LED Mod Thread

[jstrut]

There's only a few things that use smd's in the cluster, mainly warning lights. Everything else are little incandescent (or halogen, can't remember what they're classified as) bulbs and I'm pretty sure the door switches use regular bulbs too.

The rear doors on mine were smd's but everything else was a bulb.

 

[Mounce]

Noticed one of my bulbs acting funny Sunday then saw that it completely went out and it didn't work at all yesterday so I pulled it out this morning...

IMG_20150401_065955.jpg
Hmm...that shouldn't have came loose like that...

IMG_20150401_065819.jpg
Oh, there's the problem...

Already messaged the seller to try out their "one year warranty" so we'll see how this goes...

-tapa strikes again...doubling pics

Couldn't edit my post to add this but wanted to follow it up..

Dt_autotech got back to me about the issue

"I'm really sorry to hear about the problem with your item.

It is certainly not our intention to send damaged or defective sets to our customers, and we will investigate the origin of this problem.

To make this right for you, I've immediately created a replacement for you at no additional charge."

Customer service ftw. First time I've had to contact a seller about an issue while the item was under warranty and I'm pleased (surprised, really) with the lack of resistance.

 

[07TrailyLS]

Learn new things everyday. Thanks a hell of a lot mounce. Now I have one more question. For the resistors, do you solder one end to the positive on the led and the other to the positive on the circuit board? I've tried looking at YouTube but couldn't find anyone doing how tos on LEDs and resistors to a circuit board thanks

 

[Sib]

Couldn't edit my post to add this but wanted to follow it up..

Dt_autotech got back to me about the issue

"I'm really sorry to hear about the problem with your item.

It is certainly not our intention to send damaged or defective sets to our customers, and we will investigate the origin of this problem.

To make this right for you, I've immediately created a replacement for you at no additional charge."

Customer service ftw. First time I've had to contact a seller about an issue while the item was under warranty and I'm pleased (surprised, really) with the lack of resistance.

I just messaged the company that sold me the brake light LEDs and within 5 minutes of me messaging them they told me they were sending me two replacements. Another customer service FTW!

I just checked my bulb that was bad and it looked normal. No sign of burning out.

 

[Mounce]

I can't remember which leg is preferred but yeah, you got the right idea. Whichever leg you solder it to let's say the positive leg- you then solder the other end of the resistor to the positive pad on the board.

 

[07TrailyLS]

Awesome. Well I just want to double check. I found a led calculator. For voltage I put 15 for spikes like addressed. I'm doing blue 5mm LEDs so for vF ( forward voltage) I used 3.2. And for mA the diagram said if=20 then 5000 ma. This left me with a 2.7 Ohm resistor. I just wanted to confirm this because I know shadow used the same milliamp (5000) LEDs for his cluster and only used a 1/4 Ohm resistor that's why I need a double check. Thanks guys

 

[Mounce]

No way that LED is drawing 5000mA, that's 5 amps so I'd lean towards 20mA would be the number you're looking for.

 

[07TrailyLS]

ill see if I can post the pic exactly how they have there table lined up give me just a few

Here mounce see if you can make some sense of this. It's just a China based ebay seller. If I'm looking at the tables wrong please correct me

 

[Mounce]

Okay it's wanting you to use 20mA. All of the 5000 and similar numbers are for wavelength and MCD.

Can any of you guys familiar with LEDs chime in?

 

[Blckshdw]

Correct, the recommended current is 20mA, which is typical for most LEDs you'll find on Ebay. The other numbers are indeed wavelength and brightness, based on running the LED at 20mA.

 

[mcsteven]

OK - still pretty new to LEDs. I want to fix my steering wheel lamps, and since I've gone red I figure I'll do red there as well. I'm looking at these LEDs.

They re 2.0 volts, 30 milliamps cont forward current. The physical dimensions are: 5 mm diameter, 6.8 mm tall.

