DIY: How to replace your dash bulbs with LEDs

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ruchi
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DIY: How to replace your dash bulbs with LEDs

Post by ruchi »

There should be a installation guide coming out on this topic in the not too distant future, but given that many of you are keen to do this ASAP, here is an overview of what you'll need.

I will show a cheap option and a recommended option. The cheap option is not only less expensive but it is also much less fidlier. However, the downside of the cheap option is that you are likely to get bright-spots on the main dial area and the overall brightness will be less. These bright spots will be less noticable when using colour LEDs, but none they will be still be noticable. The cheap option still looks much better than the standard globes, especially a colour such as blue or red.

Main Dials
Standard globes: 5 x T6.5
Cheap replacement: 5 x T5 LEDs
Recommended replacement: 5 x T10 (4 LED) LEDs

If going for the cheap option, then along with the LEDs, buy 5 x T5 holders that go into the back of the dash, to replace the standard T6.5 ones, as the T5 LED will sit too loosely in the T6.5 holder. There will be no need for modifications if going for the cheaper option and the LEDs will plug straight in.

To use these LEDs you will need to remove all the plastic from both the top and base so you are left with just the bare LEDs.

The biggest issue behind the main dials is that of bright spots, the way to get around this is to use the T10 replacement that contains 4 LEDs. By bending each of the 4 LEDs to a 45 degree angle, the light is spread over a wider angle, providing a nice even light and eliminating bright spots.

The only issue with bending the LEDs to a 45 degree angle is that you won't be able to fit it through the globe hole in the dash 8O. To overcome this either feed the legs through from the front (dial side) or bend the LEDs out after you have feed it through from the back (the first option is easier, but both are fiddly).


Climate Control
Standard globes: 4 x T5
Cheap replacement: 2 x T5 and 2 x T5 (Wide Angle) LEDs
Recommended replacement: 2 x T5 and 2 x T10 (Wide Angle) LEDs

To use these LEDs you will need to remove the plastic housing so just the LED and its legs are exposed. For the T10 Wide Angle LEDs, you will also need to trim the flange off the bottom of the LED.

Use the 2 x T5 to replace the two outer globes and the 2 x T10 (Wide Angle) to replace the two that light up the main aircon display. If you do not use Wide Angle LEDs in this area, you end up with two very bright spots. Even with the Wide Angle LEDs, you still get a little bright spot, but it is minor in comparison.

For each of the globes you will need to remove the globe from its holder by unwrapping its legs, then insert the LED's legs into the holder and bend them over.


Clock
Standard globes: 2 x T5
Replacement LEDs: 2 x T5

To use these LEDs you will need to remove the plastic housing so just the LED and its legs are exposed.

Remove the globe from its holder by unwrapping its legs, then insert the LED's legs into the holder and bend them over.


Voltmeter
Standard globes: 1 x T10
Replacement LEDs: 1 x T10 (Wide Angle)

This is straight forward without the need of modifying anything (yay! :D). Just replace the existing bulb with the Wide Angle T10 replacement.


Interior Lights (in the Mirror)
Standard globes: 2 x 39mm Festoon
Replacement LEDs: 2 x 39mm or 42mm Festoon

This also is a straight forward swap-over, however although the standard globes are 39mm, if you want to put coloured LEDs in, you may need to go for a 42mm replacement, as some colours aren't available in the 39mm size.


Cigarette Lighter Socket & Ash Tray
Standard globes: 2 x T5
Replacement LEDs: 2 x T5

For the cigarette lighter socket, it is a straight forward changeover, but for the ash tray you will need to bend the LED to a 90 degree to point up into the hole at the bottom of the ash tray, this is due to the narrow dispersement angle of the light from the LED.


What You'll Need
The following is for the "recommended replacement", for the cheap replacement eliminate the 5 x T10 (4 LED) and 2 of the T10 (Wide Angle) Leds but add 9 x T5 LEDs.

