2G Gauge cluster LED project

[Bud92gsx]

Question fellas...How many flexable LED's do I solder to one light hole? Are the flex LED's also 3.4 volts per bulb like the smt LED's? So that means I use 4 Led's per light hole? Correct? Wait no, you have to use series of 3 so that wouldn't work. Also probly just run a set of 3 for every other bulb in car too?? Brian, you were the last one to do this mod? I'm confused.
All it says for the power consuption on the led strips is 12v source, well duh..

Sorry that this Question has probly already been answered a hundred times already, so I apologize..

 

[Bud92gsx]

I got this idea today after looking at my dads El Camino. I think I'll try it on his car first, and post the results..Brian you also told me about this like awhile ago..

Also theres been alot of talk about doing this mod on a 1g. Like I said I think I'm going to try it on the El Camino to kinda get the hang of soldering a circuit board.. Then I will take a look at the extra cluster I have a go from there...
And then depending on how suscessful that goes, I will look into lighting the Hvac, push switches, the auto tranny thing on the roof liner, dome lights, hatch light, and basically any other thing that is lit by a bulb in a 1g.. Shouldn't be that hard, just dont F*** up is the attitude I need right?

I forgot to add to my dad is most likely going to pay for most of the materials... I say most because I won't have to use the smt led's in his cluster(for me)

Another rant

What about lighting up your tails with led's?Put a 24 strip on top and bottom.. I know lighting the middle has already been done. I do know that modifying headlights or tailights is very ilegal. The only Advantage to lighting your tails with led's is There brighter than stock. But as most of you know doing an HID install is also ilegal in most states, because your modifying a DOT appravoed safety device.. On your tailights though, shouldnt it be LEGAL brighten your tails with led's?
And I have seen you can buy a cluster of led's that plug into your stock harness, and I guess thats legal.My buddy's dad has this done on his SuperBee.

 

[dynatos]

any modifications to a dot approved device make it not dot approved, so it'll be technically illegal no matter what. But, if you pay attention to brightness and be responsible, the only reason you'd get ticketed for it (most likely) is if you're being a douche otherwise.

As for the lights per hole, the technical answer would be 12-15 30 milliamp leds per hole, to match the wattage - but keep in mind that the film that runs those lights runs ALL of them. so if you ran all the leds off of one hole, or broke it up into 7, it's still the same current running through that film. So short answer, as long as you don't exceed 72 30 milliamp bulbs you should have no worries. (my gauge cluster took like 35 or so, so i doubt you'll have any trouble)

 

[Blurred Talon]

Would it be possible to do 2 colors?
White for the day and red at night. This would match my Pro Sport gauges perfectly.

 

[snowborder714]

I wouldn't even want to think about wiring up 2 colors.

You'd have to find LED's that can do multiple colors. I can't say I've ever seen them, but I haven't ever looked for them.

 

[jdavisawd]

can you adjust the dim with the dimmer switch?

 

[turbosax2]

Yes.

 

[azdave]

I wouldn't even want to think about wiring up 2 colors.

You'd have to find LED's that can do multiple colors. I can't say I've ever seen them, but I haven't ever looked for them.

Other than having to physically mount 2 sets of LEDs inside the cluster (due to no such thing as a two color LED in a white/red choice) it could be done. All of the + power leads would be brought to a single common point of a 3-position switch which would let you choose if you want red, white or red plus white (okay, maybe you don't want pink).

 

[snowborder714]

I figured they didn't make two color options, but I wasn't sure if they made a multicolor option, like the 7 color gauge faces. Then you would just have to find red and white in that mix.

But the 3-position switch might be easier, other than dealing with it being twice as hard to solder.

 

[Blurred Talon]

What I wanted to do was hook the white to ignition (so they are white with the ignition on) and the red to the parking lights so it's red with the parking lights on. Not sure how I would get the white ones to turn off. I'm sure a relay or something similar would work.

