I see BLUE!!!!

turbocad6 said:
so how could you measure the current without removing the led & putting the meter in line with the load? also, what would actually limit current, I thought that the resistor would limit the voltage & the current, is it possible the resistor can limit it to the correct voltage but allow too much current to flow? I've always thought that current wasn't regulated externally, & that the load itself will determine the current draw...
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if you can find a resistor in series with an LED, you can determine the current through it, and hence the LED using Ohms Law, which is V = I*R. the way to figure it out is to look at the spec sheet of the LED you are using. If the LED wants 3.2V and 0.01 amps, and your sources is a 5 volt source, you would pick the resistor value that would allow 0.01 amps to flow with 1.8V across it. So V=I*R. 1.8/0.01 = 180 OHMS. Then you would also need to make sure that the resistor is sized properly to dissipate the power it is absorbing, and that equation is V*I. 1.8*0.01 = .018 watts, which any resistor you find will happily dissipate. the type of circuits we use at work are much much more complex than this, as it is not efficient to dissipate power in a resistor to satisfy the current draw of the LED. we using switching power supplies, which basically turn on and off fast enough that it looks like a DC voltage to the LED, and you cant see it pulsing, but you dont have the losses associated with powering things with DC. But again this is alot different. We use LEDs that dissipate 0.75 amps, not 0.01-0.03 amps like the LEDs we see in our climate control.
 
I like the color change a lot and of course it flows very well with your overall theme. Is this something you have to have done or is there a DIY write up available? I didn't read the entire post so sorry if this question has already been asked or answered.
 
Waleedalot said:
If i were to change them to any other color i think i would choose Red in this case. from what i'm reading here the red and orange would use the same voltage right?
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I was / am still doubting about red as well,but i find it to less of a difference against the orange so it wouldn't be noticable at first. What i did do was at some red into the theme goes all blue in my opninion was a bit overkill at the A/C & Radio. But still love the blue very much though.

fred2ka4 said:
I like the color change a lot and of course it flows very well with your overall theme. Is this something you have to have done or is there a DIY write up available? I didn't read the entire post so sorry if this question has already been asked or answered.
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I know what your are talking about fred. As impatiant i sometimes are it still is best to read it all as you then have the most info.
If you can solder well it can be done, if you know what you need. To sort that out yourself is a story itself. I cannot solder myself honestly and am glad to have some friends who do :wub:
Am working on a complete list so be a bit more patient and it's done :tup:
 
turbocad6 said:
and the reason is.... ?
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Psiclne said:
+1:confused:
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Sorry guys, I missed these posts.

Apparently, the amber is used heavily in Japanese culture to display welcoming and hospitality, creating a warm and friendly environment in which to inhabit. Homes, restaurants, hotel rooms etc use this color frequently to welcome their guests.

I still want another color though. I wish I had your guys skill and patience to do the color switch but just reading this thread makes my head hurt. If anyone wants to take my FX and do it for me, I will pay them a large sum of money. :wink:
 
Pupp said:
If anyone wants to take my FX and do it for me, I will pay them a large sum of money. :wink:
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Don't say that to out loud cause i'm done....!! :.smile:

I'm at home right now and don't have any pics here yet. But i made a complete list of it all. Have to work it out and will put it on the forum within a couple of days.

Hang in there guys...!! :tup:
 
I've got it done......!!

Ok finally got this thing done..!!

To begin with, you need to have some solder capabilities in my opinion to do this. You don’t have to be an expert but do need some experience. I had none so I stayed away and let a friend of mine do it

The whole sorting out was the most work of it all. I have so many leds witch I can now throw away, but honestly it was all worth it….!!

I’ve made a complete list in PDF with all details: Location / Type of LED / Luminous intensity and Part Nr so now should be an easy job.
Note: don’t think you can do this within a couple of hours…!! I can’t exactly tell you how long you will need to do this as I took me in total about 3 weeks.

Outer then the list I’ll try to walk you guys true it as well:

Starting with the radio unit:

This unit contains 2 different Leds. The 0805 and PLCC2. Be ware the last one needs to have 2 connectors…!! As I found out you have them in 4 as well witch will not fit.
All the buttons and lightning are 0805 and seen from above the have the cathode to connect it to the board on the LEFT side.
The airco FUNCTION lights are plcc2. I made them also red so you know when there ON.
All leds on the board have numbers witch you can find in my PDF so you exactly know witch led needs what. Only the HEAT function leds can stay OEM as they are already BLUE and RED.
I also made the Volume and Channel as well as the CD & Tape inserts lights red to give it a little bit of contrast.
Now knowing witch type of LED you’ll need and approx witch Luminous (Light Strength) you can make any version of color you want of course.

