Dashboard Gauge Lights...

[denalianyone]

My dash lights have been constantly going out since upgrading to LEDs. I'm really thinking about switching back to regular bulbs. I'm lost with these damn bulbs. First they start flickering then eventually they go out. Primarily the right side keeps going out

 

[johnsgonewild]

My dash lights have been constantly going out since upgrading to LEDs. I'm really thinking about switching back to regular bulbs. I'm lost with these damn bulbs. First they start flickering then eventually they go out. Primarily the right side keeps going out

Well that's no good! Did you use the plug and play or did you have to solder them?

Has anyone else had this problem? I am going to snag another instrument cluster out of my friends auto salvage yard and go to town on that one....

I have never attempted to remove an instrument cluster...how complex is this operation? Is it really hard to do? I probably have to remove half of my interior to get to it...

 

[denalianyone]

Mines is plug and play. 2002 denali

 

[B0$$MAN]

I finally got the 4 LED's (210 Degree angle) in white that I needed. How do I remove the woodtrim (plastic) and then the gauge cluster so that I can install these?

 

[rockymt21]

I finally got the 4 LED's (210 Degree angle) in white that I needed. How do I remove the woodtrim (plastic) and then the gauge cluster so that I can install these?

The dash bezel literally just pops out. Just use your hands and gently pull starting from the top left corner to the right. The gauge cluster is removed with 4 screws, im not sure on the socket size though. You'll also need to unplug the wire harness.

 

[titanium02]

Same done here with the thanks of many people on here for the ideas .. attached are images showing what I have done to my '02 Tahoe.

First image : 02 Escalade Cluster with Blue 194 LED's
Second image : HVAC LED installation using Blue LED's 5mm 6000mcd Wide Angle w/ 470-ohm 1/2w resistors (Notice also the double-din installation of a Pioneer AVIC-F700BT)
Third image : Ultra Blue 42mm Festoons installed for main lighting (194's in doors and floor)
Fourth image : Ultra White 42mm Festoons installed for Reading and front Map Lights .. also installed into Puddle Lights.

Heads up in regards to the LED installations for HVAC and other areas .. I played around with a few resistors in regards to finding the right ones to use .. originally started with 4.87K-ohm 1/4w, found that the LED's were to dim .. tried 470-ohm 1/4w, made a huge difference from the first ones I tried, much more brighter, but a little limited .. settled with the 470-ohm 1/2w, this proved to be the best where I did not need to modify anything else in regards to sticking chrome tape all over the place to direct the LED's.

Thanks for the pics.

I'm trying to decide between doing the dome blue/white or all white..

I'm not sure if i want the whole car bright white when the doors open.. or blue.

---------- Post added at 09:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 AM ----------

Also, what lights are for the window controls and the seat heater switch?

 

[vatahoelt]

Thanks for the pics.

I'm trying to decide between doing the dome blue/white or all white..

I'm not sure if i want the whole car bright white when the doors open.. or blue.

---------- Post added at 09:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 AM ----------

Also, what lights are for the window controls and the seat heater switch?

window switches and seat heater switches will need leds soldered in.

 

[johnsgonewild]

Ok, I am ready to get started. I have read and read and read, but I am still unsure about exactly what bulbs to buy.. I have an 05 yukon and I want to do the instrument cluster and A/C controls in blue led's. I looked at the sticky on which bulbs go where and could not seem to locate the information that I need, am I missing something?

Is it true that led's won't dim? The dimmer control will not work for the instrument cluster or ac controls if I do this? If I change these lights to led's and use the dimmer for my other lights will this affect the led's maybe by not providing ample voltage or anything like that?

Could someone please tell me which blue led's I need to buy and how many?

I would really appreciate the help.

Thanks,
John

 

[NOPROBROBB]

Ok, I am ready to get started. I have read and read and read, but I am still unsure about exactly what bulbs to buy.. I have an 05 yukon and I want to do the instrument cluster and A/C controls in blue led's. I looked at the sticky on which bulbs go where and could not seem to locate the information that I need, am I missing something?

Is it true that led's won't dim? The dimmer control will not work for the instrument cluster or ac controls if I do this? If I change these lights to led's and use the dimmer for my other lights will this affect the led's maybe by not providing ample voltage or anything like that?

Could someone please tell me which blue led's I need to buy and how many?

I would really appreciate the help.

