DIY: Aircon Bulbs Guide
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 2:55 pm
(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.
4. Then there's the 4 little screws on the back on the aircon controller.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Put the LED into the old bulb holder, and wrap the legs around the grooves:
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:
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:
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!
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!
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.
4. Then there's the 4 little screws on the back on the aircon controller.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Put the LED into the old bulb holder, and wrap the legs around the grooves:
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:
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:
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!
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!