Installed superbright red LED's in my cluster and switches

[Squirrel8811]

Snowboarder what did you use for the light up by the sunroof controls? Ive been complaining that there is no light in the back seat when I need it and from the pics looks like you have a ton of light in there.

 

[snowborder714]

I think I mislabeled some of the lights above. The difference isn't 2ga/b, but it should be sunroof vs. non-sunroof. So see my parts list a few posts up. The ones we used on my brother's 2gb with a sunroof are listed. The lights don't shine as well in the back seat as the non-sunroof ones in my car do, but it should help just because of being brighter.

 

[import_ryder247]

snowboarder where did you order your leds from? love the way it looks by the way

 

[rickt84]

Dude, that is sick! I would rather replace the LED's than do an glow gauges! Is it roughly the same application for a 1g?

i've read whole thread and still haven't seen anywhere someone had written bulbs for the 1st generation...well, i'm looking for sizes of bulbs in my eclipse, instrumental and dash, anyone knows anything about them?

+1 ^^^^

No idea. Nobody will step up and give any 1g bulb info.

As soon as I get home I am going to start doing some research into this, excelent write up, I just hope I can provide some help to the 1g'ers!

 

[lowrider67Sabre]

I just ordered some SMT / SMD LED's from a place in Spokane, WA. Very helpful and responded to my phone message right away.

Bought 100 of the 1206 for $20 delivered.

 

[snowborder714]

snowboarder where did you order your leds from? love the way it looks by the way

The ones for the reverse lights, foot well lights, overhead/rear view mirror lights, and glove box were all ordered from superbrightleds.com (same place as the OP ordered his).

The ones in the gauge cluster and other buttons around the center console/dash area were from eBay (not plug and play like the above).

 

[92AWDHX40]

Sweet sight looking to see whats out there.

 

[import_ryder247]

definitively on my to do list

 

[rodent]

My brother and I just bought a bunch of these for testing purposes. We bought interior lights, gauge cluster lights, reverse lights, and license plate lights. We tested a whole bunch of different lights for each location and picked out what we thought were the best. The decision was made on brightness, light distribution, matching color/shade to other lights in the area, and focus (wide or narrow).

We compared the gauge cluster lights to the LED swap we did a while ago and they just didn't compare. They were much more dim and yellow than the custom swap. So we decided not to use them. This proved to be the same with the button/bezel lights (cruise control, fog lights, hazard lights, etc.).

Here is what bulbs we used and in which locations.
Foot wells - WLED-WHP9-T
Glove box - WLED-WHP9-T
Map lights (non-sunroof) - 3710-CWHP3
Map lights (sunroof)) - 4210-CWHP3
Trunk - 3022-CWHP2 (required a little modification of the light receptacle and a bit of denting of one end of the bulb)
License plate lights - WLED-WHP5
Reverse lights - 1156-W24

Thanks for the part numbers! Great info! I will have to do the the same since the interior lighting is so dim.

Hopefully someone will chime in with 1g bulb info.

As for person asking about green gauge lighting, that won't happen unless you sand off the orange coating on the back which is a PITA. And I'm not sure about the overlays. It think the bulb may reflect off the orange coating causing the numbers to appear orange. Mine are pinkish-red but I'm using red led's. White LED's may work but I'm not sure.

Will be doing the same thing to my Evo. It has a red cluster but its faint. Need brighter interior lights.

 

[rickt84]

Since I havent seen anyone posting any 1g pics up, I thought I would. There are a total of 19 bulbs, 10 74's and 9 194. It's exactly as Rodent has explained, and just as easy. I am waiting on taxes to spend the money upgrading the leds. Hope this helps!


Edit: The pic of the bulbs: Left (bigger) #194 Right (smaller) #74

Is the darkness on the backside of the gauge face from heat-spots? Or is that normal?

 

[Kyle_T]

Hey snowboarder, are the led footwell and mirror lights alot brighter than the stock bulbs? And did you do anything with the trunk light? Ive always hated how dim the oem light is, it always seems like I have to use my cell phone to see what im doing.

 

[turbosax2]

Hey snowboarder, are the led footwell and mirror lights alot brighter than the stock bulbs? And did you do anything with the trunk light? Ive always hated how dim the oem light is, it always seems like I have to use my cell phone to see what im doing.

Yes, they are MUCH brighter than factory. We also replaced the trunk light - 3022-CWHP2 from superbrightleds.com

 

[Kyle_T]

Thanks man! I wish I could do my cluster but I have a feeling id screw something up.

