nightwalkerancestery Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 So I'm in the process of changing out my interior lighting to blue. I'm making all new films and transparent overlays and gauge faces and everything. included with the mod is the lights. I've gone through the car and listed out everything I need for the lights and already bout some and installed them. I'm to the HVAC right now and was wondering something. For the individual buttons there are very small lights. They seem to be about 5mm big. I can order these lights but i know in order to run them at 12v you need to have the resistor installed. otherwise they'll only run at about 3 or so volts. I got to looking at the circuit board and see some resistors around where the selection indicator doide is and i traced the circutry and I can't seem to tell if that resistor goes to the button light as well. Can anyone give some input on this? It's a very small resistor. If i can find my spare I'll get a picture up. In the meantime try to chime in Thanks,Charles Palka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott87star Posted September 16, 2012 Report Share Posted September 16, 2012 Each light, which is a diode (Light Emitting Diode) will have its own resistor whose value controls the amount of current flow through the diode. The LED's you buy will have a current limit specification, just use i=V/R to calculate the resistance required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightwalkerancestery Posted September 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 For the VERY small lights in the HVAC i need to buy 5mm lights. But in order to run at 12v i would need to use a resistor. Any idea as to how i would fit the led's in the housing WITH the resistor? I'm guessing I'd just solder on the resistor and then just leave the light slightly out of the plastic jacket to leave room for the resistor. Thanks,Charles Palka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_Venable Posted September 17, 2012 Report Share Posted September 17, 2012 to change the color in the HVAC, you don't need new LEDs, the orange is coming from the little flapper between the outerskin/film you actually push and the button on the circuit board. you can take the orange film off the flapper, and replace it with the color you want, or tint it with some spray. But I do warn you, how thick you get with said films has an effect on the button push/touch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightwalkerancestery Posted September 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 I understand that. But even with the lightest color, the stock bulbs just aren't bright enough. And in addition the blue bulb WITH the film looks the best. So I'll want to use led bulbs anyway. Also, I do have to change the led's on the square indicator lights. Those you can't just tint or paint. But those I'll prob just order online for like $3 for 50 in blue. I'm just trying to figure out how to fit a resistor in the real small button lights... - Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alp247 Posted September 20, 2012 Report Share Posted September 20, 2012 So what you want is your HVAC to be blue but bright blue? I personally don't mind the orange led's. If i had the time i would change it to red. Here is a link of what i did. I personally think they are bright enough. Scroll down and you will see pics. Don't mind the blue plastic trim as i painted it since mine was cracked but is black now since i found another one from a member. http://www.starquestclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=102768 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightwalkerancestery Posted September 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 So what you want is your HVAC to be blue but bright blue? I personally don't mind the orange led's. If i had the time i would change it to red. Here is a link of what i did. I personally think they are bright enough. Scroll down and you will see pics. Don't mind the blue plastic trim as i painted it since mine was cracked but is black now since i found another one from a member. http://www.starquest...howtopic=102768 What type of material did you use for the color? Mine is blue but it's almost like the material is too dense for the light. I can hold it up towards a light and it looks transparent but when it's in the unit it's dull as hell. but even with its dullness...it even looks white with the clear bulb behind it. As a side note, you should def solder in some new diodes for the selection lights. Ebay has them in blue. http://www.ebay.com/itm/130754771031?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649 it would finish off the look on it entirely - Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aknorthstar Posted October 9, 2012 Report Share Posted October 9, 2012 the small lights are t3.....http://www.v-leds.com/SMT-HIGH-POWER-BLUE-NEO-p7688467-1-2.html The two behind the display are t5........http://www.v-leds.com/SMT-HIGH-POWER-BLUE-NEO-p7661042-1-2.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightwalkerancestery Posted October 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 I've go the bulb sizes figured out already. That's not the issue. the issue is finding a film that's transparent enough to be bright but color enough to show the color. So more or less brightness:color ratio - Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alp247 Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 charles,sorry for the late reply. The only real way to get the maximum light out possible is not to put any colored film. I used blue film because i wanted the buttons to look blue but i could have used white. If you want the maximum light then i would suggest just opening the HVAC carefully. When you remove the plastic face of the HVAC from circut board you will see all the little clear plastic buttons. Now here is where you can get creative. When you pull the buttons apart there is a small little plastic that is square and painted orange to diffuse the light. Now you can remove this orange with some solvent or rubbing compound. Becareful not to use some things that will melt the plastic. When you remove the orange it will be clear allowing the maximum color of your blub to come though. The only con to this is the bottons look clear and to me it doesn't look that great but to each his own. That is why i used blue but since the group buy i have a set of white overlays so i will be redoing this mod and putting in white buttons. Do not install the buttons without these plastic diffuser or cut out simliar ones with the same thickness because the buttons wont activate without them installed. I hope this helps you out. I'm thiking about doing these on the side but haven't had time. Red or blue is the colors i'm thinking of doing for people who want to upgrade the color in the interiors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightwalkerancestery Posted October 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 (edited) I understand how you replace the diffuser. I have done just that. I have taken out the disgusting 80's orange and replaced it with a blue film. The film just doesn't seem to be transparent enough. So, I am trying to see if you or anyone else has used a film that lets the light shine bright enough to see clearly but color enough to show what color it is without appearing white. Since it has taken so much time to hear a resolution to this question, I have ordered the correct sized blue led bulbs to replace the lights for the buttons. They should be in today as a matter of fact. I'll try to post up some pictures within the next few days to show how it turns out. If anyone can come up with a useable blue film, I would love to hear it! Also, I have ordered some correct Blue and Red replacement led's to replace the orange selection lights. The small square lights at the corner of the buttons to show you what's selected during the day. They are the same design just a different color. The blue will replace the orange and the red will replace the one green used for "recycle" - Charles Edited October 10, 2012 by nightwalkerancestery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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