DIY: How to replace your dash bulbs with LEDs
Moderators: IMC, Club Staff
- ellusion
- Grease Monkey
- Posts: 201
- jedwabna poszewka promocja
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 5:00 pm
-
- Mechanic
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
- Contact:
-
- Mechanic
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
- Contact:
-
- Oldtimer
- Posts: 1845
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
As I said earlier if you want to buy from overseas I suggest you do a group buy to keep costs down.
T5's and T10's, both normal and wide angle you should be able to get from somewhere like Autobarn.
The T10 (4 LED) is the only one I couldn't find in Australia. But you could buy 4 x 3mm highbrightness LEDs from Dick Smith and join them together
You don't have to use the LEDs I did, but to get the best result you should be looking for LEDs which are both superbright and wide-angle.
On the Ultraleds site the various LEDs that I used are in the 12V car section.
T5's and T10's, both normal and wide angle you should be able to get from somewhere like Autobarn.
The T10 (4 LED) is the only one I couldn't find in Australia. But you could buy 4 x 3mm highbrightness LEDs from Dick Smith and join them together
You don't have to use the LEDs I did, but to get the best result you should be looking for LEDs which are both superbright and wide-angle.
On the Ultraleds site the various LEDs that I used are in the 12V car section.
MIVEC is My Friend :D
-
- Mechanic
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
- Contact:
-
- Oldtimer
- Posts: 1845
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
Do you mean how do you remove the plastic housing?
If so, the first step is to unbend the legs that protrude from the bottom, so they are straight. The next step is to bend the head of the LED gently but firmly to break the glue that it keeping the plastic housing stuck to the LED. Then the housing should slip straight off.
Some manufacturers go a bit crazy with their glueing and sometimes you need to get to the plastic housing with some small wire cutters.
If so, the first step is to unbend the legs that protrude from the bottom, so they are straight. The next step is to bend the head of the LED gently but firmly to break the glue that it keeping the plastic housing stuck to the LED. Then the housing should slip straight off.
Some manufacturers go a bit crazy with their glueing and sometimes you need to get to the plastic housing with some small wire cutters.
MIVEC is My Friend :D
-
- Mechanic
- Posts: 510
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2003 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
- Contact:
- ellusion
- Grease Monkey
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2002 5:00 pm
Ruchi, when you were at in the stage of experimenting with the leds did you happen to try the T10 WIDE ANGLE leds for the main dials? They look very similar in size and would seem less of a trouble than the T10 (4 LED) type.
How bad are the bright spots if using the cheaper option for rthe dials by using 5 x T5's?
How bad are the bright spots if using the cheaper option for rthe dials by using 5 x T5's?
-
- Oldtimer
- Posts: 1845
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
I guess the thing to understand is that you don't have to use the LEDs that I show here, and in reality there will probably be better LEDs on the market in the future.
The key however is that your want the LEDs to have as wide an angle as possible and be as bright as possible. If anyone finds wider and brighter alternatives please let us all know.
The wide-angle T10's do produce a wide enough light to minimise bright spots but I found them to be too dull as a white light, they looked a little blueish. If however you were to use a coloured LED, such as blue, you could probably get away with them, they just wouldn't be as bright.
If you use T5's behind the main dash dials the bright spots are quite noticeable, it gives a similar effect to what the right-hand LED does in the picture of the main console of the aircon unit I posted in an earlier message, and looks quite odd.
For behind the main dash dials, you really want LEDs that have around a 40+ degree angle and at least 4,000mcd brightness.
The key however is that your want the LEDs to have as wide an angle as possible and be as bright as possible. If anyone finds wider and brighter alternatives please let us all know.
The wide-angle T10's do produce a wide enough light to minimise bright spots but I found them to be too dull as a white light, they looked a little blueish. If however you were to use a coloured LED, such as blue, you could probably get away with them, they just wouldn't be as bright.
