All the way back as far as 2003 I remember I liked the puddle kits the AC put out for the SC300 and SC400. I dunno why I never did it, but recently I decided to do so. I got a deal on a blister pack of the correct resistors to build the puddle lights from ebay and I'm using our signature 16k hid led's. Problem I have ran into is that I don't know how many puddle lights I should use.

I'm thinking of using 6 down each side. Each puddle would have 6 led's bulked up together. I didn't want to use too many and get too much light going under there. Part of it's draw is to give a soft light rather than 6 blinding spotlights.

So anyway I can't decide how many to use under there. How many puddle lights would you use? Remember I am a black SC and using white led's.

 

5 actually looks pretty good IMO. That would work on saving me some money also since I have to have enough to do my IS300 as well.

 

5 looks better than 6 IMO

 

P.R.S 22 aka Eric from Fl has the puddle lights installed on his SC300 he needs to post pics of it I think he used 6 instead of 5. It is a pretty sweet look.

 

I like 5 a lot, but then again either way its going to turn out really nice. I would love to do this to mine.

 

There's a bunch of ways to do it probably, but I always use the best. I've seen the cheap *** led's floating around ebay that you can probably build all the puddle for like $50 or so, but those led's aren't going to last. If you plan on spending about $2.25 per led you should find some decent one's for a project like this. If I used 5 puddles with 6 led's per puddle times 2 sides I'll use 60 led's. I got really lucky and found a blister pack of the larger 1/2 watt resistors for like $15-$20 or so which is a good price on 1/2 watt. I don't remember how many there were, like 500 or so in the pack. So basically budget about $20 for wire and the total would be around $150-ish to build the kit with good stuff. The resistors are kind of cheaper, but you don't need flameproof wire wound resistors in this application, unlike when we build the clusters. Those are the ones that choke out the spikes and are made not to burn if they have a problem. Worth their money, but not in this application so the cheapies will do.

If I do 6 lights instead of 5 the numbers go up a tad, but I don't mind spending just a little more because I have to do 2 cars instead of one anyway so I am already in this for a decent chunk. I probably wouldn't have done it normally, but I just finished buying and receiving a full Carson Tuned kit for my IS3 and and it is being painted over the weekend. Plus I added an Injen intake and recently did Eibach Pro kit suspension all within the last month so I'm kinda on a roll here. If I can just finish everything off at once I'll be done, so I decided to just do it. I guess my SC is benefiting from it.

 

Here is one of the 6 led 16k cluster puddle under the SC and the IS.

 

Do five! I'm considering puddle lights as well.. hmm

 

I think 5 looks sweet! I always see pics of your IS but never seen a full pic of the SC, looks real clean and simple

 

I was thinking of taking the lights to the corners. Like run 5 in the center and just one satellite on each corner. Dunno, still working it out......

Here's one corner light turned on. Didn't get a pic with the SC. It's over on the grass and gravel right now so I'll use the IS for a minute for placing the lights.

 

Wow that's pretty bright for being in daytime. Wanna whip me up a set?

 

I've always liked a clean palette. Gives you room in the future to add stuff. You never see the SC because it is still on winter wheels. LOL. I've been lazy about swapping back to the EVO's.

 

H-E-L-L ....N-O. LOL! These are way too much of a pain to make a complete kit for. You gotta have a couple rolls of black and red wire and cut to each car how far you want them apart, then you have to solder each wire in to each puddle, The puddles would be the only thing that would even be built and ready by me, the rest would be raw fabrication to the underbody. BOO.

This is really one of those things that has to be done on an individual basis. Each person should cut their own wires and make their own lengths and connections when working under the car. There are a few pre-fab puddle kits out there but they use crap led's and wiring. I'd avoid them.

I mean I went to school to be an EE, I worked for over 10 years with LED's. I can't tell you how to build a ship, but I can tell you what led's to use. You don't want the junk in those kits, and you don't want anything less than $2.25 per led under the car. (and at least $4.50 in the car)

 

Throw some red ones under the '50.

 

nice mod. never really thought of doing this.