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2Addicts | BMW 2-Series forum Technical Topics DIY and Coding Discussions DIY: Ambient lighting using EL Wire

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      04-22-2019, 11:47 PM   #1
bmtespar
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I missed having ambient lighting in my 2 series coming from my other BMW's. I had installed the LCI 3 series ambient lighting radio/ac trim in my 4 series and loved it. I couldn't do the same in the 2 series because the trim is flushed to the dash so this was my next best solution. This is my first time working with EL Wiring and it is really low priced ($8) so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I received the kit today and started working with it to see if the lighting was consistent and would break when bending around corners. It has a nice consistent lighting effect and remains so even when making hard corners.

The only problem was that I didn't care for the bright orange trim pieces during the day. I remembered I had some spray tint product in the shop and thought I'd try to spray a piece just to see how it turned out. Once I'd did this, I was much happier with the wire when it was not lit blending in with the interior. As an added benefit, the color actually matched the oem orange lighting much better.

I played with the placement on the dash and doors and decided I'd like a more oem look so went with just around the radio/ac trim and will make a straight line across the door panels. I have to order more wire to install in the door panels and plan to get power from the ambient lighting in the foot wells.

Here are a few pictures of various wire placements, half the radio trim in natural finish half being sprayed and the final radio trim results. In the next few weeks, I'll be installing in the door panels and routing and wiring all the connections. I hope this helps others who desire the cool ambient lighting.

Product purchased: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F113254799086
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      04-24-2019, 08:16 PM   #2
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Real cool. Keep us updated!
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      04-25-2019, 10:34 AM   #3
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How do you have it wired currently? Does is go to the foot well lighting?
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      04-25-2019, 11:19 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sandrik93 View Post
How do you have it wired currently? Does is go to the foot well lighting?
I'm running power for now from the front cigarette lighter because I had made a plug and play harness for my wireless charger and it was easy enough for me to use that harness. I'm not sure if I will keep it that way or not. One bonus is when you unlock the car the ambient lighting comes on just like in an oem application. However, when you lock the car, the el wiring remains lit for about 3 minutes. Longer if you don't lock the car. I don't think it will be significant enough for battery drain but I'll make more definitive plans once I do the door trim.

I was able to cut a piece of cardboard with a razor to put the wire in to hold the wire straight and apply a much more even coat (3 actually) of tint for much better consistency.

The door panels have a nice deep seam so with the tint you can stuff the el wire deep enough so that it almost completely disappears when not lit. I plan to remove the door panels and make a small incision in the seam to run my wires and then run through the rubber wire boot and under the dash.
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      05-04-2019, 09:01 AM   #5
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Them EL Wires will stop working in about 2-3 months.
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      05-06-2019, 08:26 PM   #6
bmtespar
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Quote:
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Them EL Wires will stop working in about 2-3 months.
Actually the expected life is 1-2 years depending on several factors including amount of use, amount of current and exposure to sun light.
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      05-09-2019, 03:44 AM   #7
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Curious how you secured it in the door
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      05-09-2019, 04:58 PM   #8
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Curious how you secured it in the door
I haven't done the doors yet. In the pictures they were just tucked into seams and actually held really well there. Once I have the door panels off I'll be able to see how to attach from the back. I recently just soldered new lead connections on the el wire for the doors and tinted them as well. I hope to have them installed next week when I have some more free time. I also bought some sound deadening material to wrap the transformer to eliminate the buzz produced by el wiring.
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      05-13-2019, 11:25 PM   #9
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Progress and a set back on the ambient lighting install. I removed the door panels and had a look at routing the wires through the oem rubber boot but upon further examination, I saw that the rubber boot actually terminated into a hard wire plug which doesn't leave me room to route my wires. So, I decided that I would have to put transformers in each door panel (plenty of room to mount them on the lower door card). I'll tap the ambient lighting wires at the door handle. Then insulate the transformers with sound deafening material to avoid high pitch buzz transmitting into the car. I was able to drill a small hole in the panel trim to run my wiring through then filled the hole with hot glue. The pieces are tucked tightly and deeply enough into the seam so I don't think they need to be mounted.
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      05-16-2019, 04:10 AM   #10
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you can actually route your wires into the cabin front the door, its harder but can be done, at the bottom of the plug is a small opening and i passed wires through there, pain in the ass though
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      10-14-2019, 12:40 AM   #11
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wow this looks really great man!
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