LED Gauge Backlights

[Javin]

FAQ:

 

Q: What color are the RGB lights without the controller module?

A: They can be any single color or combination of the three including white (all 3). You solder your Positive Lead to the Positive contact and then the negative to any of the 3 color contacts (They are labled). What ever contacts are wired the color will be on. The only issue is that if you chose to change colors it requires rewiring and unless you use a resister you have a limited selection of colors because you can not adjust brightness.

 

 

Tools: (Install only, not including removal of the cluster)

 

Screw Driver

Scissors

Dikes (not needed but helpful)

Recommended a plug in adapter that provides 12v (I used one from an external hard drive that was 12 2.0a) or at least a 9v battery (I think that works...)

 

Tools: (extras needed for a tach install)

 

Sharp knife/razor

Soldering Equipment (flux, solder, iron)

Wire (2 colors helps)

Hot Glue Gun

 

Testing: (This first section can be skipped if you don't want to try it out before installing them)

 

First thing I did was make sure the lights would work correctly and to do this I pulled the gauge cluster out a bit

Remove the normal light (Hole in the center)

Strip the little plug connector back a bit

Take the light out of the little plug pulled out and create a temporary wire connection with the plug by wrapping the exposed wire around the contacts.

Screw the little connector back into the light spot

Turn on the truck lights

Hook up the receiver

Plug the receiver into the lights

It should light up.

If it does not, turn the lights off and pull the connector out and plug it in 180 degrees around (reversing polarity) turn the lights back on and it should light up.

 

Installation:

 

Take your gauges out completely and remove them from your bezel.

Remove clear plastic cover and black trim.

I used a pair of dikes to get the little clips off by sliding it behind it

Should look like this

I had to find a hole for the wires to go in and out of and there was this one at the top... not sure what it was used for before but stick the wires through there to help get your light placement right.

Test fit the light

Find a cut point

Cut on the line splitting the copper connection in 2 (Use sharp scissors or sharp snips, trying an exacto blade went poorly)

Verify your lights still work after cutting

Skip to the "Finish up" section if you do not have a tach

 

With a tach:

 

First decide how you want the the wires (there will be 4side by side) to run. I chose to just run them over the edge under the trim ring.

Test fit and cut the LED strip at the cut point.

If you are running through a hole or someother way, run the wires first. if going over the edge everything can be done then installed (easier)

Take the end of the lights in the speedo cluster and using a very sharp knife or razor blade CAREFULLY strip away the ruber coating where the copper contacts are. A small slit in the rubber and using your fingers to rip it off I found to be easiest.

Solder a wire to each point (I used red as the + connection) (My wires were about 18" long each 22(?) gauge)

Use Hot Glue to cover the connection and wires a little way up as reinforcement (experience taught me that).

TEST THE LIGHTS through each color. Each should light up on its own (this makes sure none of the solder points connected to each other).

Solder the positive to the tach side

turn on each color of light individually (R, G, B ) and touch each wire one at a time to the contacts on the tach strip until it lights up then that is the wire for the color selected

Solder that to the point it corresponds with.

Follow that process until all are soldered.

Test your lights one color at a time and then check white as well. If Red Green or blue turn on 2 colors instead of just the one then check your solder points

Your Tach will look like this when done.

 

Finish up:

 

Remove the paper from the adhesive and stick the lights down It is best to go around the edge as close to it as possible even around the gas and temp gauges. I used a small piece of the paper as an extra buffer everywhere there was a cut point just to make sure I don’t short anything.

Finish sticking it down. If you make too sharp of a bend, the rubber coating may split so be careful of that

Install the Black trim piece carefully

Make sure the light placement is correct by looking around and verifying.

Clean your plastic and anything else your greasy fingers touched (Thank me for this later)

Make sure your lead is coming through the hole for your speedo cluster

Put the gauge plastic covers back on

Take your little light plug used in testing earlier and solder the plug leads to it

Make sure it can twist back into place AFTER the solder is applied. If not, find your own damn way to do it (remember polarity matters and my way is reversable).

Plug the lights into the receiver

Plug the power plug into the receiver.

Re install the dash making sure you can reverse that plug if needed

Take oics once you light it up. You can mount the receiver and the IR sensor anywhere you deem a good location.

[Laecaon]

Are those strips meant to be powered by 12v?

 

The average white-blue led has a Forward voltage of about 3.5 volts. So 3 in series would add up 10.5 volts. I see there is a resistor there and that is probably what is helping to get the circuit to 12v. You will blow out leds if you over power them, but you will know instantly.

 

I like this set up. Makes for a even light distribution.

[Javin]

Almost all the LED strips I see online (Ebay) are rated for 12v (most are for car applications I would imagine). I ran the ones in my speedo since I got the truck. Now, when I ran a volt meter on my instrument cluster light pod connections I was only getting ~10.5 so maybe I just don't have the voltage to blow it? I do have a working dimmer switch so that may effect something.

[Laecaon]

Finally, Can you leave it as a strand of say 6 or 9 leds? Or do you have to cut it every 3?

[Javin]

Mine came in a length of 60 LEDs (120CM) and you can leave it as 60 or cut it. It just has to be in multiples of three. So 15 would be perfect for that gauge. as it is shown is with 9 and that would work. However you have to cut it in the right spot. The easiest way for me to figure out what is the third is to start from where the factory had it set up. And it is right in the middle of the third LED and the 4th or 9th and 10th or 57 and 58th... I hope this makes sense. I am up past my bedtime :P

 

EDIT: If I were to be looking for more, I think I would go through this guy http://myworld.ebay.com/pitalam/ and get his non-waterproof ones. I think they would be easier to work with. I bought mine without researching too much

[Javin]

Just got my new lights in and made a video. I will be installing these at a later date (tomorrow maybe?) but they are freaking sweet!

