AC panel backlight to LED conversion

Here is the picture of the AC panel with blue LEDs installed:
http://img258.imageshack.us/my.php?image=acpanel29gk.jpg
I know the picture is a little blurry, but I could never get a decent pic.

awesome. now post a tutorial!

yea, how'd u do it

It's actually not that Hard. You just have to take the existing Lights out and wire in your 12 Volt LEDs. If you don't have any that are 12 Volt then just throw a 560 K Ohm resistor inline. I converted my Recirc/Fresh/A/C buttons once I found out that there was suppose to be lights in behind. Radioshack, eBay or Hardware store should have everything you need to do the conversion...

i have not looked at a climate control on the back yet. are the bulbs exposed on the back or do you have to take the unit apart to do this? that seems to be a good mod.

You have to take the HVAC Control Module apart but, it's just 6-8 Screws and the control knobs just pull off. Seems to me one of them was really hard to remove...

Hope that helps...

and if you have the 12v LED's then you dont need the resistor correct??? you just take the old bulbs out and solder the new ones in?? how many bulbs are there by the way.





one more question, is it possible to do this to the radio controls also?

Hmmm good question, I believe there are 4 or 6 lights. Can't remember exactly. Yes 12 Volt ones should just work. What I did was wired in my LEDS then plugged it in minus the front just to make sure it worked. Left it on for about 2 minutes just to make sure they didn't burn out. It doesn't take long to cook them if they are the wrong ones. I had just wired the ones I had straight in the first time and they died in like 30 seconds...

As for the radio controls. I'd like to think that you can do it but, I've tried twice to get the front of the CD player off and each time I've broken more Lights. I still haven't been able to get the face of the player off completely yet. If you do get it to come off take lots of step by step pics for me.

ok cause like 3 of my radio lights went out but im going to take a good look at it and see if I can get it off.




and what do you mean the ones you wired straight in blew in like 30 seconds? what do you mean by straight in...were they the wrong ones?

Yeah, I just had some LEDs kicking around the shop that obviously weren't 12v rated. Thus, I needed the resistor to drop the voltage.


I know what you mean about the radio the whole driver side of my stereo lights don't work.

alright...well ill let you know if i figure out a way to open her up.

Please let us know how hard the radio is. I have very few lights left so I have to turn on the overhead to change anything but the volume...

It's not too hard to remove the face and get it loose it's getting it all the way off without feeling like your going to break something that's the problem.

one more question. what size and shape are these bulbs?? or doesnt it matter??? i found a link with a bunch of LEDs but theres like every shape and size.

http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/L200-xPB/

Wow I never knew there were so many. I used L190 style ones in the Recirc/Fresh and A/C but, if I were to do it again I would use the L190 in the main area behind the knobs and the LD120 in the recirc/fresh, a/c buttons. The 120s are smaller and would probably be easier to use.

Just my :2cents: worth!

Got the temp panel apart pretty easy. When you solder the wires back in how careful a job putting it back together do you have to do? Do you have to use the existing extensions(?) to get the lights forward? I counted 4 small lights and 4 large lights, correct?

ok i took it apart and looked at it. do you need to heat the solder joints on the board to pull out the bulbs? then do u solder it back in. does radio shack carry 12 volt leds? thanks for the help i want to get this done.

Yeah I think Radio shack carries those LEDs if not they can tell you where you can get some and yes you have to De-Solder the old lights out and resolder the new ones in using the mounts in the Circuit board. Or you can just heat the point where the light goes into the board and pull gently on each lead slowly working it out. De-soldering is the best solution though.

how would it look with red leds???

if you get leds that need a resistor where do u put the resistor at. since u solder striaght to the board i see nowhere to put it.

ha ha there in lies the trick. You have to make one side of Your LED Shorter. Solder the resistor to the LED and then to the board and the other lead of the led to the board. Make sense? I was trying to figure that one out too but, i made it works and they are still glowing 8 months later...

Wow I never knew there were so many. I used L190 style ones in the Recirc/Fresh and A/C but, if I were to do it again I would use the L190 in the main area behind the knobs and the LD120 in the recirc/fresh, a/c buttons. The 120s are smaller and would probably be easier to use.

Just my :2cents: worth!


how would those sizes translate into radio shack LEDs???

how would those sizes translate into radio shack LEDs???

I just did a quick search at http://www.radioshack.com/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F006%5F002%5F000&Page=1

Radioshack and I think behind the A/C, Recirc I'd use 5mm ones and in behind the main area (where the knobs are) I'd use the 10 mm ones.

Hope that helps.

Cheers
Evan

Has anyone tried to take apart the dual zone electronic climate control. Is it the same?