LED Mod Thread

[Capote]

Found a 3M one in the auto lighting section. Was way cheaper than both of these. Got solder w/ it, for a total cost of like $8 Now to start practicing on some random thing i've found at work a while ago. Should be good to practice on
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[Capote]

Okay so I'm a noob when it comes to soldering LEDs, that's the only thing I've never done with them. So I did a quick little experiment to see if I understand how this all is supposed to work. The longer lead is positive, the shorter lead is negative. The resistor is attached to the positive lead. Voila! This stuff is waaaay easier than expected. Excuse the crudeness of this experiment.

 

[Blckshdw]

Okay so I'm a noob when it comes to soldering LEDs ... This stuff is waaaay easier than expected.

Told ya so

 

[Capote]

Told ya so

Looking way back through the LED Mod thread and came across this mod you did: http://gmtnation.com/forums/topic/922-led-mod-thread/page-13#entry106133 Looks sick man, very good idea brother

 

[Blckshdw]

Thanks man, that's one of my favorite mods, and probably gets more compliments than any of the other interior LED mods I've done.

Who knows, you might go home at the end of next month with that mod done to your truck.

 

[Capote]

No problem at all man, very impressed with your LED mod prowess.

I wouldn't want to steal your mod though man

 

[dmanns67]

Stupid noob question time!!!

I have a set of Xenon HID 9006 headlights courtesy of Mr. DManns67, but my hi-beams are stock. I also have the quad hi mod - courtesy of MAY03LT, so when I kick my brights on it looks goofy as the hi-beams are a sickly pale yellow compared to the HID's. been wanting to replace the hi-beam bulbs with CREE LED's, so can I just buy some 9005 Cree LED's and slap'em in? These are what I was thinking of getting.. Yes? No? HELP!!

Thanks Y'all!

Do it man. I have been wanting to see some 9005 Crees in person. I have been contemplating going with them as well.

 

[Blckshdw]

Technically, it's not my mod, I saw it done by other members on the OS years ago. Just don't think anybody else has done it in the last 5 years. Besides, if I didn't want other people to have it, I wouldn't post it. Of course, you can take the mod, make it your own, and change it. Use different colors, put them in a pattern, or whatever you can come up with. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination (and budget)

 

[Capote]

Technically, it's not my mod, I saw it done by other members on the OS years ago. Just don't think anybody else has done it in the last 5 years. Besides, if I didn't want other people to have it, I wouldn't post it. Of course, you can take the mod, make it your own, and change it. Use different colors, put them in a pattern, or whatever you can come up with. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination (and budget)

Ohh okay; if I did, i'd probably do a different pattern then

 

[Blckshdw]

Only thing to be careful with, is account for the mounting clips underneath when making your template. Other than that, it's really a simple mod to do.

I wired mine to the dome lights, I know others have talked about going to the individual door switches. For me, I don't have a problem with them being on when the door is closed. Visually, it's the same thing, but don't have to worry about fishing wires through the door jambs.

 

[Capote]

Only thing to be careful with, is account for the mounting clips underneath when making your template. Other than that, it's really a simple mod to do.

I wired mine to the dome lights, I know others have talked about going to the individual door switches. For me, I don't have a problem with them being on when the door is closed. Visually, it's the same thing, but don't have to worry about fishing wires through the door jambs.

I'm not sure how i'd go about it, usually my methods are odd compared to others when it comes to wiring LEDs up

 

[Blckshdw]

The 2 ways I would recommend, is to either make a paper template, or lay down some painters/masking tape, and draw your pattern on that, then drill your holes. That way you can make changes and adjustments as needed before you start drilling. Wiring them up afterwards is usually the easy part. Figuring out where to put them to get the look your after is the hard part.

 

[Capote]

Sounds good

I'm working on the rear hvac controls at the moment. I'm just puzzled on the polarity of the 2 larger LEDs, and then the small one that indicates power

 

[Blckshdw]

Well, you should have a multimeter, that you can check polarities with. The simpler option, and one I used to use, was solder a resistor to an LED, and use that as your polarity tester. Much smaller, you can stick it in a pocket, or behind your ear when you don't need it right away.

