There have probably been many incidents where it would have been very necessary to have some kind of light illuminating the ground to see what is coming in at night. On certain cars, there are external lights positioned under the side mirrors and doors to serve this purpose, but not all of them come with this luxury, unfortunately. And sometimes even these lights are not enough! Puddle LED lights are a perfect solution to problems like this and the like. This article will go over the common questions most people have about puddle lights.
1.) What exactly are puddle lights?
Puddle lights are what the name suggests: lights to illuminate the ground to avoid stepping on puddles or any other undesirable surface. This type of light became popular thanks to the aftermarket tuning company Brabus, which specializes in Mercedes-Benz vehicles. On a large variety of Mercedes-Benz cars tuned by Brabus, an option was offered for LED courtesy lights that are installed in series under the side skirt along the side of the car. Since the introduction of these LEDs, puddles have been adapted to other vehicles, such as Lexus, BMW, and more.
2.) How are they installed in the car?
The LED puddle lights are installed on the vehicle using screws and double-sided tape. The double sided tape is to secure this LED light in place and the screws are what permanently secure it in place. Due to the environment these lights pass through, double-sided tape would not be a safe bond for long-term use.
3.) How do I connect the lights to my car?
There are several ways to connect these LED puddle lights to your car; some examples include tapping them on your side door lights or your map / dome light. Other examples include tapping it on your vehicle radio or even an accessory wire to keep the lights on when the car is running. There are several ways to turn on the LED, but the main idea to follow is to connect the lights to the power source that you want them to be on. For example, if you want the LED to be on when you open the door, simply connect the power for the lights to your vehicle’s interior lights.
4.) What are the things to keep in mind?
Since these LED puddle lights are installed under the car where there may be a lot of debris and other dangerous objects, some precautionary measures should be taken. These measures include (but are not limited to):
- Use a vacuum hose to insulate and wrap the exposed wires to and from the LED lamps. Vacuum hoses are quite durable compared to the surrounding cables to decrease the likelihood of the cables being cut by an object.
- Silicone adhesive should be used on any exposed electrical part of the puddle light. This is to prevent any type of moisture from causing problems.
- Secure the wiring as close to the floor of the vehicle as possible. Loose or dangling cables can catch on something and break. Cable ties / zippers are durable and efficient for securing miscellaneous things.
Puddle lights are not only pleasing to the eye, they also add class and comfort when getting out of the car at night; Imagine arriving at the valet with a luxury car with LED puddle lights shining down to the ground.
