Vision X Solstice Solo s1100 LED

[slosurfer]

I picked up one of the Vision X Solstice Solo s1100's (http://www.visionxstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=401&osCsid=l2qjm26k8bgjicjncivklr8625) while at the Offroad Expo from Darick at http://visionxstore.com (thanks for the great deal :thumbup: ). I've been eyeing these for awhile, and have been wanting to get at least one to use as an aux. backup light.

They are a single 10watt LED that produces 800 lumens at .75amps and they are also modular and can be attached to each other easily. They come in your choice of "spot", "euro", or "flood" beams.Click here for the full specs (http://www.visionxusa.com/LED/s1100/).

I chose the euro beam because it seemed to have a wider throw than the flood beam and the spot was too concentrated to use as an aux reverse light. The main reason I needed an aux light (besides, being addicted to lights), is due to the placement of the stock reverse lights on the 2nd gen. The stock lights are pretty bright, but they are placed in the middle of the tailgate, which really sucks for when you are towing a trailer and trying to back up. Right now, when backing up the trailer, I just get a ton of light right on the front of the trailer and it is almost impossible to see the rear or sides of the trailer. I needed to get an aux light that was up high and shining down.

These things are pretty small, so I just mounted it to the metal "spoiler" on the rear of the 4runner. Simple install, just drilled a 1/4" hole and mounted it. Wireing it will be an easy two wire install, but running the wire will be a little harder since I’ve got to figure out how to get it ran into the window channel without looking hokey. (might need some suggestions on how to do this)

Here are the mounted pics (not wired up yet)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9721.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9722.jpg

I’ll have some night shots in just a bit:

[slosurfer]

Better pics, still playing with my camera settings and I forgot to take the tripod with me. DOH!!! It was super foggy too! The first couple pics, I think I have the light aimed down too much, so I adjusted it up some for more distance.

reverse lights
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9752.jpg

both lights(those crappers are 90+ feet away)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9756.jpg

trying to get a shot of the spread
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9763.jpg

While I was there, this spaceship landed (haha, it's a crappy pic, but it made me laugh and it shows how foggy it was)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9766.jpg

[4x4mike]

Nice dude. Without seeing your euro beam shots I think it is the one to go with for this application. Are you still going to build a light with the garage sale lights?

As for wiring I'd go under the 4runner. If it were me in mine I'd tap into my aux power box that is under the stereo. Drop the power wire through the shifter tunnel and route it under the body. My rock lights are like this and I ran the wire along the e brake housing (it starts at the tunnel and goes to the rear). Keep the wire high and then snake it behind the rear bumper and through the molding at the rear door/tailgate. Run the wire up the door jamb to the spoiler. I think this way is better because you're not tearing your interior apart to run a wire and you don't disrupt the weatherstripping on the door. Another option depending on when you'll use the light (along with other lights) you could tap into your trailer harness if the wire will put up with your load. If you've got a 7 pin you've got a constant 12V.

[Seanz0rz]

you have an interesting situation with the wiring as there is nothing to drop it down or through. i would drill a hole for a grommet near the wiper motor, and run it around the headliner to the side panel, then forward under the sill plates (where your body harness is)

[slosurfer]

I added some crappy pics to the second post, I'll get better ones once I have them wired up and can go somewhere that will show the spread better.

Sean, I think I may have to do something similar to what you were saying. Mike, I like your idea, but I don't have a doorjamb to run it up, since it's a tailgate. I may try to see if I can get it in the window channel though. We'll see how it goes.

[4x4mike]

You should add those pics in the sh!tty pic thread instead on the rate my poo, J/K.
Looks pretty bright. I'm sure it gets warm but does it get hot? I'm wondering how hot after a couple of minutes and then after like 30 minutes.

[CYi5]

The plastic mounts for the spoiler may actually be hollow. Perhaps you could drill a hole into that and maybe into the door behind the spoiler mount and go in through there.

[slosurfer]

You should add those pics in the sh!tty pic thread instead on the rate my poo, J/K.
Looks pretty bright. I'm sure it gets warm but does it get hot? I'm wondering how hot after a couple of minutes and then after like 30 minutes.


:laugh: :laugh: That's exactly what I was thinking of when I was taking them (you should have seen the first ones :), when all I did was turn off the flash ) There's only so much I could do with the canon sd1100 IS as far as adjustments.

I only had it on a couple minutes at a time, so not even long enough to get warm. I'll leave it on for a half hour one of these nights and see how it does. It's just going to go by how hot it feels to me, since I don't have a fancy laser thermometer. :)

CYi5, that's not a bad idea.

[slosurfer]

Here are a couple less crappy pics (i.e. less grainy) that I took at dusk last night, to hold you over till I get some better pics :laugh:

stock reverse lights:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9723.jpg

stock and solstice:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9724.jpg

[slosurfer]

Better pics, still playing with my camera settings and I forgot to take the tripod with me. DOH!!! It was super foggy too! The first couple pics, I think I have the light aimed down too much, so I adjusted it up some for more distance.

reverse lights
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9752.jpg

both lights(those crappers are 90+ feet away)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9756.jpg

trying to get a shot of the spread
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9763.jpg

While I was there, this spaceship landed (haha, it's a crappy pic, but it made me laugh and it shows how foggy it was)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/slosurfer27/4runner/Lights/IMG_9766.jpg

[Crinale]

The plastic mounts for the spoiler may actually be hollow. Perhaps you could drill a hole into that and maybe into the door behind the spoiler mount and go in through there.