 

[Capote]

I supposedly have a very expensive one according to Brandon, that I "acquired" from work

 

[RayGumm]

I supposedly have a very expensive one according to Brandon, that I "acquired" from work

THEM'S MY TAX DOLLARS!!

mwahahahaha

 

[Capote]

It'll be put to good use buddy

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Reappropriated...

 

[BHAMER]

Ok, on the rear door window switches, they dont have normal bulbs, they have these little led, can you replace those with a standard led, or am I kinda stuck with those?

 

[Capote]

Yeah you can use a standard LED, I did

 

[BHAMER]

Yeah you can use a standard LED, I did

I,m assuming that you just unsolder the little one and solder in the new one, then trim the green rubber around it?

 

[Capote]

I don't recall any green rubber

 

[Blckshdw]

I,m assuming that you just unsolder the little one and solder in the new one, then trim the green rubber around it?

Yep, that's what I did with mine

 

[BHAMER]

I don't recall any green rubber

I have a green rubber cover over that little led.

Yep, that's what I did with mine

cool thanks guys!! I may have to try that tonight!

 

[Capote]

Finally got to the headlight switch & rear wiper switch. Green LEDs in both, rear wiper does have one Blue LED in the middle though:

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[Blckshdw]

Nice work Aaron. Much potential, your LED mod bug has.

 

[Darkrider_LS]

And now that my mod bug has realized that I have figured out a decent financial plan for future repairs and mods it has been rattling it's cage constantly whenever it sees other mod bugs getting work done

 

[Aarkon]

Been a while since anyone has been in here so here's what I did out of boredom today I made a board of purple leds

 

[dmanns67]

Been a while since anyone has been in here so here's what I did out of boredom today I made a board of purple leds

Wheres that gem going?

 

[Aarkon]

Wheres that gem going?

It was gonna be the start to my dome lights but they just aren't bright enough for me

 

[dmanns67]

It was gonna be the start to my dome lights but they just aren't bright enough for me

You will have a spaceship lighted interior like Carlton.

 

[Capote]

Gonna be bright like my interior lol

 

[djthumper]

Mine is so bright you can see it through the tint

 

[dmanns67]

Mine is so bright you can see it through the tint

Same here. My 5630 chips are crazy bright.

 

[Capote]

Same here. My 5630 chips are crazy bright.

Same boat, can't see shit outside when my lights are on inside

 

[djthumper]

Can't much of anything at night out of the windows.

 

[Blckshdw]

It was gonna be the start to my dome lights but they just aren't bright enough for me

Yeah, you've got WAY too much unused space on those boards, especially since you put the resistors on the backside. If you did add more LEDs to the board, I'd encourage you to wire them up in an array of some sort for higher efficiency, and less heat from having so many resistors.

You will have a spaceship lighted interior like Carlton.

Who doesn't like spaceships?

 

[Darkrider_LS]

Most likely when I go led in the domes of my trucks I will probably just go with pre-built boards...no way in hell do I have the concentration and patience to tackle assembling something like that!....on the flipside if any of you guys who have built theirs in here are willing to make a spare set in the near future I will gladly be interested in making a deal of some sort.

 

[gpking]

I have a burnt out bulb in my passenger's side window button. Naturally this means the entire interior is now due for an LED upgrade.
I have found some useful info around the forums, but no dedicated thread or write up for doing the buttons in LED.
Is there a thread for it where I could find some more detailed info?

Most likely when I go led in the domes of my trucks I will probably just go with pre-built boards...no way in hell do I have the concentration and patience to tackle assembling something like that!....on the flipside if any of you guys who have built theirs in here are willing to make a spare set in the near future I will gladly be interested in making a deal of some sort.

Nothing wrong with that.
I bought cheap Chinese T10s and 212-2 and they're still so much brighter than the stock bulbs.

 

[Blckshdw]

I have a burnt out bulb in my passenger's side window button. Naturally this means the entire interior is now due for an LED upgrade.
I have found some useful info around the forums, but no dedicated thread or write up for doing the buttons in LED.
Is there a thread for it where I could find some more detailed info?

There's no dedicated write up, because there are a few different ways to do it. Some people are happy with 1 LED in stock locations, others wanted 1 LED per button. A couple of not-so-noobs have asked me for pointers, but have gone in slightly different directions when they did their door modules. Their pics are posted in this thread somewhere, just have to find em.