LED Mod Thread

Blckshdw

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
I finally decided to order some LED for the Envoy. I hope the brand is good and not bad. There is just so many different T10 and 212-2 options that it hard to pick.

Here is is what I ordered:
Front:
71kG2vLUt2L._SL1100_.jpg


Back:
71F0QVAWuBL._SL1100_.jpg

Never heard of those brands, but new ones pop up all the time. Make sure to post pics once you get them installed. :thumbsup:
 

advcomp2019

Member
Feb 26, 2016
40
iowa
Never heard of those brands, but new ones pop up all the time. Make sure to post pics once you get them installed. :thumbsup:
Yea, that is why it was so hard to decided. There is just too many brand and so many mixed reviews on all the brands that it was giving me a headache ever since thinking of putting LEDs into the interior lights. The other brands that I was looking at was JDM ASTAR and Jtech for the front and Cutequeen for back one.
 

advcomp2019

Member
Feb 26, 2016
40
iowa
Got my LED's today, and WOW, these are bright. The only issue that I have is the PWM when you press the button to turn them on manually. I wish you did not need to open the sun visor to get them brighter. I will get a photo when I get little bit of time.
 

advcomp2019

Member
Feb 26, 2016
40
iowa
Well, this is kinda upsetting. My dad got in to the Envoy earlier and started to smell something weird. Then he seen a burned out bulb. So I opened it and found this:
20170112_023037.jpg


Not sure if it was the bulb or the socket because all the others are working fine for now. I am going to email the company about this as soon as I can.
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Socket wouldn't cause that. It was bulb failure.
 
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advcomp2019

Member
Feb 26, 2016
40
iowa
I thought so, too. I will have to hit the u pull it sometime soon. I had issues with the sockets in the tail lights a while back, and it was boards.
 

gmcman

Member
Dec 12, 2011
4,656
Forgive me if this is mentioned within the 61 pages....lol...but I would like to try some LED 9006 bulbs, but would like to maintain my beam pattern for the most part. Just looking for something a little bit brighter than my standard halogen 9006 bulbs, but nothing that would produce an annoying glare to oncoming traffic.

I'm not going to get anything Silverstar related, been there, done that...looking for something with some decent life in it.
 

Blckshdw

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Your beam pattern will change a bit because you're using a different type of light source that our reflector bowls weren't designed for. There will also be glare when going from halogen to LED/HID. Whether or not it bothers the other drivers is subjective to each driver.

The halogen alternative is to buy HIR bulbs, 9011 and 9012 are the ones you'd look for. They are beefed up halogen bulbs, and will not glare like LED/HID will.

Link to some high beams I was considering to get to go along with my retrofit
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00480J5CW/?tag=gmtnation-20
 

Matt

Member
Dec 2, 2011
4,019
IF you really want LED for your highs, PM Kevin Hanson on here @DFWWIZ or on FB.
 
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l008com

Member
Feb 19, 2016
886
Massachusetts
So related to LEDs, does anyone know the max bulb height you can fit in each of the 3157 slots in the truck? (2 front Amber, 4 rear Red, 2 rear White)
I've have poor luck finding LED bulbs that are bright enough. There are some out there that are very tall and thus have many more individual LEDs on them. But I want to make sure they'll actually fit in the sockets.

The ones in particular I'm thinking about are thess SBL bulbs that are 2.77" tip to tip: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...e-retrofit-car/1646/7044/#/tab/Specifications
 

Blckshdw

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
...anyone know the max bulb height you can fit in each of the 3157 slots in the truck?

You can take a tape measure, ruler, or anything thin enough to fit inside the opening to measure. Then you can be the first to answer this question for us, cuz it's never been posted on here before. Thanks man, appreciate it! :biggrin:
 

Matt

Member
Dec 2, 2011
4,019
@DFWWIZ sells complete LED kits for all marker lights, so you know they're going to fit. IIRC they're around $20 a pair.
 
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Dec 13, 2013
1,490
Osceola,Ia
Well.. Its been almost 3 years since I first did my led conversion.. It was time to redo it, as I had quite a few burnt out.

So picked up some 4.7mm 3smd bulbs and started to redo the conversion today.. I now remember why I disliked doing the conversion to begin with lmao!

But I gotta say the results are sweet!
received_10154557813194877.jpeg

received_10154557813759877.jpeg
 

Blckshdw

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
I now remember why I disliked doing the conversion to begin with lmao!

