DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

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Grue
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DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by Grue »

(Can someone delete my last aircon bulb DIY thread? Think this one covers the subject much better)

OK... I've spent a while experimenting with the Aircon Bulbs, trying different ones, with the aim of putting together a definitive guide on here. If anyone has any better ways to do this, or better LEDS come out in the future for the job, then feel free to say so here.

INTRO:

OK. The main problem with the aircon bulbs are that they are not wedge bulbs. Which is odd, considering that no one seems to stock bulbs of that size with just legs on anymore. Therefore we turn to the old 'a la Ruchi' method of taking the plastic housings off an LEG to expose the legs.

Right, so here goes.

REMOVE AIRCON UNIT:

1. Whip off your stereo surround. DON'T break it :)

2. 2 screws above your stereo that hold your soft rubber aircon surround on. This then pulls away quite easily. Unplug all the wires from the back of this.

3. Next is the 4 screws holding the aircon control panel.
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4. Then there's the 4 little screws on the back on the aircon controller.
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Pull the temperature button off the front first, push in the 4 little white tabs on the side with a screwdriver and you can then pull the black front away, revealing the screen and it's complicated innards.
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Flip the circuit panel over, there are a couple of clips holding it down at the front. You can now see the bulb holders. 2 for the screen, 2 for the buttons. Turn them anticlockwise and they'll pop right out.
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BULBS FOR AIRCON BUTTONS
(You will need 2 bulbs, one for each side of the aircon)

Here you can have 2 choices:

1. Go into the auto store of your choice (repco etc) and ask for Narva 47734. It's a complete replacement, bulb AND bulb holder that will fit the aircon button bulb holes perfectly. It was about $3 over here for the pair. Downside is that the light they give off is a not very pretty orangy/yellow.

2. T5 wedge LEDs. Either the SMD chip version, or the older 'bulb' LED shape, doesn't matter. These can be any colour you want, which is a big bonus. Extend the legs out straight.
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Using a pair of pliers, carefully squeeze the neck of the led in a few places, effectively breaking the seal between the LED and the plastic housing. The LED will then pull out like so. Some might be easier than others... be forceful with it, but careful at the same time.
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Put the LED into the old bulb holder, and wrap the legs around the grooves:
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Pop the bulb holder into the aircon unit, and plug the smaller power plug back into the back of the aircon unit, and turn your car's headlights on to test that you've got the led in the right way round before you put everything back together again. If it doesn't light up, turn the bulb holder 180deg and test again - LED's are + and - sensitive, unlike old bulbs.

Perfect:
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AIRCON SCREEN

Now, this is where I've spent a lot of time, and bought countless LED's (chip, array, 4bulb etc), trying to get a strong enough light so you can see the screen well, but with no spotting. Now, the only ones that actually 'worked', were T10 SMD chip LED's. They didn't actually fit through the bulb holder holes, so I bodge-jobbed them with some soldering. Beautiful strong light, yes, no spotting, brilliant, but STILL not clear to see during the day in any colour other than yellow or amber. ALSO was worried about the amount of heat produced by such big LED's that were basically meant for driving lights.

Some people on here have put in standard T5 Leds (with the 'a la ruchi' method above) to get a coloured screen. Fair enough I say, but they are hard to see during the daytime, and you're going to get spotting like this:
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Myself, I can't stand spotting, so what I'd recommend is leave the standard ones in!

"Ah but Grue!" I hear some of you cry. "One of my screen bulbs has blown and I need a replacement." For a start, none of the NARVA range of bulbs and holders fit the screen. Bugger.

You could try taking the original bulb and holder into a Mitsi store. I tried this, and I got a look as if to say "You're driving a car made in the 90's... hobo". They couldn't find anything in their computer matching it. You might have more luck than me.

But what I did find is that the black bulb holders in the back of the speedo cluster DO fit the screen, even though they're not the same type of holder. I recon Mitsi are much more likely to be able to get hold of one of these for you. OR for a quick and slightly dirty method, take out the bulb holder for your Low Washer Fluid light in your speedo cluster, and just stick that one in to replace your blown aircon screen bulb. You don't really need that annoying yellow flashing light do you. You know you need more washer fluid when you run out!

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If anyone has a better way of doing this, or has found a brilliant new LED that does the job better, please add it here!
Last edited by Grue on Sat Oct 09, 2010 1:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Robbie
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Post by Robbie »

Your a genius and thank you.
This diy is explaned perfectly, so someone like me who usually knows nothing about what you were saying, could actually make sense of it and be able to go ahead with it. Job well done mate.
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Post by zuihoujueding »

Thanks mate. got to the stage where theres massive spotting at the display....puke....

gona hunt for the original bulbs!
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Post by -Nighthawk- »

Fantastic work, will come in handy.

Can you source the T5 wedge bulbs from supercheap auto?
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Post by -Nighthawk- »

Anyone?? Need to know ASAP
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Post by Grue »

Not LED's, no. The do little glass T5 wedge bulbs, but you can't break off the housing on them, and the legs are too short to fit the holder.

Ebay probably best bet. Or plenty of online stores that specialise in LEDs.
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by RyanStyler »

they are not T5 blubs got some of them, but they don fit 2 of them are t4's and the others might be t3's
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by Grue »

Yeah, never said they were T5's mate... this was about modding T5 LED's with the plastic housing to fit :) This seems like a long time ago now... and has made me think i might switch my aircon buttons to blue....
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by RyanStyler »

ooops my bad but it was no explained really clearly furthermore its easier just to buy the right ones they are cheap as
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by Grue »

Yup. Totally agree! Cheaper. And a lot easier. But LED's come in more colours if you want to make it look pretty
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by Kustom »

Anyone know what the standard aircon screen bulbs are? The prev. Owner changed mine to blue and I just wanna swap them back to standard
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by Grue »

Ha! Couldn't find a standard bulb&holder that was the same in any store. BUT, even though they're a different shape, the smaller bulbs&holders from your dash cluster will fit, so i'd either take one of those into an auto store to get a couple of replacements, or just stick your seatbelt reminder and windscreen-washer-low bulb in there maybe? Don't REALLY need them do you? :)

If anyone does find a good replacement, LED or bulb, please post - just cos the stores in NZ don't have them, doesn't mean to say there arn't some of the little monsters out there somewhere!
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by RyanStyler »

i will be changing mine soon enough if u need i can sell them to ya if i manage to fit the other ones fine.
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by JOA81 »

would these work for the button lights
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10x-PINK-T5- ... 3cb74dcdce
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silverGPX
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by silverGPX »

You need the ones called "neo wedge" they screw in
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by rock_it »

$10 a bulb to replace from Mitsubishi.. Long got a quote the other day..
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by JOA81 »

yeah but can i use the LED out of it and put into the old bolb holder like he did
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by silverGPX »

Just get the $5 neowedge packs on ebay. Thats what i did, no f**king around.
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by JOA81 »

I can't find pink ones though
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Re: DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide

Post by JOA81 »

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