Are LEDs legal in a car? How to install them yourself?

The electrical installation in the car allows you to add various receivers that are not available from the factory in this model. Drivers need custom multimedia screens, audio systems, clocks, and lighting. Is it safe to use LEDs in a car? If so, where and how to connect the LEDs in the car?

Who needs LEDs in a car?

LED lamps are popular not only because of their energy efficiency. In vehicles, this is of rather minor importance. However, these LEDs are extremely durable (up to 50 hours) and emit pure light without generating excessive heat during operation. They can be mounted in the form of LED spotlights, as well as in the form of decorative strips. Many of them have the function of dynamic color change. Especially among young drivers, LEDs are common, which change the rhythm of the music in the car. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is a lot of interest in such products. LEDs in the car are popular with both fans of visual tuning and ordinary drivers.

LEDs in the car and the law

Before connecting LEDs in a car, the question arises of the legality of such a replacement. What does the law say about this? It would seem that since vehicles in the EU have had LED daytime running lights as standard equipment since 2011, installing it yourself is not unhealthy. Well, not quite. By law, automotive lighting components must be homologated and their modifications must not affect the operation of the headlight. Therefore, not all changes are recognized by police officers or diagnosticians.

Are LEDs legal in a car?

When it comes to LEDs in a car, the law is very specific. Here are a few ground rules under which such coverage is considered legal.

1. The headlights and light sources installed in the car at the factory must have European approval when it comes to driving in Europe. Therefore, fitting parts without homologation is illegal.
2. Some elements - modernization - are legal only in certain EU countries (for example, in Germany).
3. Tuning headlights by adding LED strips to them is illegal, which means that installing LED strips in a car in this way is a big risk.
4. Daytime running lights must meet certain installation conditions to be considered legal.

How to connect LEDs in a car?

There is nothing to guess here, because the regulations clearly spell out how to mount daytime running lights in a car. You can install LEDs in your car, taking into account the following recommendations:

• luminaires must be installed symmetrically;
• their minimum height from the ground should be 25 cm, and the maximum 150 cm;
• the distance between non-standard light sources is at least 60 cm;
• the distance from the side contour to the reflector is at least 40 cm.

In addition, the daytime running lights must not be switched on in rainy weather, after dark and, for example, during fog. Therefore, when you turn on the high or low beam, the LEDs should turn off by themselves.

Connecting LEDs in a car from the technical side

The good news is that the LEDs in the car are powered by 12V.. In this way, you can be powered directly from a battery or other current sink, such as a lighting system. Much depends on where you plan to mount such fixtures. For example, if you want to illuminate the license plate, you can use the setting from the rear reflectors. To supply power to the tapes mounted on the dashboard, a good solution would be the ignition switch. And modifications carried out behind the driver's seats can be powered from the doors, from the power window system.

Installing an LED strip in a car

To install LEDs you will need:

• lutenika;
• LED Strip;
• heat shrink connectors;
• Cable ties;
• electrical wire not thinner than 0,35 mm;
• double sided tape.

Start the whole process by determining where to connect to the electrical installation. A lot depends on when your car LEDs should light up. Some connect to the ignition, others want to have power only when the interior lamps are on. Still others choose kits with a separate control and switch, especially when it comes to flashing LEDs in a car.

Pulling wires and installing LED strip

The route of wires is best designed in such a way that they do not spoil the appearance of the car interior. Therefore, try to hide them as much as possible under seals, plastic covers or in the dashboard. Start by soldering in the installation. Use cable ties or double-sided tape to secure the cable securely so it doesn't dangle. It is best to carry it out before attaching the LED strip, so as not to damage it when pulling the cable through the recesses. Before connecting the lamps and cable, check the operation of the tape so as not to cut it and reconnect it.

Lighting problems, ie. flashing LEDs in the car

In addition to the obvious advantages of LEDs, it must be said that they also have their own characteristic ailments. Often users wonder why the LEDs are flashing in the car. Well, the causes of the problem can be different, and the most common are:

• incorrect connections of the electrical installation - incorrect soldering;
• the appearance of voltage on the neutral wire is a common ailment when installing a switch;
• lamp damage.

That is why it is so important to make connections very carefully and check the operation of the kit before its final assembly.

LEDs to the rhythm of music in the car - how to do it?

Recently, it has become extremely fashionable to generate lighting in cars under the influence of sound. Of course, you can make such a gadget yourself using printed circuit boards and circuits available on Internet forums. However, there are also ready-made kits connected to USB. Such LEDs in the car work with the help of a microphone that collects sounds. In this way, changes in the color and frequency of the light are generated. All this can be installed not only in the car, but also in any other music receiver equipped with USB.

Summary - Is it worth installing LEDs in a car?

LED lighting in a car can perfectly illuminate the interior or become the basis for daytime running lights. However, making a car look like a Christmas tree is not the most delicious idea. Therefore, in modifications of this type it is worth being prudent.