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Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Well I finally got around to installing some of the LED's in my dash. I havent finished yet and haven't uploaded the pics yet. I am going to combine efforts with drperry and write up a How-To post later. So far I have gotten the cluster bulbs done (easiest) and the wiper controls are completely done (next easiest). I have the lights control panel setup, just have to do some soldering and make it look good. Temporarily stuck on the 4x4 channel. Still have the front window/lock controls to do to, but seem pretty easy. Also waiting on the blue colored #37 bulbs to come to do the heater controls. I will post pics as I get them.
Drperry: How did you hook up the power on your LED's in the 4x4 and light control panel? I have an idea but havent tested it yet. Also howd you disable your DRL's, I tried just removing the relay but that screws up my AHL's and the Low beams stay on during High beam mod? Thanks. -Lenny |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
With the whole voltage reversing setup of the Blazer, you can't easilly have no DRL's and quad beams...
To get rid of DRL's, just bend pin 86 on the DRL relay out of the way... As for the power for the LED's on the 4x4 switch, they're wired to the wiper switch LED's, lol. They get power right from the plug on the wiper switch... The power for the headlight controls is done in the same manner... However, LED's in the heater control light spots, do NOT light very well.. You WILL need to suppliment them with some loose LED's. The power for the loose LED's in the heater controls is REALLY easy... I can't remember what color wires I used for the other power wires, but I can take a look if'n you want. Also, it doesn't have to be blue LED's, lol, someone like rabbit might prefer green ;) |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Yeah I know they don't have to be blue LED's but so far it is looking freaking awesome, and the headunit I am planning on getting is blue backlite. right now I have the gauge cluster completed, however will probably be switching out the bulbs in the clusters since they are to directional and have a couple bright spots. The 4x4 switch is pretty much done just gluing the LEDs in place and finish soldering. The Light panel is also done except for glue and solder. And I got blue bulbs for the heater controls so they should be easy to do. Still have to figure how to do the window/door lock controls, and probably going to replace some other interior lights with blue LED's.
Will post pics once all done (or atleast progress at end of the weekend) and am taking pics of the steps I am taking along the way to make up a good how-to post. -Lenny |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
If'n you'd like, I can pop my 4x4 switch open for you to take a peek inside, lol... For optimum light, some parts of its interior needed... Convincing, lol.
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Okay that would be great, I think I have figured it out but haven't touched it in a day, have been busy with other things but I am planning on working on it tonight. I have different LED's coming for the cluster cause the company shipped the wrong ones to me, I wanted the inverted ones and they shipped me bullet shaped ones that are too directional (brightspot at 40mph and a couple other places and too dim else where).
-Lenny |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Also, remember, that unless you're lucky and get some REALLY wide angle LED's you're still going to have a dim spot in the tach...
Unless you've got a Canadjun Blazer! |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Yeah I think the ones that are coming that I was supposed to get will be better than the ones I just installed. I have the wiper control and 4x4 switch completely done now, just waiting till dark to take better pics of them lit up. going finish up the light panel hopefully tonight and start the passenger window/lock control tonight.
-Lenny |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Hey I have pretty much finish up everything on the dash. The LED's are mounted, and soldered and all wired up. Just waiting on the LED's that I was supposed to get to show up instead of the very directional ones currently in the cluster. Also I am waiting for the bulbs to get in for the HVAC panel. Eventually I will get to the power window/locks/mirror panels and replace them but probably not for a couple days.
Here are some pics of the LED's in the dash with out the trim panel on. https://blazerforum.com/upfiles/6486...g554313046.jpg https://blazerforum.com/upfiles/6486...o378943515.jpg https://blazerforum.com/upfiles/6486...e842708987.jpg -Lenny |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Looks pretty good! Not quite as even of a spread on the wiper/4x4 switch as on mine... but I had handy 12V source on my work bench to test fit all the LED's... Unless it's the angle of the camera that's messing with the light... lol.