Further with the LCD NON Tech Screen:

As well as the Cluster LCD’s all have the PLCC4 with 4 connectors. Nothing much to say about that further then one of the easiest jobs of this MOD.

In the attachment below you'll find the PDF list with all needed......!!
 
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further

All the doors:

This was some sorting out. As Front and Rear was different. Front doors were kinda easy with PLCC2 (also 2 connectors) both left and right.
The door grip lightning I ordered some Leds and had to adjust the plastic holder were the old bulb was in. Drilled out the hole to 8 mm and could mount it in. You have to cut the wires of the old bulb and connect them to the new led. Quite simple again if you can solder.
The rear doors had sort of a Wedge Base bulb. We didn’t know what to do with it so soldered a PLCC2 between both connectors and it worked perfect.

The Seat Heating Buttons:

These contain 2 leds. Also the 0805 (same as the radio) for lightning and PLCC2 (also from radio) for function.

Further on the Center Console:

The OEM Clock has 2 twist lock bulbs witch I ordered true another firm superbrightleds. And fitted perfectly.
The Center console lightning (Gears etc...) as well as the cigarette lighter lightning and the ignition lightning all had a mini wedge base LED. I choose the version with 3 leds as that spreaded the most light. NOTE: the cigarette lighter light is mounted very firm and is locked with 4 clamps on all sides so kinda hard to get loose. I went up taking the whole thing apart and the clamps were not that tight anymore when I was finished. Doable but you have to be patient.
 
Finally the cluster

Finally the Cluster:

If you read this thread full you’ll know that you need to take it apart and sand the yellow film of the back of the gauge plate. You need to do this firmly and don’t take this lightly as you will still see it when you don’t. But not something witch a couple of free evenings can’t solve. I used 800 till 1000 sanding paper with water. The sides are the hardest and I used the point of a cross screwdriver behind the sanding paper so I could have some sharp point to get in those narrow spots.
Further you’ve got the LCD witch I talked about earlier.
The gauge is lightened by 2 twist lock bulbs. I orders two LED versions witch need a slight adjustment. The connectors are just a little bit higher then the OEM and need to be bent a little bit witch you can do by hand or wrench.
Unfortunately they still don’t give enough light and so we mounted 4 extra mini wedge Base Leds ( 74-BHP3 ) into the cluster to get extra light. With a dremel we made some space into the glasses and the white cluster board and drilled some holes into it to mount them. The wires from it we connected to where the twist locks are mounted. There it gives 12V

My opinion in final……it can be done. But you have to be patient and not want to do this within a short notice. And the affect makes it all worth while.
And read this complete thread for all the details……!!

I've ordered all the leds from www.farnell.com and the twistlock and wedge base led from www.superbrightleds.com
You can see wich where i ordered on the list as i wrote everything from superbrightled below there name.

Cheers and enjoy…!!

Ray.
 
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In the pictures i pointed out in RED where the leds need to go. You need to adjust the cluster housing so the leds will integrated into it otherwise you can't close it all up together.
In the lightned picture you see where the extra lights are. The other pic i quickly made putting the front of the cluster in front of it. You'll see the needles are still of and also that some point are very bright.
Mounted it all together their not so bright anymore and i like the overal look of the cluster.
On your own tasting you can add extra leds of course to make it even more bright but i think i'll need some sunglasses then :cool:

And some final pics:
 
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raymond, awesome job man, not only in pulling it off & switching out your illumination, but also in your documenting this, putting it to the pc & sharing it here, big respect & much thanks dude:driver:
 
turbocad6 said:
raymond, awesome job man, not only in pulling it off & switching out your illumination, but also in your documenting this, putting it to the pc & sharing it here, big respect & much thanks dude:driver:
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Hey Turbo...!! Haven't done the ilumination thing yet. This is still my +03 cluster :wink:
Maxblast haven't received his new version yet,so thought i'd do this already in stead after hearing you it might not be possible.

Further thanks bud...!! As i meantioned before this forum helped me out a lot with other things so the least i can do from my part :tup:
 
illumination means the lighting in the car, not the new style cluster, that's electroluminesence:wink:... with the blue though that might not be so practical anymore... I did get my other cluster & will open it soon & see what it looks like on the new one.. I know there are blue electroluminescent sheets available, so it may be doable, but haven't seen the guts yet...
 
turbocad6 said:
illumination means the lighting in the car, not the new style cluster, that's electroluminesence:wink:... with the blue though that might not be so practical anymore... I did get my other cluster & will open it soon & see what it looks like on the new one.. I know there are blue electroluminescent sheets available, so it may be doable, but haven't seen the guts yet...
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Ohhhhh my bad sorry hahah. Keep me informed turbo...!! as we talked about it. Maybe we can swap only the cover :tup:
 
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