 

[rickt84]

Ok, so I decided what the hell, I'm gonna take some sandpaper to the back of the gauge face, bc I either want blue or green gauges, color scheme will be black/green, green would prob be better, with blue needles... idk, I'll have to do some more brain storming, but anyways, here is a pic of the back, after a little dry, then wet sanding, with 400 grit. Only took 15 min or so, little messy. Note how it is much more transparent. It still looks normal when flipped over, only when you hold it up to the light, can you tell something is different.

 

[Champ Masters]

Looks excellent! I may have to give this mod a shot on the old 1g

 

[rickt84]

OK, so I was doing a little research this morning, before work gets busy, cross-referencing bulbs. The 1gs, (idk about the 2gs), all the switch leds will be replaced with a NEO-3x, the only markings on the back of the oem leds that I can see are TS and 4, but those #'s dont cross. But the NEO-3 is a 3mm, wedge base that will twist right on. As far as the instrument cluster goes, 74-xHP3 will replace the 194's and 74's willl replace the 74's, of course... Just a little more information, I thought I should pass along.

As far as getting to the HVAC, it really isnt that hard, just have to be careful not to break the bezel controlling air flow/direction. There are 2 tabs that you have to get a flat head screwdriver in and depress to pull out. It's easier with that bezel off, but run the risk of breaking it, and/or not being able to put it back together. Then 2 screws behind that come out, and out comes the HVAC panel. Oh, dont forget to unplug the switches, sorry has to be said, .

I will post more as soon as I can think of, or come across any more information.

Thanks man! I wish I could do my cluster but I have a feeling id screw something up.

It really isnt all that hard, just be careful when taking the cluster part from itself, and be extra careful when pulling the needles off, I f*cked up the boost gauge, but I am not worried abt it, seeing as how its controlled electronically, unreliable, and I have an aftermarket boost gauge. But, if you want a really cool look, and something not everyone has, jump in man!

 

[rickt84]

I am thinking about a u/v (blacklight) for the instrument cluster, make it GLOW, or at least in theory, what do you guys think? Would it work, has anyone done/seen it? Pics? I'll keep searching, and see what I can come up with.




Edit:

Upon inspection of the cluster, I really dont think this would be possible, bc the clear plastic plate the gauge faces sit on, distribute the light, and I dont think a blacklight will emit enough to do anything. But, then again, after sanding the amber coating off the back of the faces, leaving them white....it might....idk.

 

[rickt84]

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Here is the finished product, the brightness and color depth is not shown in pic, unfortunately, but it looks sick in person!

 

[bedlam]

I just like how everyone is just now starting to do this as I had already had this done in my 2g for 6 years now......cept everything is done not just my gauge cluster.

 

[bsbllfit7]

hey everyone i recently purchased a set of 74 red led bulbs and i cannot for the life of my get the polarity correct. I tried one bulb at first to see if it works. Tried it in one position put it back in....nothing, so i flip the bulb and try again.... nothing. Ok so i thought maybe then i have the led in backwards. So i get the bulb plug thing out and swtich the led 180. Put it back in....nothing. Flip the whole bulb again.... Nothing. What the hell am i doing wrong!

 

[jrdrew5]

Anyone know how to power the cluster without plugging it back into the car i wanna check all my leds before i put them back in the car(hints the cars not here)
i have 12V+ and ground just need to kno where to put it,

 

[jrdrew5]

ok me being the idiot i am followed the wrong thread, i follwed the other one were he made his own leds and sautered them all, so i took my clouster complety apart change the bulbs put back toghthere got all 7 working i did blue and there not that great, might be better once i screw it down and stuff but idk. i will be getting white guage fasces later that will fix that problem. my problem is now my (rpm) (spedo) are reading wrong and not working properly anyone got any suggestions?

 

[rodent]

I mentioned earlier that you CAN NOT do blue lights. The blue will not go through the orange and it will look like ass. Only red will shine through.

Second- I posted where positive and negative were in this picture to test the LED's.

I used an existing picture someone posted and circled in orange the bulbs you have to replace and labeled which side was positive. On the LED bulbs, one side has a small 6 legged chip. That side is negative. Other side positive. Simple once when you get it figured out.

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I'm not sure why your speed and RPM is not working. When you tested it, did you apply 12v to the wrong terminal? Maybe try to re-seat the cluster again.

 

[jrdrew5]

I understand u can't do blue. I planned on changing the guage faces soon and still do. But I took my needles off....... which I guess was a bad idea. And no I never tested in house only in the car I didn't follow ## thread I follwed another. Guess I learned my lesson any advice?

DSM!

 

[BLINKY619]

well i would get some blue ones...