LED dash light conversion

**Arabian_Knight** · 05-02-2006, 09:30 AM

So I am working on doing this, I should be able to do the cluster tonight. I am using hyper white LED for the speedo rpm and gauges. When i get to the HVAC unit, the buttons will light up in hyper white and when they are selected they will light up in red (red LEDs). I am using a 3v diode in series qith a 1.2K resistor to ensure that the diode is indeed getting 3V and not much more (there is always a ripple). Anyway so my issue is finding the positive and negativ teminals of the harnesses for the light bulbs that screw into the cluster..anyone know how?
Piney how did u test this.

**Turboo** · 05-02-2006, 09:53 AM

Why don't you use the voltage supply in the speed dash unit? There is more than enough room to run your resistors in there.

**Arabian_Knight** · 05-02-2006, 10:52 AM

the cluster im working on is not connected to the dash. I have a second one I am souldering ecerything to...so i wanted to know which terminal was which. I have a voltage suppl myself and I can make the positive terminal any side I want, im talking about the little harness where the bulb sits and twists inton the cluster.

**Pineapple** · 05-02-2006, 12:17 PM

Trial and error. The bulb can go in if you turn them 180 deg. I put LED in the holder with same polarity on same side.

If you're smart enough, you can find out resistor in the photo. Also LEDs should be current limited, not voltage. As long as voltage is about 0.7V it'll turn on. Amount of current control brightness. Also don't try to lower running current too much thinking it'll help with longer life, it doesn't. Under current LEDs will over heat.

Damn, who's the EE here?

**Arabian_Knight** · 05-02-2006, 12:47 PM

lol piney all im asking you is which is the positive terminal on the bulb housing or if there is a way to see it (not on the diode), you said tria and error. It is true that th threshold voltage of a diode is 0.7 volts but you should never operate at that voltage. The proper function of the LED is at 3V / 400 Ohms according to specs. Dropping a 1.2K resistor is series will get me a total impedence of 1.6K and a voltage of 3V across it. current will be below 20 mA as 12V/1.6KOhms= 7.5 mA which is less that my fuse max. Im still EE, and this is not a matter of material, im asking about the cluster bulb housing, not the diode.

blue orange brown
6 3 x 10

so 630 Ohms which is basically half what I used... different LED different biasing.

**MartinGouda** · 05-02-2006, 01:03 PM

some one csi the credit card

**Arabian_Knight** · 05-02-2006, 01:07 PM

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...Bowden/led.htm

this si what I used to calculate my rough resistance.

**Pineapple** · 05-02-2006, 02:37 PM

Just kidding with the EE.

You don't need to know the polarity on bulb holder until you put them on. I put all the LEDs in, plug the harness back, turn on the light and see which one doesn't light up. Pull it out turn 180 deg and put them back on. You'll need to angle the LEDs to remove bright spot anyway.

Like I said don't run the LED with too low current, they'll burn out faster. Run them as close to spec current as possible.

**Arabian_Knight** · 05-02-2006, 02:45 PM

yeah..ok sounds good...so those plugs can go either way! awesome thats solves all my issues. Piney did u use solder paste or does the solder mate to the copper ez? i think i might stop by active surplus downtown here and get this all going sometime tonight ( I hope)

**Pineapple** · 05-02-2006, 02:48 PM

I cheated, I didn't solder to the copper. I bend the LED legs and push the copper on top.

**Arabian_Knight** · 05-03-2006, 07:43 AM

ok so I got this done but the ligt is terribly uneven IMO. I think im gonna have to take the cluster out again and take the face off and realign the LEDs. But it looks decent. I did this one in white..im thnking of doing another in red.

**Pineapple** · 05-03-2006, 10:21 AM

Angle the LEDs outwards so they don't focus on the gauge face.

05-02-2006, 09:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
Arabian_Knight AK47 Location: Richmond Hill Posts: 3,800 Join Date: May 2005 Last On: 02-09-2008 01:14 AM Vehicle: G35 Coupe 6MT 2nd Vehicle: Swapped 5th gen	LED dash light conversion So I am working on doing this, I should be able to do the cluster tonight. I am using hyper white LED for the speedo rpm and gauges. When i get to the HVAC unit, the buttons will light up in hyper white and when they are selected they will light up in red (red LEDs). I am using a 3v diode in series qith a 1.2K resistor to ensure that the diode is indeed getting 3V and not much more (there is always a ripple). Anyway so my issue is finding the positive and negativ teminals of the harnesses for the light bulbs that screw into the cluster..anyone know how? Piney how did u test this. __________________

05-02-2006, 09:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
Turboo Posts: 145 Join Date: Dec 2004 Last On: 11-06-2007 04:56 PM	Why don't you use the voltage supply in the speed dash unit? There is more than enough room to run your resistors in there. __________________ To fast to be seen to nice to be missed...! GTS- Swap JDM 3SGTE (SOLD) custom interior Lamborghini yellow Dropped F/R 1.5\" Indiglo gauges, boost, oil, temp GT-4 Hood Rebuilt tranny and axles

