RGB LED Speaker Rings and CupHolder Rings DIY

[MLA]

You win. Sorry for trying to help people get similar result at fraction of the price. Cost less than $5/pair my way vs $150/pr using Wetsounds kit.

Surfin USA [emoji570][emoji475]

I apologize for it coming across as poo-pooing your DIY project, it was not my intention. I think the results are excellent given what you have it those rings.

Having priced out the cost to do a milled acrylic ring in the same fashion as the wet sounds, it was not worth it. Yes, their ring kit is not cheap, but they are worth it for the quality and overall and performance. With the rings being cast poured, they naturally come out with an opaque finish. This diffuses the light, making a very uniform light effect. No matter how much you frost the edge of a machined ring, you will not get that same effect. Each individual LED will still show through to some degree.

[Robert95z]

I started this project today. I did a couple of the interior speakers so far and I'm really happy with the results! The Wifi contoller is really neat and can control the lights from my phone, although it doesn't have the capability for a audio input to make the LEDs go with the sound of the music.

Im going to give the Rev10s a try after im done with the interiors, but if I dont like the fit and finish of it im gonna pony up for the wet sounds led kit.

But overall im saving a ton of dough doing the inboat speakers myself like this.

[justinwreed]

Bunji, do you have ebay links to the WIFI controller, music controller, and/or power supply you used? Also, how are they working out for you so far? I would like to get some feedback since there are so many different options... I would put more weight in what your opinion is over someone who wrote a review after they used it on their patio or "man cave".

TN_rider, I would like to hear from you if possible too... Both turned out to look like great setups! Awesome work.

Lights are in and I am anxious to get started!

[seth9180]

I'm curious how you run these to each speaker/cup holder? Is each led strand cut and spliced together at each speaker/cup holder? Also, by cutting these strands so much do you lose brightness towards the end? Sorry just trying to figure this out because I ordered a couple rolls of led for my Malibu.

[seth9180]

Also does each cup holder have to have a separate wire ran for each led you set up from the led to the power source or can they be tied together?

I guess what I'm trying to ask is how are you running from one cup holder/speaker to the next?

Edited January 28, 2015 by seth9180

[MLA]

I'm curious how you run these to each speaker/cup holder? Is each led strand cut and spliced together at each speaker/cup holder? Also, by cutting these strands so much do you lose brightness towards the end? Sorry just trying to figure this out because I ordered a couple rolls of led for my Malibu.

Also does each cup holder have to have a separate wire ran for each led you set up from the led to the power source or can they be tied together?

I guess what I'm trying to ask is how are you running from one cup holder/speaker to the next?

No voltage or brightness loss if you make quality splices.

Way too much wiring to home-run each light assembly to the switch/controller. You can use a single lead to wire all the light assemblies to, but in parallel not series.

[isellacuras]

I'm starting on this project. How did you connect the led leads from cup holder to cup holder? I was looking at the crimpless connectors but I'm thinking they will be to big and get in the way of the cup holder sitting down flush. Did you guys solder or use the crimp less connectors? I'm also considering using the aluminum dowel like the guy from the link that SD posted from the MB site to try to remove the kink in the splice in the tubing. Did you guys tape the cupholders down with double sided tape once they were ready to be installed or just have them set in the holes?

[shawndoggy]

solder to strip:

plug pinned end into:

then use first bit above to connect to 4 conductor cable like this, back to the home run:

[seth9180]

What gage conductor wire? 16,18?

Edited February 4, 2015 by seth9180

[seth9180]

These items gonna work?

[isellacuras]

Hmmm? I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to electrical current. I may be a bit in over my head. So, 4 leads and 5 cup holders. Can you run another 1:4 splitter from one of the output leads to do the last two cup holders and then use one of the remaining to head up to the next set of cup holders? Is it possible to post up a basic schematic to wire in all cup holders? 5 below each gunwale, 2 in drivers seat area and 2 in each side of bow? I was planning on running from controller to rear most cupholder on starboard side and then going from cup holder to cup holder all the way around the boat using a male/female plug between each, then use the wire you posted for the longer runs from each set. Would that not be the correct or easiest way? Sorry for my ignorance on this topic. As always, help from TMC is appreciated.