 

Video coming soon!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IBQxr3oRrc

[Laecaon]

Looks nice. More OICS!

[Javin]

Alright, today I got the lights in and will update the original post if I can as I took tons more pics. Had stuff happening since I got the lights and this was my first free day. Anyway! Here is a video of the new lights. I have yet to install it into my dash, however, with the engine off there isnt enough voltage to make the lights look their best but with the truck on it looks good!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTLLtwbdFhI

I had some issues installing and some lessons learned. However I am getting much better at soldering!

[Shagy]

haha..looks like some shit I'd do..I dont now how to leave my lighting alone!!!

 

cool deal =)

[Javin]

I just never knew what color i wanted inside. this way gives me multiple choices! Now I am going to wire the rest of the cab on the cab light circuit and have it change as well! I am so lame.

[Siqx20]

sweet!! I cant wait to try

[elmerfudpucker]

I will be keepin an eye on this thread.

[gokiburix]

ordered mine!

[Javin]

I am an ass hat and was slacking on updating this. I will have oics up soon with more info. Thanks Gokibruix

[gokiburix]

I am an ass hat and was slacking on updating this. I will have oics up soon with more info. Thanks Gokibruix

 

 

don't be so hard on yourself, man :lol:

[Javin]

Updated the informational. I will do the tach part later.

these are the ones I bought

http://cgi.ebay.com/...sQ5fAccessories

But like I said, I think I would do the no waterproof ones. *shrug* I got these because they had a higher density of LEDs. There are other ones in his store but they have 150/5meter. I got 300/5meter. Yeah... I know, I am a snob.

 

EDIT. I keep going back and fourth on the waterproof or not if I were to do this again... I am thinking waterproof again because it does ad some needed rigidity.

 

Also thinking of replacing the green lights behind the heater controls. I have an idea that may work. I wanted to do my blinkers but they would be a little tougher.

[Shagy]

If you guys want, I'll check with my supplier over seas and get my prices on this stuff.

 

 

[burrito213]

this is cool. i saw a honda element on the freeway today rockin the LED tape on the outside trying to look like the audi's and newer lexus's

 

i have a skull with red LED lights on my honda as a third brake light. its cheezy as heck but cool at the same.

 

need to try the dash though.

[Javin]

Alright put the bezel back in.

This was me going through the settings. This was day time so the lights are plenty bright. The dimmer works to a point. The voltage falls too low and they flicker. The lights also have a dimmer button that works fine. I am super happy with it! I can't wait to figure out what to do with the remaining 4 meters! I do have another instrument cluster I could probably do. :cool:

[Siqx20]

4 meters eh? U can do mine next. ;)

[Javin]

Heh, I have some other plans... I think.

[bonvo]

might have to steal this idea but 5 meters holy hell you need maybe one meter to do a cluster do you think these would still be good even with the lower led count?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/5050-Waterproof-RGB-5-M-150-LED-Strip-Controller-12V-/220774793276?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item336734003c

 

also you never filled in how to do it with the tach does it have a connector so the tach and be seperated or how did you do that i have a few ideas but i want to see whats already been done

[Javin]

might have to steal this idea but 5 meters holy hell you need maybe one meter to do a cluster do you think these would still be good even with the lower led count?

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item336734003c

 

also you never filled in how to do it with the tach does it have a connector so the tach and be seperated or how did you do that i have a few ideas but i want to see whats already been done

I think that will be fine. I chose the higher density of LEDs because I Like having lots of light and figured it would give better lights distribution. Less would work fine. But my "LED calculations" would be off by a bit.

 

42 LEDs for my Speedo

18 LEDs for Tach

60 LEDs total = 1Meter

 

It required 1 meter exactly (no messups) to do my lights I believe. I think it can be done with slightly less (Maybe 3 LEDs Less (inch or so)), but that was the amount I used with my small loop in the gauge (wished I would have counted the lights). The tach stuff will be filled in today. There was soldering involved (8 points).

[Javin]

Alright, I updated the first post, unfortunately I ran out into my max images for the post. Sooo.. It is mostly words. If there are any questions, shoot them my way and I will do my best to answer them. Soldering those little connections is a pain, but if I can do it anyone can. I know it is kinda tacky that I ran my wires for the tach the way I did but it was the easiest way to do it. and when installed in the bezel is completely un-noticeable.

 

If you are doing more than one cluster, you can order jut the controller modules from the ebay guy. (My other one should be in today). I guess if a few of you guys got together, you could get one roll and do 4-5 clusters (incase of mistakes). and just get the $5 controller to go with them. I thought about doing this but like I said, I have plans for the rest of my roll. ;) In fact, I may get that ready today.

 

Oh yeah, electrical tape may be good to help keep your wires wrapped or using some kind of wire loom.

 

Sorry, just thought of that. anyway. Yeah, send me a message or post here and I will get you an answer if I can.

[bonvo]

cool that explains the other wires coming out of the main cluster did you run any connectors so that the tach can be removed separately or just hard wire it in? thats exactly what i was thinking of doing but i was gonna run some spades so that the tach can be removed without removing the whole thing