05-02-2006, 10:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
Arabian_Knight AK47 Location: Richmond Hill Posts: 3,800 Join Date: May 2005 Last On: 02-09-2008 01:14 AM Vehicle: G35 Coupe 6MT 2nd Vehicle: Swapped 5th gen	the cluster im working on is not connected to the dash. I have a second one I am souldering ecerything to...so i wanted to know which terminal was which. I have a voltage suppl myself and I can make the positive terminal any side I want, im talking about the little harness where the bulb sits and twists inton the cluster. __________________

05-02-2006, 12:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
Pineapple Location: Toronto Posts: 4,250 Join Date: Jan 2004 Last On: Yesterday 05:16 PM	Trial and error. The bulb can go in if you turn them 180 deg. I put LED in the holder with same polarity on same side. If you're smart enough, you can find out resistor in the photo. Also LEDs should be current limited, not voltage. As long as voltage is about 0.7V it'll turn on. Amount of current control brightness. Also don't try to lower running current too much thinking it'll help with longer life, it doesn't. Under current LEDs will over heat. Damn, who's the EE here? __________________ http://photos.yahoo.com/fredericklaw http://members.rankmyride.com/pineapplelaw Last edited by Pineapple : 05-02-2006 at 12:21 PM.

05-02-2006, 12:47 PM	#5 (permalink)
Arabian_Knight AK47 Location: Richmond Hill Posts: 3,800 Join Date: May 2005 Last On: 02-09-2008 01:14 AM Vehicle: G35 Coupe 6MT 2nd Vehicle: Swapped 5th gen	lol piney all im asking you is which is the positive terminal on the bulb housing or if there is a way to see it (not on the diode), you said tria and error. It is true that th threshold voltage of a diode is 0.7 volts but you should never operate at that voltage. The proper function of the LED is at 3V / 400 Ohms according to specs. Dropping a 1.2K resistor is series will get me a total impedence of 1.6K and a voltage of 3V across it. current will be below 20 mA as 12V/1.6KOhms= 7.5 mA which is less that my fuse max. Im still EE, and this is not a matter of material, im asking about the cluster bulb housing, not the diode. blue orange brown 6 3 x 10 so 630 Ohms which is basically half what I used... different LED different biasing. __________________ Last edited by Arabian_Knight : 05-02-2006 at 12:52 PM.

05-02-2006, 01:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
MartinGouda USE THE SEARCH FEATURE!!! Location: Streetsville Posts: 12,023 Join Date: Oct 2003 Last On: 06-02-2008 01:41 PM Vehicle: DelsolTurboN2O 2nd Vehicle: Talon TSI AWD	some one csi the credit card __________________ www.martingouda.com.... the rumors are all true...

05-02-2006, 01:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
Arabian_Knight AK47 Location: Richmond Hill Posts: 3,800 Join Date: May 2005 Last On: 02-09-2008 01:14 AM Vehicle: G35 Coupe 6MT 2nd Vehicle: Swapped 5th gen	http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...Bowden/led.htm this si what I used to calculate my rough resistance. __________________

05-02-2006, 02:37 PM	#8 (permalink)
Pineapple Location: Toronto Posts: 4,250 Join Date: Jan 2004 Last On: Yesterday 05:16 PM	Just kidding with the EE. You don't need to know the polarity on bulb holder until you put them on. I put all the LEDs in, plug the harness back, turn on the light and see which one doesn't light up. Pull it out turn 180 deg and put them back on. You'll need to angle the LEDs to remove bright spot anyway. Like I said don't run the LED with too low current, they'll burn out faster. Run them as close to spec current as possible. __________________ http://photos.yahoo.com/fredericklaw http://members.rankmyride.com/pineapplelaw

05-02-2006, 02:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
Arabian_Knight AK47 Location: Richmond Hill Posts: 3,800 Join Date: May 2005 Last On: 02-09-2008 01:14 AM Vehicle: G35 Coupe 6MT 2nd Vehicle: Swapped 5th gen	yeah..ok sounds good...so those plugs can go either way! awesome thats solves all my issues. Piney did u use solder paste or does the solder mate to the copper ez? i think i might stop by active surplus downtown here and get this all going sometime tonight ( I hope) __________________

05-02-2006, 02:48 PM	#10 (permalink)
Pineapple Location: Toronto Posts: 4,250 Join Date: Jan 2004 Last On: Yesterday 05:16 PM	I cheated, I didn't solder to the copper. I bend the LED legs and push the copper on top. __________________ http://photos.yahoo.com/fredericklaw http://members.rankmyride.com/pineapplelaw

05-03-2006, 07:43 AM	#11 (permalink)
Arabian_Knight AK47 Location: Richmond Hill Posts: 3,800 Join Date: May 2005 Last On: 02-09-2008 01:14 AM Vehicle: G35 Coupe 6MT 2nd Vehicle: Swapped 5th gen	ok so I got this done but the ligt is terribly uneven IMO. I think im gonna have to take the cluster out again and take the face off and realign the LEDs. But it looks decent. I did this one in white..im thnking of doing another in red. __________________

05-03-2006, 10:21 AM	#12 (permalink)
Pineapple Location: Toronto Posts: 4,250 Join Date: Jan 2004 Last On: Yesterday 05:16 PM	Angle the LEDs outwards so they don't focus on the gauge face. __________________ http://photos.yahoo.com/fredericklaw http://members.rankmyride.com/pineapplelaw

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