Now, just gotta find a way to change the color of the odometer! lol |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Yeah it just the angle of the camera, didn't even notice that in the pic at first. The Wiper switch is by far the best and easiest one I did. The 4x4 the 2hi is a little less bright than the rest but not by much. and the light control panel is good I just dont have the dimmer part lit up but don't really care since you can dim the LED's any way. Yeah I had no bench 12v source, I wish I still had lab access to my enterprise lab but since I am not registered for the class they removed my access, power supplies, bench soldering stations ment for circuit board soldering all around. Instead I used my cheap WalMart soldering iron, better one at home and ran in and out of my dorm room to my truck to test the lights and then fix and then test again. I am happy and they look better than in the pics posted above. Also the cluster should have a better spread once the other LED's come in.
-Lenny |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Score yourself a cheap computer power supply for that kind of thing, lol.
And yeah, the wiper switch is by far the easiest to do (of the ones that need actual modifications...) The dimmer switch doesn't actually light up, either... at least on mine, it doesn't... But the LED's actually do dim... but you have to turn the dimmer all the way down... There's full brightness, and like 75% of full... The dimmer has to be all the way down, or it won't dim... |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Lookin pretty cool. Those spread LED's will help for the dash. I got them myself and they work pretty good. As you probably saw though from when i posted mine (and it looks as though you will have the same issue) half the tach doesnt quite light up the best because of bad bulb placement by GM for the state side trucks. I havent had a chance to tear into it but im thinking of putting another led in the cluster to help spread the light. Well that and the bulb on the left side of the tach sometimes looses contact (cant figure out why either, ive even swapped bulb holders and it still does it on just that one) so this will help that some.......just gotta off my lazy arse.
And for the power supply if your not completely familiar just jump black to green on the motherboard connector and the supply will turn on. Grab a molex connector (four post deal used to power cd roms and hard drives). Yellow is your +12 and the black right aside of it is your ground. |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Thanks, yeah eventually I will probably have a bench powersupply and soldering iron station, since I am studying to be an Electrical Engineer. I will post up pics later when everything is put back together, should be sometime this weekend as the bulbs/LED's just shipped out today and should have them by thurs or fri. Then after that I will start a How-to post and talk to swartlkk about it. All I have left is the window switches.
Oh yeah mine dim to that 75% at like one click before you click them off completely. I dont care because I have never dimmed my regular before. -Lenny |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Well I have an updated Gauge cluster pic, and have installed some switches one for future fog lights getting wired up and one to control the LED's behind each vent. I still don't have everything together as I am waiting to finish up the HVAC controls and shipping takes forever. I still have the door panel controls to do and maybe I will change some of the other interior bulbs to Blue LED's. I'll post up later what those look like and the finished product. Here is the pic of the gauge cluster now.
https://blazerforum.com/upfiles/6486...g787315363.jpg |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Very nice! Smooth light!
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
They dolook good!
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
If you are able to do the door controls with led's, can you let me know how you did it, cause I want to do mine too. Thanks
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
What bulb # goes into the dash lights? I was thinking about putting brilliant white behind the HVAC panel...
Which reminds me Ihave to replace the three blown dashbulbsthe Suburbanhas. (1 gauge bulb, 2 bulbs behind HVAC panel.) I'll add that to the laundry list of things to fix! |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
The HVAC will be a biatch... The filaments for the bulbs are kinda snaked in all over the connector (kinda the same for the dash bulbs, but those aren't as bad...)
LED's will NOT work for the HVAC unless you have loose LED's to supplement the socketed ones. the dash lights should be 194's for both your Blazer, and the Suburban... It's kind of a standardized GM thing... and #37 for the HVAC... At least on the Blazer, probably the Sub, as well, but... As for the door controls, once you have the switch panel out, and look at the bottom, you'll see it's very easy, with the exception of mounting them... Which I'm sure everyone will find their own spiffy way to do (I've got pics somewhere of the switches lit up with blue LED's) |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Exactly what drperry said. I have some extra 194 inverted LED bulbs and they fit in the holes of the #37 bulbs (not the assemblies) and I think if I just super glued them and wired them I would be set except for the defroster button. I am still waiting on my other LED's to show up but I will try out the 194's in the 37's position tonight probably and take some pics if it works out.
