kene

iTrader: (2)

Since The GS300, ES300,SC300/SC400 all share the same issue with the gauge cluster led needle failures, I figured the tutorial I wrote on the GS300 (jzs147) 1st gen would help. I listed 2- different methods, pictures of the results, and also a youtube video to show step by step how to do the difficult method.

Please view the link below for the results. I hope this helps the Lexus fam.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...ml#post8905381

Youtube Video

kez

iTrader: (4)

Wow you put in some work there. Thanks for the contribution man


Any results of the 1 or 2 LED with the fiber optic ?

kene

iTrader: (2)

I did not install the fiber optic method, but if there is enough interest I will buy a few extra SMD LED's, install them on a needle or two, and hook this up to my power supply.

I never bothered finishing the fiber optic method, as the "full SMD LED" aka "difficult method" was working flawless prior to the optic idea, and I truly love the SMD LED's. The intensity, and red vividness, is great.

Kez, Is this something you would be interested in ?

kez

iTrader: (4)

Yeah I am very interested in the fiber optic method. I was actually starting to search for the material when I saw the thread.
But was stumped when I didn't see the results

Kene It would be great if you posted up some results

kene

iTrader: (2)

ok..I will order some SMD LED's for the fiber optic method, and complete this on my bench's power supply. I have some spare fiber optic rod to distribute to those who may be interested also.

UZinator

iTrader: (1)

You know that ES300 LED needles will work with very little modification required? They have a single LED and a prism type needle. It is a lot easier than messing with LEDs, fiber optics and resistors.

kez

iTrader: (4)

What year es300

UZinator

iTrader: (1)

I am not sure which years the needles come from. If the OP doesn't mind -I will post some photos. I don't want to invade too much in his thread. There can still be some really cool effects with LEDs and fiber optics. I would like to see what he comes up with. Unfortunately you-tube vids will not play on my computer for some reason and so I can't watch the vid. I would love it if the OP would post pics in the thread. (hint-hint)

kene

iTrader: (2)

No please by all means. Anything that helps out those in need is always positive. The GS300 needles have a series of factory LEDs inside the needle. I was under the impression the early ES300's were the same. When I get to this, I will post pics under the original link/post listed above the youtube video/link.

If this works out the way I plan, you may even be able to have a needle that is red on one end and yellow at the tip. Or even red to blue, etc. This would be for a select handful of members that cared for this type of effect of course.

Even better... I just realized there may be a way to have your needles change to various colors with the turn of a dial. It is possible, but to be honest I am not sure if it is worth the design effort.

First things first is that I will get a working example of the fiber optic method working

UZinator

iTrader: (1)

I orignially wanted to do it the way you are doing it. I had even purchased a huge roll of those SMD LEDs ("huge" is a huge exaggeration since a roll of 500 comes in a roll that is the size of a mint chocolate disc).

Anyway -I thought I would do it like that until I realized just how damned small they were. And at 54 yrs old and with failing vision now -I don't think I have the soldering skills any more. So then I ordered some of those pre-wired ones -and then I couldn't hardly see the wires. Someone with obviously far better vision than me did this micro soldering surgery.

So then I found the ES300 needles. I looked at a 95 today and they are still the old style and so the year is newer than a 95. I will post a few photos since you have given me the permission as long as you will post some photos of your work with the SMDs. I looked at the video on another computer for a bit and I must say "damn" you have more patience than me and some good skills with micro-soldering -using common tools.

Here you go:




The hood skirt is a little too long and the post is a little too short -so that if un-trimmed -they will rub on the cluster face and not work. The bottom black piece snaps into the hood. I took some flush-cut type wire cutters and trimmed away the bottom of the skirt some -but it requires enough trimming that you loose the snap feature that holds the bottom and the prism into the hood. But that is OK because you just glue the stuff back in with super glue or epoxy.


Then the last trick is to bend the contacts such as shown so that they will strike against the power posts on the cluster side. When done they are very vibrant and look super slick. I have less than an hours time into the modification for a full set.


And you can change the color by changing the single LED and sanding the orange neon paint off the bottom side of the prism. If you are as good with micro painting as you are with micro LED soldering you should make it look pretty easy. I believe the LEDs are orange and so you can't change just the prism color alone to make the color change.

I think that I also trimmed some off on the bottom black pieces too. I think you can see that where there is some led weights in the photo that were also trimmed a little bit. I can modify another set and take some better photos to show how to do the complete modifications.

kez

iTrader: (4)

Both methods look promising

kene

iTrader: (2)

Wow!... well done..UZinator,do you mind if I link your write up and pics in the LED tutorial I listed on the GS300 section? This is some pretty good stuff that could help those over there as well.

It is great that we can all find various options to tackle these common issues.

UZinator

iTrader: (1)

I don't mind. I have a few more sets of the needles -so I can snap some better photos of the mods in progress. But I am still also interested in the SMD route -because I have these tiny little bastages that I bought and would still like to give a try if I can find a lighted magnfier for soldering.

I also need to get a different soldering iron because I have the one from Lowes that has the LED spot lighting in the base near the heated element -but when I bought it -I didn't notice that it doesn't have a replaceable tip. What kind of crap is that? I gave them a lot of money for the thing because of the fancy LED lighting and now that the tip is almost gone -it is "throw-away"?

Well before I ever approach any SMD attempt -I definitely need something to help me see better and a smaller -replaceable tip type soldering iron. I didn't get far enough into your SMD video to see if you showed them lighting up. Could you post pics of them lit up (in the needles). I would like to see how they turned out -and also the attempt with the fiber optic route.

Oh -I guess I must mention -that there doesn't appear to be a resistor on the needles. I didn't modify with a resistor and so I don't know how it is working because I don't think they are excessively bright and yet I have been running them in the car now for quite some time and none have burned out. I don't know if it just puts too much load on the cluster LED driver and it backs down some or -if the LEDs are overdriven and just haven't burned out yet. But like I said -to me they don't look excessively bright.

If you add a resistor -there isn't much room to add one -but with your skills -I am sure you could easily make it happen.

UZinator

iTrader: (1)

Here is a photo of the cluster with the ES300 needles lit up:

kene

iTrader: (2)

for the SMD LED's a resistor is needed as they usually operate from 1.7v to ~3v depending on which SMD manufacturer you buy. The resitr used can be a 1/8th watt type which is ridiculously small, and adds almost no weight to the needle.



Here is a link to a related thread where I posted much more pics of the SMD process and LED's

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...lp-please.html