Questions:
When you calculate for resistors, do you use 12 volts, or do you think it better to use 13.2, 13.5, 14,...? I've usually found most cars about 13.2, but this is the newest one I've owned (and most advanced electronically). I figure better to go higher and likely the LED will live longer. Maybe a few Mcd less, but still quite visible.

With the calculator I used, inputting 13.2 volts, 2 v drop, and 30 mA, it shows me 390 ohm, 1/2 w resistor. Sound right?

For anyone who has done the swap, did any of you have issues with size of the lamps going in? I found another lamp that I liked but wasn't sure about the size, etc. The other one is 7.5 mm square, produces 5500 Mcd and 10 lumens. It's here.

As always, any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Marc aka Camera Nut

 

[Mounce]

I'd use 14.5 volts or so for the vehicle current. Just a little extra insurance to CYA in case of random voltage spikes because LEDs don't like being overpowered.

 

[mcsteven]

I'd use 14.5 volts or so for the vehicle current. Just a little extra insurance to CYA in case of random voltage spikes because LEDs don't like being overpowered.

OK - so if I use 14.5v, it calculates to 430 ohms, 1/2 w resistor. I want to be sure - the resistor goes on the ground side, right? Wow, such a noob question.

 

[Sparky]

Resistor can go on either side, it does not matter. I would recommend being as consistent as possible just to make it easier.

 

[mcsteven]

Resistor can go on either side, it does not matter. I would recommend being as consistent as possible just to make it easier.

OK, my electronics aren't as good as I thought. I was thinking on a DC circuit it would be on the + side. Time to see if I can do a refresher via a MOOC or something.

 

[Sparky]

Series circuits are pretty darn simple

 

[mcsteven]

Bumping because I'm hoping others will look at my questions above re: sizes of LEDs as replacements.

It's # 1735, or
http://gmtnation.com/forums/topic/922-led-mod-thread/page-44#entry429072

 

[Mounce]

OK - still pretty new to LEDs. I want to fix my steering wheel lamps, and since I've gone red I figure I'll do red there as well. I'm looking at these LEDs.

They re 2.0 volts, 30 milliamps cont forward current. The physical dimensions are: 5 mm diameter, 6.8 mm tall.

Questions:
When you calculate for resistors, do you use 12 volts, or do you think it better to use 13.2, 13.5, 14,...? I've usually found most cars about 13.2, but this is the newest one I've owned (and most advanced electronically). I figure better to go higher and likely the LED will live longer. Maybe a few Mcd less, but still quite visible.

With the calculator I used, inputting 13.2 volts, 2 v drop, and 30 mA, it shows me 390 ohm, 1/2 w resistor. Sound right?

For anyone who has done the swap, did any of you have issues with size of the lamps going in? I found another lamp that I liked but wasn't sure about the size, etc. The other one is 7.5 mm square, produces 5500 Mcd and 10 lumens. It's here.

As always, any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Marc aka Camera Nut

Either LED would be fine. The second "superflux" type would be harder though because of the four legs.

Btw, you can get all LEDs cheaper from Ebay.

Also, for red, you'll have to de-blue the gauges.

You could use two 3528 strips and they'd be a good bit brighter and have much more better/even distribution of light. That'd also cut your work way down....just remove all bulbs and solder two strips in which wouldn't need the resistors since they're built in.

 

[mcsteven]

Ok. Thanks Mounce, but this is for my steering wheel controls. So far (hear me knocking on wood?) the dash lamps are fine.

 

[Blckshdw]

Once you take the buttons apart, you'll have a much better idea of how much space you have to work with. Obviously you'd want to do that step prior to ordering your LEDs.

Unless your mod bug is driving this project, and you end up with loose LEDs begging to be put elsewhere.

 

[mcsteven]

Once you take the buttons apart, you'll have a much better idea of how much space you have to work with. Obviously you'd want to do that step prior to ordering your LEDs.

Unless your mod bug is driving this project, and you end up with loose LEDs begging to be put elsewhere.

No, no, no! I want everyone else to do the work and I'll just copy their efforts.