Thanks,
John

I swapped out the gauge lights and they dim but they dont have the same range as it did before when i had normal lights in there. As far as the rest like the AC and HVOC lights here is a good thread on it with pictures. http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5738

I just ordered a hundred leds and resistors off of ebay from some guy in hong kong. Ill hae to check to see which lights and resitors i got when i get home and i can post it tomorrow. I havent read the thread that i pasted, there might be the info there as well
Hopefully this info helps a little

 

[johnsgonewild]

I swapped out the gauge lights and they dim but they dont have the same range as it did before when i had normal lights in there. As far as the rest like the AC and HVOC lights here is a good thread on it with pictures. http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5738

I just ordered a hundred leds and resistors off of ebay from some guy in hong kong. Ill hae to check to see which lights and resitors i got when i get home and i can post it tomorrow. I havent read the thread that i pasted, there might be the info there as well
Hopefully this info helps a little

Yes this does help. Thank you!

What lights and resistors did you order? I'm trying to find out which led's and resistors I need to solder into the instrument cluster

---------- Post added at 04:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:49 PM ----------

wow... this is really starting to give me a headache!!! i've been navigating through the super bright led site as well as a few others trying to find out which led's i can use... and now it seems that I have more questions than answers!


The led's are cheap, so i think i'm just going to buy a huge assortment of different types and start experimenting....

i cant figure out which style size or type of led to use
i'm not sure about which angle is the best
and i have no clue about what resistor i should use and i havent come across any led's on that site that can be soldered in that have the resistors already on them...

so i'm either gonna short something out or have one sweet looking instrument cluster! but I will find out!!!

 

[vatahoelt]

Yes this does help. Thank you!

What lights and resistors did you order? I'm trying to find out which led's and resistors I need to solder into the instrument cluster

---------- Post added at 04:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:49 PM ----------

wow... this is really starting to give me a headache!!! i've been navigating through the super bright led site as well as a few others trying to find out which led's i can use... and now it seems that I have more questions than answers!


The led's are cheap, so i think i'm just going to buy a huge assortment of different types and start experimenting....

i cant figure out which style size or type of led to use
i'm not sure about which angle is the best
and i have no clue about what resistor i should use and i havent come across any led's on that site that can be soldered in that have the resistors already on them...

so i'm either gonna short something out or have one sweet looking instrument cluster! but I will find out!!!

5MM wide angle leds is what you need. they normally come in 3V and you'll need 470 ohm resistors. 1 for each led you solder to the cluster.

also, you'll need 8 iirc leds for the a/c and maybe 12-16 for the guage. buy them off ebay, way cheaper than the websites.

 

[johnsgonewild]

5MM wide angle leds is what you need. they normally come in 3V and you'll need 470 ohm resistors. 1 for each led you solder to the cluster.

also, you'll need 8 iirc leds for the a/c and maybe 12-16 for the guage. buy them off ebay, way cheaper than the websites.

thank you so very very much! that is what i needed to know! i have been searching for that information for nearly 5 hours now!!!

if you didnt live so far away I would buy you lunch and a beer!


one more small question....

when attaching the resistor, should i attach it in parallel or series? should the resistor simply be soldiered across the two leads on the led? or should it be added to one lead? do you follow me?


Thanks a million!

John

 

[vatahoelt]

thank you so very very much! that is what i needed to know! i have been searching for that information for nearly 5 hours now!!!

if you didnt live so far away I would buy you lunch and a beer!


one more small question....

when attaching the resistor, should i attach it in parallel or series? should the resistor simply be soldiered across the two leads on the led? or should it be added to one lead? do you follow me?


Thanks a million!

John

the resistor goes in series with the POSITIVE lead of the led. The ones I got, the positive lead was a hair longer than the negative lead. you'll have to do some trimming to the leads, along with getting creative in the way you bend and configure the resistors and leds.

 

[johnsgonewild]

5MM wide angle leds is what you need. they normally come in 3V and you'll need 470 ohm resistors. 1 for each led you solder to the cluster.

also, you'll need 8 iirc leds for the a/c and maybe 12-16 for the guage. buy them off ebay, way cheaper than the websites.

what is an iirc led? (i googled it and didnt come up with much) and do i still need a 470 ohm resistor for each led i put in the A/C panel?