5 x T10 (4 LED)
Image

6 x T5
Image

3 x T10 (Wide Angle)
Image

2 x 39mm or 42mm Festoon
Image

Installation
Where the LED is replacing a wedge based globe, simply bend the legs of the LED around the connectors of the globe holder. This will mean bending the legs into an upside down "L" shape - i.e. bend it 90degrees at the bottom of the LED so the legs point out sideways and then bend them 90 degrees again about 5mm across so the rest of the leg points straight down. The LED should now sit on top of the wedge holder with the legs going down the sides.

For those globes which had the legs threaded through and locked down over the holder, simply remove the old globe and thread the LEDs legs through the same path.

Where to Buy
You can buy all these LEDs locally at various car shops or from overseas. I have found www.ultraleds.co.uk to be a good source. However, if buying from overseas it is probably worthwhile doing a group buy to keep the cost down. Lastly, two bits of advice 1) For those LEDs you need to strip the plastic off, buy just one first to make sure you can do it, as some are easier than others and some manufacturers have changed theirs to make it harder to do. 2) Always buy at least one extra LED of the ones you need to strip the plastic from, as chances are you'll break one of the legs :roll:

General Information
Unlike globes which generally emit light at a full 180 degrees, LEDs have a much narrower angle of dispersement. As a general rule, with LEDs, the brighter the light the narrower the angle and vice versa. With many parts of the FTO dash, it is necessary to either use wide angle LEDs or to use multiple LEDs bent at an angle to avoid bright spots. In the process this decreases the overall brightness of the light, however this is still comparable and in some cases brighter than the standard globes. Narrow angle LEDs generally have a round top and a dispesrement angle of around 10-30 degrees, normal LEDs also have a round top and an angle of around 30-50 degrees while wide angle LEDs normally have a flat or inverted top and have an angle of anything from around 60 to over 100 degrees.

Like any diode, a LED (Light Emitting Diode) will only let electricity flow in one direction, so if the LED doesn't work when you put it in, rotate it 180 degrees so the position of the two legs have been reversed and it should work, as the direction of the flow of electricity will also be reversed.
Last edited by ruchi on Sun Sep 19, 2004 7:26 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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mrdj1234
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Post by mrdj1234 »

wow Ruchi,
if your dash looks half as good as the detail you've gone to here, I can't wait to see your dash :) (did you get the white dials on in the end? and how do they look?)
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thanx

Post by jester »

WOW 8O

thanx ruchi this is going to be great :D

cant wait for the DIY guide

thanx for all your help?
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thanx

Post by jester »

WOW 8O

thanx ruchi this is going to be great :D

cant wait for the DIY guide

thanx for all your help!
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Post by Hellsmurf »

any chance of some pics of it in action :?: (ie at night?) theres one or two floating around on the forum at the moment, but theyre not wonderful quality.... :(
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Post by ellusion »

This is excellent! Very helpful and informative!

thanks ruchi
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Post by jeremywe »

I was just wondering which LED to get?

I made a trip down to dick smiths, and they had PLENTY!

Wats the Voltage that our car uses for those existing globes? Are they all 12v?

I have a blown one, and when i went down to autobarn, repco, super cheap auto... All of them didnt have what the FTO uses... I finally got a similiar one from dicks smith.

btw, how do we replace the globes from the cig lighter one? i cant seem to pull them off.
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Post by ruchi »

Let me say this upfront, this is going to be a long message, so for those not interested, don't read it and also don't criticise it (you know what I'm talking about) :wink:. To make it a little easier to follow I will break this up into two messages, one to answer jeremywe's questions and then one that provides additional information.

