Courtesy puddle lights anyone?

[Duncodin]

My MB has some lights that come on when the car is remotely unlocked before opening the door. If the car isn't opened after around 30 seconds the car locks itself again.

Any suggestions on a way I can that kind of courtesy light thing to a 99' Z3? Basically a circuit that becomes live when the central locking is unlocked and stays live for a short length of time.

I can find/buy a circuit board that does. Seen things like it on amazon but I was wondering if any 'posher' z3s already have some kind of courtesy lights etc?

 

[Nodzed]

I would think wiring into the interior lights would work, every Z3 I have owned the interior lights activated with the central locking.
I think @t-tony did this to one of his Zeds, if so I'm sure he will give you the info, if not then sorry for my bad memory.

 

[Duncodin]

I would think wiring into the interior lights would work, every Z3 I have owned the interior lights activated with the central locking.
I think @t-tony did this to one of his Zeds, if so I'm sure he will give you the info, if not then sorry for my bad memory.

After I posted my question I wondered about that interior light. But then thought that it just came on as the door was opened.

I'm not near my Z and I can't remember - especially since I usually have that light switched off completely anyway.

It would be perfect if that worked

 

[Duncodin]

After I posted my question I wondered about that interior light. But then thought that it just came on as the door was opened.

I'm not near my Z and I can't remember - especially since I usually have that light switched off completely anyway.

It would be perfect if that worked

Looking good

 

[Duncodin]

Yay. It works!
Well. Almost

Unlock the car with the remote and the 'Auto' wire to the interior light goes to 12v. It does that no matter what position the light switch is in.

So my thinking is I'll connect a relay that triggers on that wire.

After around 20 seconds the wire voltage fades down to zero which fades the bulb if it's on.

I assume that while the V is fading at some point the coil on my relay won't have enough v and will switch off the relay.

At the top I said 'almost'. If the light switch is in the Auto or On position everything works as described above. But if the light switch is in the Off postition the wire goes up to 12v when the car is unlocked but when the V fades it doesn't go all all the way to zero. It stays floating around 4.5v At this stage I don't know if that's just a stray v with no real current from the zke when the pin isn't being driven. Or is it some kind of load sensing. Either way I'll see what happens to it when I wire in the relay.

Watch this fire - er. I mean watch this space.

 

[Stevo7682]

Just checked my 99 with the later 3 button remote key.
When i push the remote open central locking opens and interior lights come on for around 20 seconds then go off if door not opened ( unlike your mb and my skoda the z3 will not relock if no door opened) .
If you wire them to this puddle lights will come on upon operating remote will stay on if you open door and get in until you either turn ignition on ( door closed) or interior lights time out after door close then on when door opened again so that would potentially work fine .
Stephen.

 

[Stevo7682]

I have footwell lightning wired to 2 of my zeds they are wired to the interior light brown with black trace wire and work off the timer independent of the interior lightning switch position.
Stephen.

 

[Althulas]

If you were after footwell lighting in the knowledge base.

How To Guide - led footwell lighting, the easy way.

zroadster.org

How To Guide - Footwell lighting ( part 2 wiring )

Remember to disconnect the power either at the battery or fuse for interior lighting Right this is part 2 wiring so if you're following the way I done this you should now have glovebox and offside lower dash panel off with the light units installed. Next thing to do is to make the wiring...

zroadster.org

 

[Pond]

I have footwell lightning

Sounds extremely dangerous.

 

[Stevo7682]

Sounds extremely dangerous.

Can be in the hands of an amateur

Stephen

 

[Duncodin]

I have footwell lightning wired to 2 of my zeds they are wired to the interior light brown with black trace wire and work off the timer independent of the interior lightning switch position.
Stephen.

ZKE behind the glove box. Black 15 pin connector. Pin 4 (bottom row 4th from the right) Brown/Black. This wire goes from zke across behind the dash then up the right side A pillar to the interior light.

Maybe OK to connect some low wattage LEDs directly on to that wire. But I'm putting in a relay so I can add more stuff if I want such as door poppers, headlight flasher and a "courtesy boxing-glove-on-spring" in case any of you reprobates try to climb in.

 

[Stevo7682]

Yes the brown/ black that runs drivers side A pillar timed live.
And yes a couple of 501 style cree led will power up fine with no issues as in the links above ( which is when i did the dakar been fine since)
Just had all the dash out the Orinoco so did the footwell lightning mod on refit i have a led interior light as well

So if you want to run some puddle lamp of the same set up instead of footwell should work fine.
Stephen.

 

[Z Victor 1]

'I have footwell lightning..' , could be shocking.

 

[IanA]

Electricians+plier=wires+fires...

I try to take comfort that the wiring on a Z3 is so lightweight (compared to other cars I've rewired) that everything must be relayed and fused properly. Anything that I've added feels to be about twice the gauge.

 

[black fingernail]

I used the self adhesive led strips available on the 'bay or aliexpress, I fit them on the door bottoms and in the footwells, I wired them directly into the courtesy light circuit. They have been there over four years now and still light up like a christmas tree.
You can wiggle wire through the wiring grommet near the hinge in the doors and drop it through ready made holes half way along the door bottoms.

 

[Devon Z]

Installed mine before LED‘s were invented, though they have LED bulbs in them now. E30 boot light units.

Glove
Glove box using an old style alarm plugger switch.

And an extra boot light in the boot lid.

 

[Ianmc]

That's a proper job, looks OEM.