on4now4 Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 http://tr.truveo.com/LED-Color-Changing-Ga...pe/id/331888943 how can we do this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrazilBoy Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 ask Derek he is our resident LED wizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxzillian Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Depends. You can do it fancy and precise or cheap and... it might work. Either way you need some sort of potentiometer to act as a position sensor for the needle. You can either have that power an LED directly so say a blue element is on constant and a red element is on the potentiometer, but I'm thinking the behavior would be less than perfect. With a controller, you could determine where it blends precisely so I think that'd be the better choice. However, a simpler method that wouldn't involve modifying the gauges to fit a potentiometer is to simpler have a micro controller read engine RPMs off the ignition wire to the tach. I think that'd be a much simpler way overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_Venable Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 (edited) Also, could use an RGB LED, but as Max said, you'll need a potentiometer to tell the driver you'll have to build what to output for the color change but pulling a signal off the rpm signal too the tach would work too, but you'd still need to build a driver for it Edited May 14, 2009 by D_Venable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strang3majik Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 ^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-O Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 I imagine it would be like those fiber-optic color-change pens that were the ish back in the day. http://media.musictoday.com/store/bands/430/product_large/UEAM83.JPG I'm sure you've all seen the large fiber-optic "bush" looking things on someone's desk before, that changes colors ... I imagine it'd be the same principle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Derek is correct. RGB LED. I have some installed in my gauges... just not wired up to do other colors... yet. http://home.comcast.net/~Driftability/images/Komeuppance/GaugesRed.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~Driftability/images/Komeuppance/GaugesOrange.jpg In action Tiny LED's, the solder pads are less than 1mm thick and very fragile. http://home.comcast.net/~Driftability/images/Komeuppance/NeedleLED.jpg -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
on4now4 Posted May 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 ok i will have to give it a shot in a week or 2 when i get some time. but how did you get the needles to stay lit even when everything else is off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucw458 Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 http://tr.truveo.com/LED-Color-Changing-Ga...pe/id/331888943 how can we do this? Depends. You can do it fancy and precise or cheap and... it might work. With a controller, you could determine where it blends precisely so I think that'd be the better choice. However, a simpler method that wouldn't involve modifying the gauges to fit a potentiometer is to simpler have a micro controller read engine RPMs off the ignition wire to the tach. I think that'd be a much simpler way overall. pulling a signal off the rpm signal too the tach would work too, but you'd still need to build a driver for it Very easy, just get an RPM activated switch from MSD. Set the rpm on the switch and wire it to your gauge lighting and presto color changing tach needle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
on4now4 Posted June 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Very easy, just get an RPM activated switch from MSD. Set the rpm on the switch and wire it to your gauge lighting and presto color changing tach needle. that would work except for the fact that i don't have $100 to spend on this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jms Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 To change the color of the stock gauge needles, take a look at this detailed instruction: http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=187622 Rgds, Jms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 To change the color of the stock gauge needles, take a look at this detailed instruction: http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=187622 Rgds, Jms Yeah, that's a good write up on how to paint needles. We are talking about LED installs though. -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alp247 Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) Wow you guys make it so complicated. all i did was replace the bulb with red ones and this is how mine looks like. i like mine maybe you guys just want yours to be super red but i was happy with the way mine turned out. Oh...never mind i see you want it to change colors... Edited June 23, 2009 by alp247 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Phil Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 ahh, the hardest part about color changing needles would be telling your parents that your gay... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komeuppance Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 ahh, the hardest part about color changing needles would be telling your parents that your gay... Owned. -Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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