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Well finally got everything done and back together, except the door power lock/window controls. Here are pics of it taken tonight. I will be writing up a how to eventually but probably wont get around to it in a week or two since I am finishing up my semester of school and in the process of moving home.
Overall View http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m.../IMG_1805x.jpg Light Control Panel http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m.../IMG_1810x.jpg Gauge Cluster http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m.../IMG_1812x.jpg 4x4 / Rear Wiper Switches http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m.../IMG_1815x.jpg HVAC Controls http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m.../IMG_1798x.jpg |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
That looks awesome! I'll be waiting on that how to write up as I have been wanting to do that for some time. Ya gotta do something about that stocker radio though. Find a way to get some LED's in there, lol. Overall, very nice job.
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Very nice! I might just have to back and use your way of getting the heater controls to light up, lol.
I reccomend, for anyone who goes to do this mod, get a 12V bench power supply, so you can test the lights without going back out to the truck... Since for everything but the dash and the HVAC, you'll be using loose LED's... |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
drperry - I agree, getting some type of 12 volt power supply would be a lot easier than when I was running out to the truck and back testing, especially cause I had to make a little tent during the day with a towel to see how they were working or had to wait till night which for me is 10pm when it gets dark which then makes it hard to see other things (wires and what not).
iceflames- I am planning on installing an aftermarket HU which will match the blue of the LED's or I have one now that I can change the backglow to whatever color I want. I thought about taking the stocker apart but that would be a big PITA to take apart, put back together, and mount the loose LED's; not to mention my buttons are showing lots of wear. |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Holey deuce man, you really went all out there. Very nice though, gotta say. Just wish i had the motivation to get off my arse and take apart my dash again and start putting in more led's. Speaking of which, my light gremlin with the dash is back but now it moved over one bulb. The one that was problematic now works just fine but the one to the right of it now is on the blink so i gotta tear into that. Its the only one i let my buddy do so im gonna blame him, LOL. Its more than likely just loose from off-roading. Anyway good work man, looks sweet.
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Good luck on fixing your dash gremlin RCars2 and thanks everyone for the comments.
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
ORIGINAL: RCars2 Holey deuce man, you really went all out there. Very nice though, gotta say. Just wish i had the motivation to get off my arse and take apart my dash again and start putting in more led's. Speaking of which, my light gremlin with the dash is back but now it moved over one bulb. The one that was problematic now works just fine but the one to the right of it now is on the blink so i gotta tear into that. Its the only one i let my buddy do so im gonna blame him, LOL. Its more than likely just loose from off-roading. Anyway good work man, looks sweet. |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
I attibute it to offroading as after my last trip it started happening. Im thinking it could even be that led coming loose, those things were a bugger to get in there because the ones i got had extra forming plastic on them that i didnt shave off the best (yay ebay, lol). Ill fix it tonight, if i dont pass out right after work.
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
sleep in the truck! lol
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Acutally i would if it wasnt so blurdy hot outside (half the reason why i havent fixed it yet) and because it poured last night now its humid too. This is worse than the midwest, LOL. Fine, fine, ill get off my butt and fix it. Heck i might even take apart the HVAC controls and try and rig up some of my extra led's from the dash if i feel ambitious. Any luck with that Lenny?
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Yeah this is how I did my HVAC controls. I used 4 of the 194 Invereted LED bulbs from the Cluster install and super glued them in the place of the original factory bulbs. Then I wired them together and put a spade connector on the end of the combined single positive wire and the signal negative wire then plugged in the plug normally and shoved the positive spade into the black wire and the negative spade into the grey wire of the plug (sorry no pics of this, and i think I got the colors correct if not switch em, it shouldn't hurt anything). In my pics the orange wire is positive and the purple wire is negative (goes to ground). On the 194 LED bulbs I had the larger lead from the bulb housing is positive(orange wire) and the smaller is negative(purple wire) if they are the same size either test first or they may be non polarized (meaning either side can be used as positive and then the other would be negative).