I have a box of 50 of those STILL sitting on my coffee table from when I bought them in November to redo all of mine. Dreading doing the headlight switch and front door modules again.

I think you're the first person I've seen that desoldered the headlight switch circuit board from the face plate. :undecided:
 
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Dec 13, 2013
1,490
Osceola,Ia
I have a box of 50 of those STILL sitting on my coffee table from when I bought them in November to redo all of mine. Dreading doing the headlight switch and front door modules again.

I think you're the first person I've seen that desoldered the headlight switch circuit board from the face plate. :undecided:

What ya mean desoldering the board from the face? Lol. That's how mine came apart, didn't know there were any other ways lol
 

Blckshdw

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Did you take your dimmer knob apart, or has it been broken for a while? That ribbon cable usually tethers the circuit board to the face plate via the knob.
 
Dec 13, 2013
1,490
Osceola,Ia
Did you take your dimmer knob apart, or has it been broken for a while? That ribbon cable usually tethers the circuit board to the face plate via the knob.
Ahh, yeah I took the nut off of the knob to remove the whole assembly, didn't wanna mess with unsoldering, or soldering the ribbon. So just pulled my knob off, and there is a nut that threads on to the body to keep it in the face plate.
 
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Nov 23, 2016
17
Texas
HELP

My temperature control light/bulbs are out. I need to know what size & volts are needed to replace the bulbs. I have the manual 2 slider temp control.

Ill post a pic tomorrow.
 
Nov 23, 2016
17
Texas
How can i bench test the repair without constant in & out in the envoy. I was thinking of using a 12volt ac power adapter & touch at the solder points each bulds to see if they are indeed working or Is there another way?
 

Blckshdw

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Our vehicles run essentially a 12V system unless specified otherwise. When you get the module out of the truck and open, you can see how big the bulbs are. You'll have to desolder them from the circuit board, then you can take them with you to your local store, or order something approximate online.

You can bench test the lights in the manner you're thinking. All of the back lighting bulbs are on the same circuit, so when you apply power to one bulb's contacts, all of them should light up.

:nono: :popo: Considering the title of this thread, you SHOULD be switching to LEDs. Just sayin :poke::raspberry:
 
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yodaddy4200

Member
Feb 3, 2013
350
So I've had these led tail/brake light bulbs but haven't been able to use them because when i put them in they don't work right. When its dark or if i manually turn them on they work fine. But when the drl's are off or if its to sunny for the auto sensor to kick on... The turn signal bleeds to my tail lights and my front switch backs as well? Do i just need to add resistors to my brake/tail lights? And if so which size? I'll keep searching.
 

Blckshdw

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
So I've had these led tail/brake light bulbs but haven't been able to use them because when i put them in they don't work right. When its dark or if i manually turn them on they work fine. But when the drl's are off or if its to sunny for the auto sensor to kick on... The turn signal bleeds to my tail lights and my front switch backs as well? Do i just need to add resistors to my brake/tail lights? And if so which size? I'll keep searching.

Diodes in series in the circuit will block back feeding, not resistors. :twocents:

So with your stock park/brake bulbs, there's no issue, but when you put the LEDs in, then the turn signals bleed into the park/brake lights, as well as the opposite side parking light in the front?

If I'm understanding you right, then the bulbs could be faulty. You bought SRCK ones right?
 

gpking

Member
Dec 27, 2013
534
Berkeley Springs, WV
@yodaddy4200 - The brake/tail sockets take SRCK type bulbs due to being wired differently. I don't recall having any issues like that with non-SRCK bulbs in those sockets, but I'm guessing that might be your issue.
Make sure you are using SRCK bulbs, or you can modify your boards, or modify your bulbs.

srck led mod aaron.png
 

yodaddy4200

Member
Feb 3, 2013
350
@yodaddy4200 - The brake/tail sockets take SRCK type bulbs due to being wired differently. I don't recall having any issues like that with non-SRCK bulbs in those sockets, but I'm guessing that might be your issue.
Make sure you are using SRCK bulbs, or you can modify your boards, or modify your bulbs.

View attachment 80224
ill go pull them out and also check my eBay history. Ill report back in a few mins Thanks!
 

yodaddy4200

Member
Feb 3, 2013
350
@yodaddy4200 - The brake/tail sockets take SRCK type bulbs due to being wired differently. I don't recall having any issues like that with non-SRCK bulbs in those sockets, but I'm guessing that might be your issue.
Make sure you are using SRCK bulbs, or you can modify your boards, or modify your bulbs.

