LEDs to the Stereo

sghsmorgan · #1 05-18-2015, 05:44 AM

I'm thinking about hooking some led strips to the radio in my truck. Has anyone done this?

I have found a couple simple audio circuits using a TIP 31 transistor, I think. I figured I'd wire a 12v line to a switch, then the strip. Wire the ground and the audio to the transistor.

Question is though, what audio wires do I need to tap into? Any insight would be good, I've never done anything like this in a car.

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I have a 2003 2wd 4cyl ranger, btw.

FORD4LIFE9876 · #2 05-18-2015, 05:17 PM

I had some cheap ones connected to the remote wire on my amp and it worked.

casey.mikl · #3 05-20-2015, 06:00 PM

What are you wanting the lights to do? Just come on? Hook them to a switch

FORD4LIFE9876 · #4 05-20-2015, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casey.mikl

What are you wanting the lights to do? Just come on? Hook them to a switch

unless your talking about this haha. I was taking u meant u wanted them to flicker with the music.

casey.mikl · #5 05-20-2015, 06:04 PM

Remote wire is solid on with radio

sghsmorgan · #6 05-21-2015, 01:38 PM

I want them to blink with the music. I have stock radio/speakers

casey.mikl · #7 05-21-2015, 01:39 PM

Hook to speaker wires

buggman · #8 05-21-2015, 03:44 PM

Seems like I remember reading someone doing something like this but they connected lights to their amp.

Since the radio speaker outputs are AC voltage & most leds are DC it's not the greatest thing to do, but so long as you don't mind blowing your led's up if something goes wrong... why not give it a shot?!

Easiest way would be to tap one of the rear speaker wires or door speakers if that wiring is easier to get to, shouldn't matter which is + or - into the led wires & turn the radio on & see what happens.

Depending on the wattage output of the radio & how many led's are in the strip will greatly affect the brightness of the led's when the music hits.

sghsmorgan · #9 05-22-2015, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buggman

Seems like I remember reading someone doing something like this but they connected lights to their amp.

Since the radio speaker outputs are AC voltage & most leds are DC it's not the greatest thing to do, but so long as you don't mind blowing your led's up if something goes wrong... why not give it a shot?!

Easiest way would be to tap one of the rear speaker wires or door speakers if that wiring is easier to get to, shouldn't matter which is + or - into the led wires & turn the radio on & see what happens.

Depending on the wattage output of the radio & how many led's are in the strip will greatly affect the brightness of the led's when the music hits.

I think using the tip 31 transistor will allow the 12v source (my battery) to power my LED strip when the other lead is connected to audio. When the other lead detects audio, it blinks, I think.

I'll try to get a circuit diagram later, I'm just unsure of where to tap into audio. I guess get the wires that are coming from the radio, to the speakers?

sghsmorgan · #10 05-22-2015, 07:25 AM

Something like this:

buggman · #11 05-22-2015, 09:53 AM

The transistor should work by acting as a relay to turn on/off the led's when enough voltage comes across the transistor, but if you power it from the battery you'll get full brightness every time voltage comes out of the speaker wires... which may be what you're going for.
I haven't done a ton of stuff with transistors so I could be off on my assessment

If not, by using the ac power from the speaker outputs to power the leds, they'll have varying brightness depending on the musical peaks & valleys similar to a RTA meter graph.

sghsmorgan · #12 09-28-2016, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buggman

The transistor should work by acting as a relay to turn on/off the led's when enough voltage comes across the transistor, but if you power it from the battery you'll get full brightness every time voltage comes out of the speaker wires... which may be what you're going for.
I haven't done a ton of stuff with transistors so I could be off on my assessment

If not, by using the ac power from the speaker outputs to power the leds, they'll have varying brightness depending on the musical peaks & valleys similar to a RTA meter graph.

What's the best way of doing this? Is there a guide? Also, with stock HU and speakers, will I need any kind of power amp for the LEDs?