---------- Post added at 01:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:37 AM ----------

ok... i just did a little bit of "exploratory surgery" i removed the cluster and opened her up, it only took five minutes to do that and it doesnt seem like its gonna be that hard to do. it looks like there is going to be plenty of space to fit the resistor in with the led. I dont really see any major issues.

without completely taking the faceplate off (dur to the fact that i didnt want to break a needle before i learned how to remove them) but, it looked as though the lights are nestled in a small blue housing... it also looked like the lights have four prongs... when you upgraded yours did you remove the little blue housing? or did you place the LED's in them? I'm sure i can figure this part out, but the more knowledge I can attain the better.... know what i mean?

the only thing i want to ask (before i go and break something that i'll regret) is how do you remove the needles? is there a trick? i read somewhere to use a fork and just pry them off... is this ok? or is there a better method?

 

[vatahoelt]

what is an iirc led? (i googled it and didnt come up with much) and do i still need a 470 ohm resistor for each led i put in the A/C panel?

---------- Post added at 01:56 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:37 AM ----------

ok... i just did a little bit of "exploratory surgery" i removed the cluster and opened her up, it only took five minutes to do that and it doesnt seem like its gonna be that hard to do. it looks like there is going to be plenty of space to fit the resistor in with the led. I dont really see any major issues.

without completely taking the faceplate off (dur to the fact that i didnt want to break a needle before i learned how to remove them) but, it looked as though the lights are nestled in a small blue housing... it also looked like the lights have four prongs... when you upgraded yours did you remove the little blue housing? or did you place the LED's in them? I'm sure i can figure this part out, but the more knowledge I can attain the better.... know what i mean?

the only thing i want to ask (before i go and break something that i'll regret) is how do you remove the needles? is there a trick? i read somewhere to use a fork and just pry them off... is this ok? or is there a better method?

1st part question: iirc = if i remember correctly. and yes you need a resistor for each led in the a/c housing, however you could put one resistor inline with the 12v power wire in the harness if you wanted to go that route. only problem is if it fails then all the lights go out.

2nd part: the factory lights should only be soldered in by two prongs, a + and -. the blue housing is just a piece of rubber covering the bulb. it's all one piece. once you get to the back of the circuit board, just take your soldering iron to the 2 prongs and heat them up and then you'll be able to pull out the bulb.

also, you can use a fork to take off the needles.

the tricky part of the whole process is going to be figuring out which hole is + and which is -, since the bulb is universal whereas the led has a specific polarity to each lead.

hope this helps.

 

[johnsgonewild]

Vatahoelt,

Thank you, I really appreciate all of your help and advice! Yes, you are right about the polarity issue..... hmmmm I'm not sure how I'm going to figure that part out yet..... I am getting a seperate cluster to massacre (upgrade) maybe I'll pull both of the housings off and plug it in and just try and hit it with a multi meter....that or try and somehow track down a schematic diagram forr the cluster.....I seriously doubt they are labled... that would be waaaay to easy!


Thanks again,
John

 

[vatahoelt]

Vatahoelt,

Thank you, I really appreciate all of your help and advice! Yes, you are right about the polarity issue..... hmmmm I'm not sure how I'm going to figure that part out yet..... I am getting a seperate cluster to massacre (upgrade) maybe I'll pull both of the housings off and plug it in and just try and hit it with a multi meter....that or try and somehow track down a schematic diagram forr the cluster.....I seriously doubt they are labled... that would be waaaay to easy!


Thanks again,
John

yeah, it's def not going to be labeled. you could either take off the cover and then plug it back in and then turn the key to ON. then take an led already set up with a resistor and then just touch it to each spot on the circuit. when you find out which side is +, just mark it with a sharpie. i had to do this for the window switch.

either that or if you can find a diagram of the wiring harness, you could figure out the + pin on the circuit board and follow the circuit that way. i had to do that for the overhead rear a/c controls because for some reason, they wired those lights in series, instead of parallel.

 

[B0$$MAN]

So today I took my gauge cluster out to change the bulbs in my 2002 Denali. There isn't "4", but "6" 194 bulbs (Good thing I ordered extras). The way the original bulbs were put in there were those irritating metal clips that held the bulb in place. After trying many times to get just one bulb to fit, it kept popping out of place. So, I gave up and will be taking it to my shop to just have the bulbs put in correctly.

Anyone else run into this problem?

 

[denalianyone]

you have to buy new sockets for the leds

 

[B0$$MAN]

you have to buy new sockets for the leds

Where can I get those sockets?