 

[azdave]

What I wanted to do was hook the white to ignition (so they are white with the ignition on) and the red to the parking lights so it's red with the parking lights on. Not sure how I would get the white ones to turn off. I'm sure a relay or something similar would work.

In this case you could use a tiny 12-volt relay. Have the red LEDs wired to always turn on when the marker lights are active. Have the white LEDs go through the normally open relay contacts so they will always be on when the relay is active.

The trick is to have the +terminal of the relay coil fed from the ignition wire and the -terminal of the coil wired to the +side of the marker lights. When the ignition is on and the marker lights are off the relay coil will find a ground through the inactive marker lights and then you will have white LEDs active. Now if you turn on the marker light switch, the relay coil will no longer have a ground connection and the relay will open so you will only see the red LEDs.

 

[azdave]

I figured they didn't make two color options, but I wasn't sure if they made a multicolor option, like the 7 color gauge faces. Then you would just have to find red and white in that mix.

But the 3-position switch might be easier, other than dealing with it being twice as hard to solder.

7-color or even full-color LED dashboards are accomplished with RGB LEDs that allow you to mix colors to nearly any desired hue. Most systems have pre-set colors just like gauge packages but you can build or buy a 3-channel PWM and mix your own colors precisely. This is no different than many underglow kits for show cars. You could use one of those drivers as well.

 

[ApexVIII]

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what did you use for thr round disc? what is the metal that is soldered to them?

 

[azdave]

what did you use for thr round disc? what is the metal that is soldered to them?

The material under the surface mount LEDs is a basic phenolic paper circuit board with single-side copper plated on them for making your own circuits.

I drilled a center hole though several cut 1/2" squares, stacked them together and then stuck a long screw and nut on them so they could be placed in my electric drill. I turned them to round while holding them against a bench grinder carefully. After that operation I had several round donuts to work with. The phenolic boards are much easier to sand and cut than fiberglass boards. You really don't want to breathe either dust but especially fiberglass dust.

After they were nicely shaped into copper topped donuts I touched them with a Dremel cut-off wheel to cut the copper and make individual pads so I could solder the LEDs in a 4-series arrangement. You can't see it well but there is a cut under each LED.

 

[ApexVIII]

ooo i see

i made one of them kinda like that,

i super glued some alminum foil to the top of one of my discs and did that same thing

where would i get this fiberglass board that comes with the metal already attached at?

 

[azdave]

ooo i see

i made one of them kinda like that,

i super glued some alminum foil to the top of one of my discs and did that same thing

where would i get this fiberglass board that comes with the metal already attached at?

Aluminum foil cannot be soldered so that would screw you up. You can get the boards at about any electronics supply house. I use Circuit Specialists Inc. - 0.

PP me a few bucks for postage and I'll mail a small piece to you. Send PM if interested.

 

[ratatack]

looks very nice i did this in blue on my old scion xb

 

[ratatack]

here is mine from my xb im thinking about doing it to my gst but dunno hope you like

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[cj062989]

Question... where do i buy those little LED lights....... and can i puchase them in purple sounds queer but it going to look official

 

[ApexVIII]

Question... where do i buy those little LED lights....... and can i puchase them in purple sounds queer but it going to look official

idk about purple. but i got mine on Ebay

 

[cj062989]

Thanks apx will def search for those..... and if it possible could u send me a pic of your cluster lighted

 

[dkngochi2]

Hey dude.
So was reading about your project with the white LED swap on your cluster gauge (nice job by the way) and i just did a similar swap but with the blue LEDs. Im having a hard time with the HVAC system. Getting it out is a bi***!!. I just wanted to know how you did it.

 

[turbosax2]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-exterior-interior/282624-how-remove-hvac-unit.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-exterior-interior/282656-how-light-hvac-leds.html

 

[dkngochi2]

thanx alot man.

 

[turbotalon1g]

That is crazy bright.