[shawndoggy]

Yes, my plan would be to daisy chain the splitters. So if using a four way, you'd have one in and three out to leds and use the fourth to go to the next splitter and so on. There are also two and three way splitters if you don't want to have "extra" splitters hanging out there. 16awg wire should be fine.

My plan (again, assuming I actually get to this) is to start in the observers compartment with the controller (tied off of one of the LEDs in the walkway cubby) then split three ways -- bow, helm/starboard, port.

[isellacuras]

Length of wire run and amount of LED's is not critical to proper function? Impedance is not altered using the splitters?

[MLA]

Length of wire run and amount of LED's is not critical to proper function? Impedance is not altered using the splitters?

not if they are all wired in parallel.

[kstateskierMO]

Can that acrylic be cut into ovals to go behind the interior Malibu emblems? I'm hatching an idea to back light my emblems before I reinstall them.

[isellacuras]

Can that acrylic be cut into ovals to go behind the interior Malibu emblems? I'm hatching an idea to back light my emblems before I reinstall them.

I don't know why not, you can get that acrylic in thin sheets. Mine has screens behind the emblems but the glue failed and the screens are just loose down in the bottom of the emblems. Dealer is supposed to fix on next visit.

[Robert95z]

i only did the speakers on mine so far on mine. I probably did the more work this way, but I wired everything in series.

[MLA]

i only did the speakers on mine so far on mine. I probably did the more work this way, but I wired everything in series.

Did you attach leads to both ends of each speaker ring strip? Wiring the strips in series makes the furthest one away dimmer then the closest one. Just an FYI.

[shawndoggy]

Did you attach leads to both ends of each speaker ring strip? Wiring the strips in series makes the furthest one away dimmer then the closest one. Just an FYI.

so is it better to do it as a big circle circuit?

[Robert95z]

Did you attach leads to both ends of each speaker ring strip? Wiring the strips in series makes the furthest one away dimmer then the closest one. Just an FYI.

Interesting I didn't know that. I soldered the 4pin connectors on each end of the LEDs so I can remove the speaker if needed.

[shawndoggy]

I daisy chained all of the LEDs on my old boat and there was no perceptible loss of brightness at the end of the line. It really depends on the wire you use too right? I mean what we are talking about is voltage drop, right? So with heavy enough wire (which shouldn't be much with LEDs) you shouldn't see that much voltage drop at the end of the circuit.

[seth9180]

Anyone happen to have pictures of the cup holders and how the wiring is connected/ran?

[MLA]

I daisy chained all of the LEDs on my old boat and there was no perceptible loss of brightness at the end of the line. It really depends on the wire you use too right? I mean what we are talking about is voltage drop, right? So with heavy enough wire (which shouldn't be much with LEDs) you shouldn't see that much voltage drop at the end of the circuit.

Adding more LEDs in series, each with another resister for every 3, adds far more resistance, which equals voltage drop, than any cable gauge will. Huge difference between a series circuit and parallel circuit.

In the early days of daytime running lights, it was common to have the DRL module series the high beam bulbs. This resulted in them burning at half intensity. In normal mode, the bulbs are in parallel and burn at full intensity.

[Robert95z]

I'm not even sure how much of the 16ft roll of LEDs I used, but it was definitely less. So I'm not sure how much voltage drop is really happening with that plus the wire used in between each speaker. I will say I was a little disappointed in the brightness, but I'm also not sure If it's the opaque tinting of the poly tubing that's making them look less bright. All of them appear to b the same brightness. I'm happy with the way they look. But it's not going to be something I use at night to help me find something.

[shawndoggy]

Adding more LEDs in series, each with another resister for every 3, adds far more resistance, which equals voltage drop, than any cable gauge will. Huge difference between a series circuit and parallel circuit.

In the early days of daytime running lights, it was common to have the DRL module series the high beam bulbs. This resulted in them burning at half intensity. In normal mode, the bulbs are in parallel and burn at full intensity.

ok we are talking about something different I'm talking about daisy chaining in parallel. how is it even possible to run a four conductor RGB LED in series?