LED Dash Lighting
 

Hey Khail, I was reading some of your posts on NASIOC about this.

I want to swap my dash lighting to red (BMW envy). 'Cept if I do it, I want it to be brighter than stock. I'm trying to figure out a way to it with some discrete LEDs rather than the bulb replacement type.

See my post here: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...21#post3051521 and sound off if you've got any suggestions.

It looks like they are doing pretty much what you are describing, except they aren't using discrete mount LEDs. I just used the plug in bulbs, and they are plenty bright for me. I think having your dash lights too bright ruins your night vision, so mine are just bright enough to see everything clearly. I would only screw around with soldering and stuff if I had a spare instrument cluster to play with. They do look sweet though, and red would be cool. I was debating to go red or blue, but blue matched my Clarion head unit. If you are brave enough to risk screwing up your cluster, then go for it. This probably sounds strange coming from the guy who drilled holes in his fenders and used a Sawzall on his hood.

Khail

:lol:

Actually, you can go brighter with red, since the wavelength of red light doesn't effect your night vision. Also, I don't plan on soldering anything to the board... I'm just going to solder some LEDs together in an array so they're good and bright and are at the proper voltage. Whatever I solder together, I'll just "plug" (aka wedge) into the light sockets.

Sounds good. I don't know if you have looked at the back of the cluster, but the holes in the circuit board that the bulbs protrude through are pretty small. I don't know how many LEDs you will be able to fit through there, maybe 2 or 3 if they are small enough.

Khail

Yeah, i've peeped in there before too... (I took out the E-Brake light so when i turned on my "DRL over-ride switch", I don't have to drive around with the "Brake" all lit up). I think I'll be able to weasel a few LEDs in there with just the wires for 'em going thru the hole. I'll prolly wire some in areas where there weren't any lights to begin with.

I bought a bag of 60 LEDs... they're only 2V LEDs so they're not as bright as the bigger Voltage ones that most people are using, but if I get enuf of them in there, it'll be bright enuf. Considering I only had to pay $25 for the bag, I thought it'd be the economical way to go.

Hey Khail,

You got any of those light bulb condoms for sale at work? I'd like to toss some red ones over the light bulbs and cram them in with my LEDs in the dash to try and even out and brighten up the red lighting.

Edit: found them at partsexpress.com... along with a desoldering tool that i really coula used over last weekend.

Okay I ordered a bunch of red bulb condoms. Anyone wanna vollenteer their dash for a test? :lol:

I'd like to see what the red bulbs look like w/o the LEDs, but I'd hate to have to take my LEDs out to try it on mine. The bulb conversion is totally reversable, and would take less than 30 min from start to red and back to green.

Anyone game to be a guinea pig?