jeremywe wrote:I was just wondering which LED to get?
8O huh? I listed which LEDs to get, even provided pictures of them :roll:
jeremywe wrote:I made a trip down to dick smiths, and they had PLENTY!
Most of which are unsuitable. Hence why Dick Smith was not on my list of places to buy them. :wink:
jeremywe wrote:Wats the Voltage that our car uses for those existing globes? Are they all 12v?
Yes, all the globes are 12v
jeremywe wrote:I have a blown one, and when i went down to autobarn, repco, super cheap auto... All of them didnt have what the FTO uses... I finally got a similiar one from dicks smith.
I will assume you are talking about a T6.5 globe, as T5's are readily available off the shelf. Working on the basis of a T6.5 globe, let me state what I've posted in a number of threads now... As far as I am aware the only supplier of T6.5 bulbs in Australia is Narva. However, they do not have it as a stock item, only as a spare part, as such it will not be hanging on the wall at any of the car shops you mentioned. You will however be able to get it from any of these car places if you ask them to order it as a spare part. They will look up the Narva catalogue and it won't be in there, but if they ring up Narva they'll provide the part number over the phone. Alternatively, you should be able to buy one straight away from any Autobarn, as from what I understand they all received a Narva sample kit, which looks a bit like a fishing tackle box but with globes instead of fish hooks, in this sample kit is the T6.5 globes. So when they say "no, we don't have that globe", ask them if they have one of these sample kits, and in it will be the T6.5 globe! :wink:
jeremywe wrote:btw, how do we replace the globes from the cig lighter one? i cant seem to pull them off.
It may appear a bit stiff, but if you pull it hard enough it will come :D I'm sure Benny Hill would be proud of that answer! :lol:
Last edited by ruchi on Sun Apr 11, 2004 12:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by ruchi »

OK, now that I've answered those questions, here's some more information...

Standard Bulbs
The FTO primarily uses T5 and T6.5 wedge globes. The T5's are available off the shelf at any car shop, the T6.5s you can buy from any car shop that has the Narva sample kit (most Autobarns have this kit, looks like a fishing tackle box but with globes instead of hooks).

Virtually all car globes, like virtually all other car products, are 12v

LEDs
LEDs are not globes but rather diodes that emit light. The primary purpose of a diode is to allow electricity to flow in a single direction, hence if you put the LED in backwards it won't work, as the electricity will be trying to flow in the opposite direction to that which the diode wants it to flow. Reverse it and it should work. :wink:

As LEDs do not have a filament they last much longer than globes and draw much less current.

Unlike like a globe which typically emits a yellowish light, a LED is made to emit a specific colour of light. As such, unlike a globe which are usually tinted or have a rubber plastic sleeve over them to change the colour, LEDs produce a very pure light and can be quite dazzling.

Types of LEDs
LEDs come in three main sizes T3 (3mm), T5 (5mm) and T10 (10mm) and are normally narrow angle (round tip) or wide angle (square / flat or inverted tip). They are also available as standard LEDs or superbright / high-brightness LEDs.

Brightness
All LEDs of the same size and same classification produce roughly the same amount of light, what differs is the angle at which they disperse this light - i.e. a T5 narrow angle superbright LED will produce roughly the same amount of light as a T5 wide angle superbright LED. The narrow angle LED will however be rated at a high brightness. This is because although they both produce roughly the same amount of light, the narrow angle LED concentrates the light into a smaller area thereby increasing the brightness. Remember as a kid frying ants with your magnifying glass, and how the narrower the focus the brighter and more powerful the sunlight became :twisted:. The downside to this is that the light is very pin-pointed.

In most instances, wide-angled LEDs are required for use in the car, to provide a nice even light. If you use narrow angle LEDs you'll get bright spots on the dash (or where ever you use them).

Just like cars are measured in horsepower, light is measured in candle power (good old pre-industrial terms - horses and candles :D). The brightness of an LED will be rated in CD (candle-power) or mCD (micro Candle Power / 1,000th of a CD). Standard LEDs are typically in the hundreds of mCD's while high-brightness ones will be measured in the thousands. Anything above around 5,000 mCD can permanently damage your eyesight, so it's a good idea not to do something stupid like get drunk and stare at one half the night :lol:

Power
LEDs typically operate between 2v-4v, with most being 3v. In terms of current most draw between 10-50ma. When comparing the brightness of LEDs make sure both are being tested at the same current (comparing apples to apples). The defacto standard is 20ma, but some companies over-rate their LEDs by testing them at a higher current.

As LEDs are around 3v and cars operate at 12v, obviously the voltage needs to be reduced. Here you have two options: 1) buy the 3v LEDs and solder resistors to them yourself or 2) buy 12v / car LEDs which come with the resistor already attached. The LEDs I've listed above in my original post, already have the resistor attached.

phew! 8O congratulations if you read all that! :lol:
Here endeth today's lesson on LEDs.., any more questions? :lol:
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Post by jeremywe »

Thanks ruchi, that was really helpful.

