ok so im gonna try and make my A/c controls and speedo blue with blue LEDs can someone help me out with this . like i remember there is somethin you have to buy because LEDs can run at 12v or soemthin and how do you wire them to stuff. thanks

 

Behind the AC controls, there is already blue lamps for lighting. They aren't LEDs, although they do look like them. They run on 12V. To get a different LED in place of them, you'll have to replace them with 12V LEDs and a resistor 100ohms to .5kohms ought to work. The lower numbers will be brighter, but you'll need something there.

There are 3 LEDs behind the AC controls that light up each of the 3 buttons when pressed - those run on 2V. They can't readily be switched to blue (I'm working on it). 2V isn't enough voltage to switch on a blue or white LED though... minimum I've seen is 3.6V. So in order to light them, you've got to use the 2V source now and a relay that will switch on a higher voltage source. That higher voltage source will likely be 12V depending on where you draw it from and will need to be lowered to keep from killing the LED, which I plan to do with a zener diode.

I don't know anything about the speedometer though, so you're on your own there. I think a few people around have done similar mods in there - I'm just not too familiar with them.
-N

 

ok thanks i know there ae blue lights behind the A/C controls. but i was thinkin maybe a LED blue would look less green. and how do you connect wires to the 2 little prongs that come off the LEDs. also, LEDs kinda shine a light straight forward right? is there a way to may them have more of a wide range. ( a bigger circle) thanks

 

Replacing it with a blue LED may make it less green back there, but if you've looked around back there, you may get a better idea. The bulbs back there have essentially a blue rubber balloon of sorts on them and are otherwise white bulbs. You can pop off the blue bulb condom and either find one in the color you want (hard) or paint it whatever color you'd like. Personally, I elected to take it off and change the colors of my AC controls using other means (check my vehicle to find out).

In general, yes, LEDs shine more unidirectionally, but there is a variance. You can look at the packaging of LEDs to see exactly what they do - they usually rate a number degrees off center they can be viewed. Due to the way the 2 bulbs light is distributed behind all the AC controls, you'll probably be better off with a bulb though that projects a lot of light sideways.
-N

 

ok thanks im gonna go buy parts

 

ok i bought LEDs its 5mm, 5olt, 30mA, 300mcd. and 1kOhm resistors 1/4 watts 5% tolerance is that compatable. is there anyone that can kinda give me general step by step to hook up LEDs to a car thanks

 

Well, first off, those numbers all have some variability to them, but I'm guessing they're not quite gonna work out.

The LED will offer a negligible resistance to your lighting, so the resistance will essentially be 1kOhm. The voltage will be 12V, unless you're pulling from some weird place. V=IR, so 12V=I*1000ohm, and I = 12mA. That probably won't be enough current to light up the LED. I 500ohm resistor would change that current to 24mA, which will probably be close enough.

When you hook them up, you'll go from your positive 12V source to the resistor (either side) to the anode (longer stem) of the LED to your ground. If the LED doesn't go on and you think it should, then you may just have it backwards. Current can only travel one direction through a diode.
-N