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m.../IMG_1783x.jpg Then I put a loose LED in this configuration and then soldered it leads to the correct pins on the mini circuit board. Will also follow the same color wires as the other LED bulbs, just a different set of wires that plug in. As you can see I took a dremel to the button and made a little groove for the wires to run and not disrupt the circuit board or button operation, I also super glued this LED in place and then super glued the wires in the groove. http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m.../IMG_1796x.jpg Hope this helps otherwise send me a PM, post up, or talk on IM (my screenname is lennybritz) |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Thanks, that actually helps alot. Now i just gotta go run down to fry's electronics and get some parts after work (wires, leds for button and the 4x4 switch if im feeling ambitious, and probably some soldercuzi think im out)and i think ill be set. Btw i added ya to my IM just in case i need to reach ya later. MyIM is RCars2.
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
will there be a straight thru write up on this soon??
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Ok, got a question, actually 2 of em. One, are the led's just loose inside the 4x4 switch, and 2 where are they hooked up to for power? Kinda need to know cuz im stumped a little at the moment. From what i saw from drperry's setup i think the leds are just loose in there but still i havent a clue where you guys are tieing in for power. Is it on the lead to switch itself? If so which wires?
At any rate, i found out that my local electronics store is a rip when it comes to led's. First of all they dont have any 12v led's in stock so i have to run 3.6v ones in series (gonna run 4 of them together for now and run 2 to the 4x4 switch and 2 to the rear glass switch) and the ones they do have are freaking expensive. Im almost thinking i might just hold off for the moment and get some better ones that run at 12v with leads already attached from ebay. What do you guys think? |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
What did you use for the lights inside the vents? LED's or string lights. It looks so sweet like that. I want to do this also along with the door controls on all four doors. I am going to get the HVAC panel off of ebay to match my gauges, but all other panels will go with blue led's. You or someone should write up a how-to and post it with pics. I think alot of people would benefit from this.
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Davtak/White Tie - Yes I will be writing a how to, but probably wont start it till this weekend or next week. As this is my finals week for summer classes and I am really busy with school, work and then having to pack and clean stuff up to move home this weekend. It will be a start to finish job with lots of pics ( I have like 85 that I took and can choose from)
Davtak- the lights inside the vents are just left over 12V LEDs that I wired to a switch on my headlight panel and then made it so the switch has power when the headlights and dash lights are on (easier in my opinion). I have not done the window controls yet cause they will be more difficult to aim the light and I do not have anymore time this week to do them, so they will be added to my how-to at a later date, most likely sometime in the next month. RCars2 - I would buy the ones off of ebay here is a link, they will work much better and I dont think 3.6v ones will work without some type of resistor. Also for the HVAC controls I would run these 194 bulbs as they work awesome and are really easy to align and wire up. You will also want to hook them up in parallel so that they all get the same voltage and therefore light uniformly. Here is what I did for my 4x4 switch and I just super glued them in place so they dont move around http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m.../IMG_1645x.jpg Below I soldered straight to the pins as shown below on the 4x4 switch orange wire is positive and blue wire is negative. I did this so that it would be a complete stand alone unit and would still be removable from the dash like normal. Otherwise normally it is grey wire is ground and black wire or green wire is positive (atleast to make them turn on when the dash lights are supposed to) http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m.../IMG_1660x.jpg |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Ok, that answers so much. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!! I was so confused as to where to run it plus i was dead tired from work so im not thinking straight. Ill get those led's tonight and hopefully be in business by the end of the week.
Oh, i figured out my electrical gremlin, its a bad led, replaced it and it works again. |
RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
awesome, ill be looking forward to it:)
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Led's are sooo swweeett!! Rcars2 ( rob) hooked me up with a set for my gauge cluster and man do they look so much better!!!
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RE: Changing Dash/Control Lights with Blue LED's
Yeah they are sweet. I got the aftermarket radio in now so it looks even better, but have been so busy I havent gotten around to writing anything up yet and havent gotten around to finishing/starting the power window/lock controls. Been fixing other things on the blazer and working 50 hour weeks and doing lots around the house and with friends. Sorry everyone who is waiting on this. I promise I will get to it sometime, otherwise it is pretty easy to just fool around and figure it out yourself. Otherwise the guage cluster is the easiest to do then the rear wiper switch, then the 4x4 switch, then the headlight control panel.
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