i am trying to convert an interior to a blue LED theme. i have managed to get the climate control bulbs switched over and noticed that a few lights on the radio are also burned out... i hacked the radio open and the lights look like they are soldered directly onto the circuit board, not like the climate control where the bulbs are twist off replacable... if i plan to change these to a diferent color LED, do i need to put in a resistor too? or can i de-solder the old bulbs off the radio and just stick the blue LED in and solder it on...

 

I am no expert, but I would think you don't need a resistor. It should be just like replacing the CC bulbs, only with solder.

On a different note where did you get the bulbs for the CC?

 

They are actual lamps (regular bulbs) soldered to the board? or are they leds? If they are leds, just swapping them should be ok. If you are brave enough to attempt this, I am assuming you own a multimeter. Leds usually take around 3 volts. If you are in that neighborhood, I'd say its ok not to use a resistor.

ps- dont try this at all unless you are good at soldering.

 

sho_nuff - the climate control swap required resistors... so it was not direct replacement bulbs into the unit... i will take pics of how i mounted the resistor to the bulb housing and post... i bought the LED's off of ebay in bulk so i will prob do all the cars in the house since i have a ton left over...

intensity - the draw on the bulbs on the radio face was approx 7V when i checked it. and i am decent at soldering... i have done numerous alarms and audio system installs before... electrical for my carputer too... i guess i have to get creative to see how to mount the resistor with the LED to the board since the LED will touch the contact on the board even before adding the resistor to it... anyone done this???

 

poor reading skills

 

7V huh, yeah def need resistors then. Its going to be more difficult having to add resistors too, but if you have the time and patience, I'm sure it can be done.

What type of car you doing this on?

 

1G TL OEM radio...

i think i may have a few alternat solutions though...

used the stock contact for the (-) side of the LED, solder as normal... and then drill a new hole next to the (+) contact... route the LED through that new hole to the back... connect the resistor from the rear and into the original (+) contact from the back??? i will look at the board to see how much clean open unobstructed space i have to run these bad boys...

another one might be just to hover the LED slightly so i can fit the resistor very close to the LED base??? but then i am afraid the LED will pertrude too much out... i will check it out more tonight...

 

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185799

a bit of update... haven't tackled the radio as of yet though...

 

How did you replace the bulbs in the climate control with leds?

 

Looking good man

 

Don’t try to drill a new hole in the PCB. Most PCBs are multilayer and you will run the risk of drilling through a trace on an inner (invisible) layer destroying the circuit.

jeff

 

good call jeff!

i remember someone on this forum making a tsx all blue already....