DIY: Interior LED swap (cluster, HVAC, switches, window, *steering wheel)

[97BlackAckCL]

omg, is there a post with cliff notes on this mod and its many iterations?

collage of pictures with different colors?

i'm itching to do it but so confused on what where i need to order this.
then you guys throw in this 12v mod and i see something about 7v.

My man Josh made one here

[MENTION=51046]theliman[/MENTION]

Its a start...still need to wrap up a few items. I know these are all correct, as it is an inventory of what I just used on my 05 SR5.

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l109/yosh22/Forum%20Pics/Screenshot2014-10-06230922_zpsd60f00a2.png" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot2014-10-06230922_zpsd60f00a2.png"/></a>

 

[emelianenkov]

I like the reverse polarization, but it's not for everyone

 

[CookieRoe]

I like the reverse polarization, but it's not for everyone

I like it too. Especially at night. Anyway, the ODO display is bright enough for the reverse pol mod. The HVAC display not so much. I'm still convinced something can be done about it.

 

[emelianenkov]

Something certainly can be done! I love tinkering

 

[bawachhe]

I'm gonna buy some EL film (it's like $10 for a meter, 1cm wide, on random places online) and see if I can rig it up for a backlight on the stereo and HVAC..

 

[emelianenkov]

Let us know what you find!

 

[CookieRoe]

i hate my reverse polarization. Can't see it at all during the day.

Me neither. That's why we "are gonna do something about that".

yeah, i dont understand this whole reverse polarization fad at all. I like my nice red screen! and dont have to jerry rig anything to see it!

Not a fad. It's only for a few. The proud. The Mod Gods.

omg, is there a post with cliff notes on this mod and its many iterations?

collage of pictures with different colors?

i'm itching to do it but so confused on what where i need to order this.
then you guys throw in this 12v mod and i see something about 7v.

7V is what the stock HVAC lights receive (hence the dimness). 12v mod, well, that's self explanatory.

Something certainly can be done! I love tinkering

And tinkering you shall!! Ummm, sorry, that just sounds strange.

I'm gonna buy some EL film (it's like $10 for a meter, 1cm wide, on random places online) and see if I can rig it up for a backlight on the stereo and HVAC..

I agree that it COULD be too dim, but at least it can't hurt. Alex already tried putting two HPx NEO4 (or 3, can't remember) back there and the results aren't spectacular. The polarizing film just blackens the crap out of everything. I'm thinking get, I dunno, a rectangular board with SMDs soldered in a 2x5 LED arrangement and shoving behind the HVAC display. That should brighten things up. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do that.

 

[emelianenkov]

It would require a lot of hacking but it could work to use a hard board

 

[emelianenkov]

Hondas come with reverse polarization from the factory....

 

[bawachhe]

I agree that it COULD be too dim, but at least it can't hurt. Alex already tried putting two HPx NEO4 (or 3, can't remember) back there and the results aren't spectacular. The polarizing film just blackens the crap out of everything. I'm thinking get, I dunno, a rectangular board with SMDs soldered in a 2x5 LED arrangement and shoving behind the HVAC display. That should brighten things up. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do that.

It would require a lot of hacking but it could work to use a hard board

After the EL film, that was my next thought. I just thought EL would be easier to deal with because it's basically a slightly thick but uniformly glowing sheet of something.
LEDs on a hard board would be probably brighter still but would require careful electrical isolation from the LCD contacts in either case, and also it's already pretty tight back there, so you'd have to remove some of the plastic used to diffuse the silly point-based lighting. Plus, you would probably have to 12v mod that or something because running a bunch of LEDs instead of the customary 3 for HVAC or 2 for stereo would still be pretty dim on the board's stock voltage, I think. It's a good thought but here's hoping we don't have to go that far.
Semi-side note: I asked my electrical-engineering-savvy roommate if we could go without resistors at all for brighter/more LEDs on the same voltage, but he said the resistor provides a buffer from the car's irregular energy generation so the LEDs don't fizzle if it spikes.

Hondas come with reverse polarization from the factory....

Haha you sound so wistful.
I bet their LCDs come at much higher contrast as well. That's the gist of the problem here, I think. For example check out laterish model scion radio LCDs:
(random google search radio.jpg Photo by timbo1020 | Photobucket
super-crisp contrast there..