View attachment 80224
i googled srck vs ck bulb and found a picture... My bulb appears to be CK.. I have after market alteeza tail lights... So I'm thinking if i could modify the bulb that would work better i would guess? Thanks for the help i appreciate it!
 

yodaddy4200

Member
Feb 3, 2013
350
i googled srck vs ck bulb and found a picture... My bulb appears to be CK.. I have after market alteeza tail lights... So I'm thinking if i could modify the bulb that would work better i would guess? Thanks for the help i appreciate it!


Im confused. The led has the same pin pattern that the stock halogens have?
 

yodaddy4200

Member
Feb 3, 2013
350
Diodes in series in the circuit will block back feeding, not resistors. :twocents:

So with your stock park/brake bulbs, there's no issue, but when you put the LEDs in, then the turn signals bleed into the park/brake lights, as well as the opposite side parking light in the front?

If I'm understanding you right, then the bulbs could be faulty. You bought SRCK ones right?
Yes you are correct. No issue with stock halogens. My bulbs are definitely srck as well...
 

Blckshdw

Original poster
Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Time to revive this dead thread! After retrofitting the 4.7mm SMD LEDs into all of my dash modules, I really screwed up my HVAC controller somehow. Not sure if I scorched some traces, or lifted some pads or something, but for whatever reason, the LEDs under the dials would not light up in the truck, and on the test bench, when maxed out at 15.2V, they'd only light up at about half brightness.

Jumpers weren't consistently working, so I opted for plan C. I ordered these LED strip connector adapters. Tinned the pads with solder, for quick and easy connections.

IMG_20170401_171038.jpg

Cut up and stripped some wire to reach the PCBs where I wanted them, and used the slider LEDs (which worked properly) as the power sources.

IMG_20170401_175643.jpg


Soldered in the LEDs and ran a quick test @ 7V.

IMG_20170401_181229.jpg
IMG_20170401_181247.jpg


Wired up the to ther side, and stuck the PCBs to the board using double sided tape.

IMG_20170402_002623.jpg


One thing to note, you may need to use electrical tape if you decide to try this route. The double sided tape on the top, driver's side, refuses to stick to the board, so the top LED won't stay put, causing a 'not so hot' spot behind the numbers.

IMG_20170408_190313.jpg
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
Something else that may work (that I've used lots of before lol) is hot melt/glue. It typically sticks to PCBs decently well, without being impossible to get off if you need to (usually).

I used a lot of it to hold my LED panel boards in my dome lights in my truck :biggrin: I think I posted that in the full size section... I think... since this is the GMT360 section. Maybe I posted it in here. I don't remember. *edit* I have finished pics, no "in progress" pics showing the excessive hot glue usage!
 
Last edited:

l008com

Member
Feb 19, 2016
886
Massachusetts
Heres a fun fact many people might not know. Little hot glue guns used for crafting are ok, but if you guy a "tool" hot glue gun at the hardware store, it gets significantly hotter and lets you stick the glue a lot better.
 
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Mar 30, 2016
1,465
KSA
Time to revive this dead thread! After retrofitting the 4.7mm SMD LEDs into all of my dash modules, I really screwed up my HVAC controller somehow. Not sure if I scorched some traces, or lifted some pads or something, but for whatever reason, the LEDs under the dials would not light up in the truck, and on the test bench, when maxed out at 15.2V, they'd only light up at about half brightness.

Jumpers weren't consistently working, so I opted for plan C. I ordered these LED strip connector adapters. Tinned the pads with solder, for quick and easy connections.

IMG_20170401_171038.jpg


Cut up and stripped some wire to reach the PCBs where I wanted them, and used the slider LEDs (which worked properly) as the power sources.

IMG_20170401_175643.jpg



Soldered in the LEDs and ran a quick test @ 7V.

IMG_20170401_181229.jpg

IMG_20170401_181247.jpg



Wired up the to ther side, and stuck the PCBs to the board using double sided tape.

IMG_20170402_002623.jpg



One thing to note, you may need to use electrical tape if you decide to try this route. The double sided tape on the top, driver's side, refuses to stick to the board, so the top LED won't stay put, causing a 'not so hot' spot behind the numbers.

IMG_20170408_190313.jpg

Look who's back, where you been ?? On topic, looking good, need to go buy some some supplies from the electronics store, ran out of wiring and LEDs :biggrin:
 

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