If you use T5's behind the main dash dials the bright spots are quite noticeable, it gives a similar effect to what the right-hand LED does in the picture of the main console of the aircon unit I posted in an earlier message, and looks quite odd.
For behind the main dash dials, you really want LEDs that have around a 40+ degree angle and at least 4,000mcd brightness.
MIVEC is My Friend :D
-
- Oldtimer
- Posts: 1346
- Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2002 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
http://www1.jaycar.com.au/productResult ... &priceMax=
maybe these.... from jaycar??? What does the Tstand for?? these dont have any housing etc... but maybe they are not bright enough etc
maybe these.... from jaycar??? What does the Tstand for?? these dont have any housing etc... but maybe they are not bright enough etc
-
- Oldtimer
- Posts: 1845
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
"T" and then the number next to it refers to the size of the LED / globe. T5 means it is 5mm wide, T10 is 10mm wide etc. Make sense?
Jaycar, Dick Smith, etc. do not sell LEDs which have a wide enough angle and are still bright enough. The LEDs they sell will also only be 3v LEDs and you'll need to solder on a resistor. If you use these ones you'll end up with either pin-points of light from narrow angle LEDs or low-light levels from low-output LEDs.
You should be able to buy both the T5 and T10 wide angles LEDs from Autobarn etc. From memory they are around $12 a pair. As for the 4-LED T10's I have not seen these in Australia, just overseas.
Keep in mind that LED technology is evolving quite rapidly and brighter and wider LEDs should be getting better all the time.
Jaycar, Dick Smith, etc. do not sell LEDs which have a wide enough angle and are still bright enough. The LEDs they sell will also only be 3v LEDs and you'll need to solder on a resistor. If you use these ones you'll end up with either pin-points of light from narrow angle LEDs or low-light levels from low-output LEDs.
You should be able to buy both the T5 and T10 wide angles LEDs from Autobarn etc. From memory they are around $12 a pair. As for the 4-LED T10's I have not seen these in Australia, just overseas.
Keep in mind that LED technology is evolving quite rapidly and brighter and wider LEDs should be getting better all the time.
MIVEC is My Friend :D
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 5:00 pm
- Location: Brisbane
Just went down to my local Autobarn and they were very useful. Had a nice catalogue of LEDs for dash bulb replacement. Unfortunatly I was in for another reason and didn't bring ruchi's shopping list. They had the T5's in stock but had to order in the others. Lots of different T10 options including LEDs that change colour every two seconds (7 colours). Not for me though.
Narva has this on their site but autobarn had a lot more in the catalogue they showed me.
http://www.narva.co.nz/Homepage_graphic ... Globes.pdf
Anyway I'll head back in with the shopping list and see what they come up with.
T5's were $8 a pair. This could get expensive.
John.
Narva has this on their site but autobarn had a lot more in the catalogue they showed me.
http://www.narva.co.nz/Homepage_graphic ... Globes.pdf
Anyway I'll head back in with the shopping list and see what they come up with.
T5's were $8 a pair. This could get expensive.
John.
-
- Oldtimer
- Posts: 1346
- Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2002 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne
i went to autobahn today and the guy was useless!
he didnt even know what t5's were, and said any led will fit behind the dash. Naturally i ignored him! i bought a couple of t5s for the clock etc,
but......
when i started taking my gear area and the console apart, i realised that when JB HI FI installed my cd head unit, they have made it now impossible to take out that area of the console.....
i think I will have to take out the whole head unit to get that area unclipped! how annoying!
he didnt even know what t5's were, and said any led will fit behind the dash. Naturally i ignored him! i bought a couple of t5s for the clock etc,
but......
when i started taking my gear area and the console apart, i realised that when JB HI FI installed my cd head unit, they have made it now impossible to take out that area of the console.....
i think I will have to take out the whole head unit to get that area unclipped! how annoying!
-
- Oldtimer
- Posts: 1346
- Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2002 5:00 pm
- Location: Melbourne