Dash bulbs are a blowing

Mark20

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
First time I've had this on any vehicle. One of the lights is out in the radio as is behind the passenger temperature control. Hopefully I can get to them this weekend.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
 

Boricua SS

Member
Nov 20, 2011
3,080
Ohio
perfect time to upgrade to LED's!! :yes:
 

Mark20

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
Debating that. If I could find some nice neat bulb size packages with the resister already built in that would be the way I go.
 

Wyle

Member
Dec 4, 2011
200
Mark20 said:
Debating that. If I could find some nice neat bulb size packages with the resister already built in that would be the way I go.

12V diffused blue
12V diffused white

Thats what I put in my radio and HVAC units. So far (3 months), so good. Article coming about non-destructive disassembly for manual HVAC control. I saw where many pulled the sliders off the PCB trying to get it apart.

Yeah, yeah. Pics or it didn't happen.
View attachment 18569
 

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Mark20

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
Wyle said:
12V diffused blue
12V diffused white

Thats what I put in my radio and HVAC units. So far (3 months), so good. Article coming about non-destructive disassembly for manual HVAC control. I saw where many pulled the sliders off the PCB trying to get it apart.

Yeah, yeah. Pics or it didn't happen.

Allright, that's what I'm talking about!

How many LEDs for each? Now just to decide what color to go with.
 

Boricua SS

Member
Nov 20, 2011
3,080
Ohio
Wyle said:
12V diffused blue
12V diffused white

Thats what I put in my radio and HVAC units. So far (3 months), so good. Article coming about non-destructive disassembly for manual HVAC control. I saw where many pulled the sliders off the PCB trying to get it apart.

Yeah, yeah. Pics or it didn't happen.
View attachment 3708

Interested to read your write up on removing the manual HVAC control levers... I have leds in everything except my HVAC's due to that very reason.. scared of breaking the sliders...
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Those diffused 12V bulbs look like they are the thing to go to! Simplifies it a lot. Yeah a little more expensive than the 100% DIY method but probably worth it to not have to deal with cramming resistors in there. You can probably still grind the tops flat to help spread out the light a bit more too as well.

Aw crap, they don't have any 12V diffused green LEDs. Wahhh!
 

Mark20

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
Now to decide, blue or white.
 

Wyle

Member
Dec 4, 2011
200
Sparky said:
Those diffused 12V bulbs look like they are the thing to go to! Simplifies it a lot. Yeah a little more expensive than the 100% DIY method but probably worth it to not have to deal with cramming resistors in there. You can probably still grind the tops flat to help spread out the light a bit more too as well.

Aw crap, they don't have any 12V diffused green LEDs. Wahhh!

I read some concerns that some 12V LEDs don't last if the forward voltage exceeds 12V. Reviews of these said they worked in car applications with charging systems that get above 14V. I tested a couple with my good ol' 35 yr old battery charger. Except for the one I might have hook up backwards :redface: others tested fine. Yeah, try hooking battery sized clamps to LED leads and having them stay on for 20 minutes.

IMHO, at 50 cents each, its worth the extra $5 or so for the nice clean install.

I think green would actually match the original color of the factory bulbs best if thats the look you're going for. I like the blue in the radio and HVAC, but not so sure I'd want it in the gauge cluster. It's still readable, but the bulbs around the temp gauge are out so this is climbing on my mod list.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Wyle said:
I read some concerns that some 12V LEDs don't last if the forward voltage exceeds 12V. Reviews of these said they worked in car applications with charging systems that get above 14V. I tested a couple with my good ol' 35 yr old battery charger. Except for the one I might have hook up backwards :redface: others tested fine. Yeah, try hooking battery sized clamps to LED leads and having them stay on for 20 minutes.

IMHO, at 50 cents each, its worth the extra $5 or so for the nice clean install.

I think green would actually match the original color of the factory bulbs best if thats the look you're going for. I like the blue in the radio and HVAC, but not so sure I'd want it in the gauge cluster. It's still readable, but the bulbs around the temp gauge are out so this is climbing on my mod list.

No, green wouldn't match. I'm talking REAL green, a deep, pure green color like I had put in my Camaro :biggrin:

This pic sucks (from my old cell phone over 2 years ago) but this is what I'm talking about. Much more green than the factory "pale kinda looks green-ish" color.

ledgauges_cellpic.jpg
 

JRTAHOE

Member
Nov 20, 2011
848
Boricua SS said:
Interested to read your write up on removing the manual HVAC control levers... I have leds in everything except my HVAC's due to that very reason.. scared of breaking the sliders...

Interested as well. One of the bulb went out on my radio but I'm thinking of getting a new HU so I'm not going to worry about replacing that but I have some that have gone out on the HVAC as well that need changing.
 

Mark20

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
Most alternators give over 14V. Given that the dropping resistor is fixed the current will go up and could exceed the LEDs rating.

Something to think about.
 

DJones

Member
Jan 21, 2012
701
St. Petersburg, Florida
How often do you need the dash lights at full brightness? The lights are PWM, which is a major factor to why the original bulbs burnt out in the first place. As long as you don't need them full brightness, I wouldn't worry about it.
 

Mark20

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
1,630
DJones said:
How often do you need the dash lights at full brightness? The lights are PWM, which is a major factor to why the original bulbs burnt out in the first place. As long as you don't need them full brightness, I wouldn't worry about it.

Why do you say the PWM is a factor in burning out the bulbs?
 

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