Now... to source for some leds.
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Post by d_stroy_r »

Bravo.......that was a excellent guide and it wasn't as long as your other threads :wink: .
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Post by d_stroy_r »

Bravo.......that was a excellent guide and it wasn't as long as your other threads :wink: .
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Post by ruchi »

Hey, I actually remembered to take some photo's tonight! :D (not much point taking them during the day :wink:)

Some of these need explaining, so read the comments as well! :idea:

Overview
I have gone for white LEDs behind my main dials and clock / voltmeter and blue ones for the climate control unit. Why, you may ask... because I will be getting the KMC white dials with blue lettering and I wanted a bright pure light behind these dials. Naturally the blue on the aircon unit will match in with the dials :wink:

Main Dials
They are very white (look at the odometer reading) whereas the standard FTO bulbs give a yellowish tinge. Using the T10 (4 LED) replacements, bent at a 45 degree angle eliminates virtually all bright spots
Image

Clock & Voltmeter
As the white LEDs in the clock and voltmeter aren't quite as bright as the dash the white light has a very slight blue tinge to it. If you went for coloured LEDs (e.g. blue or red) this would be much less of an issue
Image

Climate Control
This looks better in real life than in the photo. You'll notice that in the main aircon screen the LED on the right is brighter than the one on the left, this is from me experimenting. The one on the left is the T10 (wide angle) while the one on the right is the T10 (4 LED). The one to use is the T10 (wide angle) as it only creates a very small bright spot, which you normally don't notice.
Image

Cigarette Lighter & Ashtray
What's to say, they're blue and they look good!
Image

More Info
As they say, a picture is worth a 1,000 words! Hopefully this should clear up some of the instructions I posted above.
Image

I know this is out of focus, but you should still get the idea of how to bend the LED legs into an upside "L" shape and then sit it over the wedge globe holder.
Image

Any questions or comments?
Last edited by ruchi on Thu Sep 23, 2004 12:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Teania »

:D
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Post by ruchi »

I have also altered my original post to provide a cheaper and easier alternative.

As mentioned in the post, this cheaper option, although easier to install, is not as bright overall, and is also prone to creating bright-spots on the main dials.

This could be a valid alternative for someone who doesn't want to get too fiddly or wants to keep the cost lower.
Last edited by ruchi on Wed Apr 14, 2004 11:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Adriano »

great job ruchi!!! :D
just a quick question, are you having problems reading out the climate control settings during the day with those blue LEDS? i have done mine in red, and it is a bitch to read in daylight :(
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Post by TimmyD »

hey ruchi,
is it a straight swap? like just pull out the old plugg in the new
or
is there soldering involved?
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Post by ruchi »

Adriano wrote:great job ruchi!!! :D
just a quick question, are you having problems reading out the climate control settings during the day with those blue LEDS? i have done mine in red, and it is a bitch to read in daylight :(
The blue colour is harder to see during the day, so it is a little duller, but I only find it is a problem with direct sunlight or on a bright day, other than that I can still see it OK, just a little fainter. But at night, it looks great! :D
Adriano wrote:hey ruchi,
is it a straight swap? like just pull out the old plugg in the new
or
is there soldering involved?
No soldering is involved (unless you break one of the legs off the LED :D The cheaper option is primarily a plug-in / swap-over with only a few mods, whereas the more expensive way involves stripping the plastic off virtually all the LEDs and is a bit fidlier. But the result is better. :wink:
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Post by ellusion »

I will be getting the luminous dials from KMC, so teh only lights i would like to change will be the odometer screen.

Is there one led behind this screen or is it light shared with the led of the whole speedo dial?
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Post by ruchi »

There are 5 LEDs behind the main dials, their aproximate locations are:

(right to left)
- 130kmh marker
- between the 30kmh marker and the Hot marker on the temperature guage
- between the 8,500rpm marker and the Empty marker on the fuel guage
- below the Drive and 1st gear marker
- around 4,500rpm

In theory, Ellusion, you could probably get away with just replacing the LEDs at the first two locations I mentioned.
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