacked together and in the same order and tape them together. Then I would pull the three wires of each color to the side, cut them to the same length, strip them all at the same time with a pair of dykes and twist them together. I repeated this process for each color then soldered the wires together. After soldering I wrapped the black wires with electrical tape twice then started adding an additional color per wrap. If I have issues with water intrusion I will go back and add shrink tubing but where these wires are and with the minimal current I am happy with this efficient method.