If this lighting stuff doesn't work on the stereo I might switch it out for a T181x for that LCD.

 

[CookieRoe]

After the EL film, that was my next thought. I just thought EL would be easier to deal with because it's basically a slightly thick but uniformly glowing sheet of something.
LEDs on a hard board would be probably brighter still but would require careful electrical isolation from the LCD contacts in either case, and also it's already pretty tight back there, so you'd have to remove some of the plastic used to diffuse the silly point-based lighting. Plus, you would probably have to 12v mod that or something because running a bunch of LEDs instead of the customary 3 for HVAC or 2 for stereo would still be pretty dim on the board's stock voltage, I think. It's a good thought but here's hoping we don't have to go that far.
Semi-side note: I asked my electrical-engineering-savvy roommate if we could go without resistors at all for brighter/more LEDs on the same voltage, but he said the resistor provides a buffer from the car's irregular energy generation so the LEDs don't fizzle if it spikes.

Haha you sound so wistful.
I bet their LCDs come at much higher contrast as well. That's the gist of the problem here, I think.

super-crisp contrast there..

If this lighting stuff doesn't work on the stereo I might switch it out for a T181x for that LCD.

How about this example:

Can't really comment about how much space is back there, Alex would know. But if something can be built and put there to try,and If the brightness can approximate the picture above (during daylight), mission accomplished!

Just throwing it out there.........

 

[emelianenkov]

Order some Ed. I'll make it work well [MENTION=50507]CookieRoe[/MENTION]

 

[bawachhe]

I got the EL tape but unless I can safely blast the stuff with way more power, it's not going to be a good solution. Pretty dang dim (Amazon pictures do it waay more credit than they should). But I'll try giving it a larger voltage/see if it'll take more amps than the dismal 2 AA batteries supply (I've only tested it with the battery pack power supply it came with so far) and see how that goes.

Meanwhile, Alex/Ed, let me/us know if you come up with a viable design for an LED backboard. :]

 

[emelianenkov]

Try running it with 12v. It should make a hell of a difference

 

[CookieRoe]

frankenLED experiment

Order some Ed. I'll make it work well [MENTION=50507]CookieRoe[/MENTION]

I would if I knew what to order. I'm thinking some board and SMD leds, but how many exactly? How to wire those bad boys up and.................
............... wait a minute, why not just LED strips (the kind you can get online or whatever........ those SEEM thin enough) and throw them back there? Let me know what to order.

I got the EL tape but unless I can safely blast the stuff with way more power, it's not going to be a good solution. Pretty dang dim (Amazon pictures do it waay more credit than they should). But I'll try giving it a larger voltage/see if it'll take more amps than the dismal 2 AA batteries supply (I've only tested it with the battery pack power supply it came with so far) and see how that goes.

Meanwhile, Alex/Ed, let me/us know if you come up with a viable design for an LED backboard. :]

[MENTION=100064]bawachhe[/MENTION] : I'm thinking the same, an EL strip isn't going to light a lot. We need POWER!!!!!

hahahha

 

[gshadow325]

[MENTION=63211]emelianenkov[/MENTION]

i just saw [MENTION=107885]kirkg[/MENTION] truck this weekend. OMFG they awesome.

 

[emelianenkov]

Thanks man!

 

[NuclearN8]

ok ladies and gentlemen I need one of you LED guru's to hold my hand through this problem...

What kind of bulb(s) do I need to order to fix this problem and where should I order it from. A direct link would be great. Thank you in advance

 

[yosh2000]

Just need to replace the back light bulb. Aftermarket would be a t3 bubl, but I am guessing those are stock bulbs. I can get you the pn in a few days if someone else doesn't already have it offhand. Search aroud, I could have sworn the pn has been posted before.

 

[NuclearN8]

Just need to replace the back light bulb. Aftermarket would be a t3 bubl, but I am guessing those are stock bulbs. I can get you the pn in a few days if someone else doesn't already have it offhand. Search aroud, I could have sworn the pn has been posted before.

ok cool thank you [MENTION=30225]yosh2000[/MENTION]. so these would work in 4mm, no soldering needed right?
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...gauge/neox-led-bulb-instrument-panel-led/220/