LED Lighting for Interior

[AColbe01]

Having some improper lamps in my dash caused me to consider alternatives. Found this site that tells how to replace various incandescent bulbs with Light Emitting Diodes (LED). Now I eat ketchup on French toast, so my taste is not the same as everybody else. I think it's pretty cool. If I had the parts while the car was apart, I would have done ours in a heart beat.

http://www.spdkilz.com/techtip.html

:cool

Andy

 

[c5y2k]

A few of us have done the LED mod. Here is a link to the thread with the pictures.

Beside the radio and HVAC the rest of the car only took and a few hours to do.

 

[AColbe01]

A few of us have done the LED mod. Here is a link to the thread with the pictures.

Beside the radio and HVAC the rest of the car only took and a few hours to do.

Good Link, but let's add a little more beef!

Here's what mine looked like when I asked the question:

Some of my buttons where unlit, moved some other sockets around just to have light.

Ordered some blue bulbs from Oznium.com, packaged arrived marked "Pre-Wired 12 Volt LED" Hmmmmmm! 12 Volt LED, don't need no stinkin' resistor!

Wrong!

Plus

Equals small "pop" and dead LED!





Use the resistor.


Getting back on topic:


Oznium shows the pod with the "Fuel, Guages, E/M, Reset" buttons for a reason, Thats the side the bulbs fit. The bulbs on the left use a smaller socket.

Notice the change in diameter.

Took one of the $2.something prewired 12v lights apart and soldered guts to lh pod.


After breaking a couple of heat seals, this is what's in there. Red "+" shows +12V

Screen left is completed and screen right is where bending leads to get ready to solder.

So far I've only used one bare bulb from the little plastic package of ten, yep, that one fried.

On the socket bulbs purchased and unassembled there is a small resistor on a very small chip of a board under the LED. On mine the resistor (marked 471) was on the Positive (+) lead. It helps to have the board edges pointing to the slots of the board you're soldering to. If the board is pointing to the contacts there is a greater possibility of letting the smoke out of something. Please just take my word on the orientation.

Other word of wisdom. To make sure connection correct, put grey backing back on board to make sure your pins line up to test lights.

The LEDs that point directly to the center of a button need some kind of light block on top of the LED or you will have a "Hot" spot of brighter light from that button. Yes, I forgot to do this to mine. Another guy mentioned it put I didn't realize the full impact till completely back together.

The lamps that already have the resistor are easier to work with than those you have to solder a resistor to.


Be careful with the plastic post for the clip on the top left of the knee bolter as it seems to break somewhat easily.

I'll post more pictures later of the finished product. Does look cool!




Andy

 

[AColbe01]

Less Chance of Damage This Way!

Worked on my soldering skills, the small socket /3mm LED will work.

I try to consistently put the resistor on the pos lead. This is better than breaking the pod apart.

Other words of wisdom.

Door Power Window/Power Lock Switches. Drivers Door Switch release end will be on left end (Door Latch End) as sitting in drivers seat. Passenger door, release near door hinge end. Passenger door switch has the formed "finger" on the end closed to door latch, if you pry on that end you WILL break the plastic and probably tear the rubber membrane of your switch.

Any suggestions how to repair the rubber membrane of the power window switch?

Andy

 

[c5y2k]

Not sure if you are done with all your lights yet but this video might help (credit to diyguy on the "other" forum). To give some credit where it is due. I got most of my information and how-tos on the LED mod from here.

Im not trying to avoid adding meat to this topic but but there are many ways and levels of detail to this mod that have been documented. I think reading the original posts would give more information.

When I did mine I did them exactly like the video I linked above. Unfortunately the radio and HVAC dont have that kind of documentation and I forgot to take pictures when I did mine.

The other thing I did to reduce the hot spot issue was to dremel the top of the LED flat and then color that flat spot with a black permanent marker.

tstar is also a member on this forum and he has done A LOT of LED moding.

 

[AColbe01]

Not sure if you are done with all your lights yet but this video might help (credit to diyguy on the "other" forum). To give some credit where it is due. I got most of my information and how-tos on the LED mod from here.

I'm not trying to avoid adding meat to this topic but but there are many ways and levels of detail to this mod that have been documented. I think reading the original posts would give more information.

When I did mine I did them exactly like the video I linked above. Unfortunately the radio and HVAC don't have that kind of documentation and I forgot to take pictures when I did mine.

The other thing I did to reduce the hot spot issue was to dremel the top of the LED flat and then color that flat spot with a black permanent marker.

tstar is also a member on this forum and he has done A LOT of LED moding.

Looks like I tried to reinvent the wheel, except one of mine has a little lump in it, keeps you a wake on those rodes late at night!

Great find, I've never seen it before, If/when I have the cluster out again I'll fix my bulbs the way you did.

Thanks for the help,

Andy

 

[c5y2k]

If I dig into the Radio and HVAC again I'll take come pictures of how I did mine. They both need to be toned down a bit as they are to bright but I haven't had the inspiration to do so yet.

 

[zagger]

Thanks for the great info. You have inspired me to make the mod. As for the membrane simple crazy glue works great on the membranes. If you wont to spend more money a LockTite 404 is the choice glue. Good luck and best regards Zig.