Mega Bright Blue AC Console mod
I've never opened up the radio as I never used the stock radio... I'm almost positive it'd be exactly the same as the AC though. Anything which uses bulbs or LEDs for lighting can be changed as long as they are not permenantly mounted (for example, if the LED is molded permenantly into the button or something, good luck changing it without cracking a button?) Search for ROCKER28's posts, he changed the colors on the radio I think!
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Taiwan
I bought a bunch of circuit board which already had those LEDs on them, because it was the only way they were available with such brightness. I unsoldered them one by one to use them in my applications. Out of 36 LEDs I fried like 7 just unsoldering them... they are pretty sensitive, but once in place, they are really awesome.
This is what they look like (next to canadian currency for contrast, funny how each LED is just about exactly the size of the letters "LED" in the top of that toonie...):
If you want enough LEDs (without including the radio) you'd need 4 circuit boards minimum. I could mail them to you but it'd probably come to about $60 USD altogether mailed to the USA... there might be cheaper options because like i said this is hacking an existing circuit board so it definitely costs more than if you could source out those LEDs (I couldn't tho, and I live in taiwan where they are made..). Suggest you check out what's available, I don't mind providing them if you need tho.
Also - here are the problems u will encounter
1) Some stuff runs on 12V, some runs on 3V. 3V u can directly stick these LEDs in... anything that previously was using an LED is 3V off the bat, so that's easy. The bulbs are all 12V powered - so u need some resistors. The ones for these LEDs are 1.5K ohm, those are mega cheap, if u need me to provide the LEDs i can include those.
2) The buttons on the AC are tricky - when i made my own LED replacements, i made them the same size as the original LEDs and this was not a good idea. You shold make them smaller and find a way to fit hte LEDs inside the plastic tunnel thing... you'll see if you try. If they stick out, they make the button harder to press and sometimes might even make the button not functional all together. This only affected me on one button luckily, but if I were to do it again, I'd keep that in mind ahead of time to ensure same-as-stock operation.
I love the interior =) Lexus should have done it stock haha
This is what they look like (next to canadian currency for contrast, funny how each LED is just about exactly the size of the letters "LED" in the top of that toonie...):
If you want enough LEDs (without including the radio) you'd need 4 circuit boards minimum. I could mail them to you but it'd probably come to about $60 USD altogether mailed to the USA... there might be cheaper options because like i said this is hacking an existing circuit board so it definitely costs more than if you could source out those LEDs (I couldn't tho, and I live in taiwan where they are made..). Suggest you check out what's available, I don't mind providing them if you need tho.
Also - here are the problems u will encounter
1) Some stuff runs on 12V, some runs on 3V. 3V u can directly stick these LEDs in... anything that previously was using an LED is 3V off the bat, so that's easy. The bulbs are all 12V powered - so u need some resistors. The ones for these LEDs are 1.5K ohm, those are mega cheap, if u need me to provide the LEDs i can include those.
2) The buttons on the AC are tricky - when i made my own LED replacements, i made them the same size as the original LEDs and this was not a good idea. You shold make them smaller and find a way to fit hte LEDs inside the plastic tunnel thing... you'll see if you try. If they stick out, they make the button harder to press and sometimes might even make the button not functional all together. This only affected me on one button luckily, but if I were to do it again, I'd keep that in mind ahead of time to ensure same-as-stock operation.
I love the interior =) Lexus should have done it stock haha
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Taiwan
Post up pix when ur done!!REMINDER TO EVERYBODY : Please take extreme caution when messing with your electronics! I'd hate to see a bunch of people with broken electronics on their hands~! It's not too hard of a mod if you can solder and know basic electronics... but still... be careful! Also, rememebr stock bulbs work in both polarities while LEDs only work in one (the negative and positive must be oriented the right way).
nice mods jerome, oh my teins came in! so next time ur in town we can compare the before and after!
i just got my old panasonic mp3 deck hu put in today, gotta look at free air subs. however mike at sounds good is doing a good job at convincing me to get a custom inclosure built under the rear deck, a small one to make the sub sound better =/
i just got my old panasonic mp3 deck hu put in today, gotta look at free air subs. however mike at sounds good is doing a good job at convincing me to get a custom inclosure built under the rear deck, a small one to make the sub sound better =/
Pole Position
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, TX
At first i thought, OMFG it's 270 degrees?!
Then i saw you're from Taiwan and figured it was 27 C. The lights look ok, but you're definetly right about the floor lighting being too ricey.: I also noticed your car doesn't have tiptronic shifting.
Great write-up and i'll be sure to NEVER try this as i'd like to keep my electrical system intact and NOT fried.
I suck at anything mechanical much less electrical.
Awesome pics....
Then i saw you're from Taiwan and figured it was 27 C. The lights look ok, but you're definetly right about the floor lighting being too ricey.: I also noticed your car doesn't have tiptronic shifting. Great write-up and i'll be sure to NEVER try this as i'd like to keep my electrical system intact and NOT fried.
I suck at anything mechanical much less electrical.Awesome pics....
Nice!!!
Hey bro, you are welcome!! Great job on the DIY. It looks great!! So how hard would you say it was for you to get all the parts and time time to complete. You used the exact same method I did... Cool!!!
Rock
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