They are hollow. I noticed that when i was drilling through them for my flag whip mount...

[paddlenbike]

Looks good Chris. Heck, I wouldn't mind having some on my house!

[CJM]

Wanted to know, do you need any special controllers or hook ups to wire these kinds of lights or can you just hook them up to 12v DC and be done with it?

[slosurfer]

Just hook them up and go.:) They have an input voltage of 9-50volts, so you just need a switch. They can be hooked together and they say once you have 5 hooked up on the same curcuit, that you should add a relay in there. :thumbup:

In those pictures, I just have wires draped over the roof and hooked up to the battery so that I could take some pics. :)

[CJM]

Cool, not a bad price and will make EXCELLENT back up lights imho.

[slosurfer]

Just thought I'd give an update.

Still haven't wired it, but I did hook it up to a 12 volt plug that I had, so it's ghetto wired with wire nuts and all. :laugh: I just had to get it useable for SnT.

Pulled into SnT late Friday night and it was so much better backing up with my trailer now that I'm using this light. :thumbup: Makes a great backup light.

I also used it while setting up my tent in the dark and making dinner, was so nice to not have to use a flashlight held by my teeth while doing that. :thumbup:

Now I just need to get it wired permanently. I think I need Mike and Ken to come and do my wiring. I need to just fix my ghetto wireing, install my alarm, install an aux fuse box, get and run a new coax for my cb, move my elocker switch, and install my military multi switch. :(

[4x4mike]

If I were you I'd start with the aux fuse box and update/upgrade any wiring that needs to go to it. Or consolidate and move everything to it. I've got in the the dash under the stereo and I like it out of the engine compartment. Another advantage of having it there is I can hard wire interior electrical stuff easy and half of my external wiring leaves the interior of the vehicle through the transmission hole in the console area. Everything is clean and in one place.

Did you figure out a way to route your wiring?

[slosurfer]

That sounds like a good plan. When are you going to start? :laugh: Seriously though, that was where I was thinking of starting, it would help fix my ghetto wiring, and like you said, make adding the other stuff much easier.

I'll have to check out the transmission tunnel, I've been running it through the firewall with all the other wires. Can be a pain sometimes. :D

I have some ideas for wiring the light, but won't know for sure till I get into it.

[4x4mike]

I've got a 6 spot blue sea aux box and I think it maybe full (cb, gps, front rock lights, rear rock lights and front HID's). So it looks like I have an extra spot and 2 if I combine my rock lights. I've got an 8 gauge wire that comes in through the factory hole/grommet/wire bundle to the blue sea and one 14 gauge wire that leaves through the same hole and goes to the HID's. Everything else is on short wires behind the dash. My cb wiring (power) took all of 2 minutes and that included the dash removal. The coax took a little longer but that was expected.

I don't like working through the firewall. On the 4runners water that comes off the hood can drain down them and into the cabin. I know there are seals but drilling a hole and sealing it is a pain in my book. I used what was there and it's nice and tight. My old truck's firewall was pretty protected and I had 3 holes in it and regretted everyone. About a year before I sold it I had what I thought was a wiring problem (turned out to be the alarm and starter bypass) so I ripped out tons of wiring and updated it. All the relays were in the same place, aux fuse box, blade style fuses (no more cheap plastic tube fuse holders to break) and 14 gauge to everything. When I got the 4runner I decided to do it right from the start. I think I'm keeping with the motto although I've drilled some holes here and there.

[slosurfer]

Yeah, when I started on the 4runner, I didn't know what I know now, so I have to move backwards.

I never drilled through my firewall, I just shoved the wire through the same seals that the other harnesses are running through. Usually it involves a coat hangar run through from the motor side, tapeing the wire to it and pulling it back through. :laugh: It's a pain, especially the more wires going through there. :laugh:

[4x4mike]

I do the same, I just use a spoke from a bike wheel.

[slosurfer]

Ah, nice! Those probably work even better.

[Obi..]

was so nice to not have to use a flashlight held by my teeth while doing that.


:shake: Why I now have a nice chipped tooth..pics puhleese. :D

*I like Mike's spoke trick, the only reason I still keep some 300mm laying around.

[Crinale]

haha... you guys im sure have way better wiring than my truck... my entire dash harness is a hack job... there were like 50 wires and splices for the cd changer (the old stereo installation would make any Best Buy install look really good...) half of my dash doesnt work, but there are no blown fuses... i honestly dont even know where to start on this thing... heh

[Obi..]

haha... you guys im sure have way better wiring than my truck... my entire dash harness is a hack job... i honestly dont even know where to start on this thing... heh


You could always ask me to see if I can get the interior harness from Jeff at Toy Connection? Drive it up here and we could swap it all out w/i 6 hours easily so long as he has one ready in advance. That or go hardcore and pick up a marine fuse box and just pull everything into that like 4x4Mike mentioned somewhere in one of these posts.

[CJM]

FWIW I pushed mine in beside the wiring harness and RTV'd it a bit to make sure it sealed.

In my work van we just drilled holes in the firewall and put the wire thru then sealed it with RTV.