OK, on this one, yeah, I want to do that. Hard enough to take the switches out one handed let alone solder. I'll be holding stuff with a stiff wire and my teeth. Won't be doing much (ie other steady hands type) for mods for a long time still.

 

[Grimor]

got the main wiring done. relays, fuses, switch, wireless, etc... All the components are help on with velcro so i can modify stuff. ground strap under the plate with power distribution. range on the 4ch wireless is about 30ft.


counts as leds because the fogs on channel 1 are led lol

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Hey Carlton, any chance you can repost the manual hvac pic thats not showing anymore? And with using the blue leds how bad is the washout on the red temperature bars?

See what you guys started!!!!

 

[Blckshdw]

Taco neck! Aarkon is rubbing off on you!

Hey Carlton, any chance you can repost the manual hvac pic thats not showing anymore?

The reason I took that picture down, is because there are multiple board configurations for the manual HVAC. Only 2 have we been able to tell the difference between visually. But there have been some that used my polarity map that reported some of the connections were reversed, while others matched. Others reported burning the traces on the board after doing the mod, and then having to run jumper wires on the back. With that much difficulty, it's best that people test their units and determine polarity on their own. A little more work on the front end, but a LOT less headaches on the back end.

with using the blue leds how bad is the washout on the red temperature bars?

I wouldn't really call it washout, just that there's no light at night. The little bit of red you see is from outside light shining on the HVAC face.

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Ahhh... Ok thank you sir... Was there enough room in there to fit an extra white led in that area?

 

[Blckshdw]

Much easier to go with 1 white LED on both sides. Don't make more work for yourself than you have to. The face is already tinted blue in that spot, so it will look blue whether you have a blue or white LED behind it.

 

[Trkdrvremt]

What's the best way to check polarity on the pcb?

 

[Blckshdw]

You should have a volt meter (hint hint) if you're going to be doing any type of electrical work. For recreational, maintenance, or troubleshooting purposes. For stuff as simple as LEDs, you can take a single LED, solder the appropriate resistor to it, and use that as a test light. When it's connected properly, it will light up, if it's backwards, it won't. Simple as that.

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Ok... Not sure if I'm missing the terms here... Is a multi meter the same?

 

[Blckshdw]

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Ok good cause thats what I was picking up today... Thanks

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Got this far today.

 

[mcsteven]

Carlton spreading the disease for which there is no cure.

Nice work Trkdrvremt (is that truck driver EMT?)

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Carlton spreading the disease for which there is no cure.

Nice work Trkdrvremt (is that truck driver EMT?)

I know... It's like I threw a rock at a mod bug hive!!! Yes that is what my username means...

 

[BlazingTrails]

Hey guys just wanted to ad that on single LEDs to 14.4 volts I recommend 680 ohm 1/4 watt resisters. If you use the maximum current the LEDs will not last long. Also the rear window switches do not need resistors because the board already has reduced voltage. The rear a/c switches have to be reworked because the had the stock bulbs ran in series for swb. I have several pics in my build thread from my led swaps.

Carry on

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Hey guys just wanted to ad that on single LEDs to 14.4 volts I recommend 680 ohm 1/4 watt resisters. If you use the maximum current the LEDs will not last long. Also the rear window switches do not need resistors because the board already has reduced voltage. The rear a/c switches have to be reworked because the had the stock bulbs ran in series for swb. I have several pics in my build thread from my led swaps.

Carry on

Hmmm.. So what's the lifespan using the 470 ohm resistors?

 

[BlazingTrails]

That's a relative question.....

The only answer I can give "significantly less".

 

[Blckshdw]

Carlton spreading the disease for which there is no cure.

Incorrect sir. Just mod everything so there's nothing left that requires LEDs, and you're good to go!

 

[BlazingTrails]

I second the motion; all in favor?

 

[Trkdrvremt]

Incorrect sir. Just mod everything so there's nothing left that requires LEDs, and you're good to go!

Until you find better mods.....[emoji12]

Then it starts all over again.... It's a vicious cycle...