LED Gauge Conversion (109 LEDs!!!)
10-19-2009, 07:14 PM
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LED Gauge Conversion (109 LEDs!!!)
Ok, so here are some pics of my LED gauge conversion I just finished on my 5.5 gen Maxima. It turned out to be physically impossible to remove the blue filter, but look at how awesome it looks! The pictures don't even do it justice either. I used 109 3mm white LEDs and it ended up having a bright bluish-purple tint. (the purplish tint is subtle and my camera doesn't pick it up as well as eyes do...
10-19-2009, 07:49 PM
#5
I'm in the process of doing LED conversions on most my of lights myself. Sort of nervous about taking apart the dash w/o any direction.
Also, what bulb(s) did you use in the shifter lights and the foot wells? Did you plug and play or solder?
Looks good though
10-19-2009, 07:53 PM
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haha, they're not tooooo bright. Just perfect IMO. umm... I'm not going to do I full write-up because what I did was so similar to what Metal Maxima did in his 60+ LED conversion... the only differences are that I used more LEDs, a different kind of LED, and thin clear plastic with holes drilled in it instead of PCB board(that's how I mounted them...with hot glue)... So, using that thin clear plastic, I marked with a sharpie where to drill holes, and mounted 30 on the tach piece, 29 on the speedo piece, 9 on the temp piece, 9 on the fuel piece, 8 on each of the 2 digital display pieces, and 4 on each of the pieces that go behind the needles.
-I don't have a pic of the ones around the actual gauges, but its the same basic idea but in a horseshoe shape and with many more LEDs and resistors in it.
-I don't have a pic of the ones around the actual gauges, but its the same basic idea but in a horseshoe shape and with many more LEDs and resistors in it.
Last edited by jowo9; 10-19-2009 at 08:36 PM.
10-19-2009, 07:55 PM
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-Oh, and for the shifter and footwell lights I used 5mm blue LEDs soldered with resistors. (and sanded to cloud them up to distribute the light more evenly) Here are my pics of all the other LEDs in my car:
http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...-led-mods.html
http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...-led-mods.html
10-19-2009, 08:06 PM
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It's pretty bright, but really, it doesn't blind, no. If someday I decide it's too bright, I'll just add a resistor in the main line powering it. Easy... but for now, I love it. It's not as glaringly bright as it looks in the pictures. It looks better in person.
10-19-2009, 08:12 PM
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and I don't know if I'd ever wanna do that again. It was sooo tiring.
10-19-2009, 08:14 PM
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for those of you who thought the pics made it look like it was too bright, here. This was taken on a different camera setting and might be a more accurate measure of brightness... i dunno, it's impossible to duplicate how awesome it looks in person on a camera...
10-20-2009, 12:34 AM
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JEEZ jowo, I knew you were going to be the guinnea pig on this project, but WOW it turned out amazing. That's just how I'd like mine to look. Sort of on its way to a VW I must say.
Just exactly what kind of LED's did you use?
Did you actually hot-glue the leds to the clear plastic? They wont get hot?
And you canadians and your kilometers.... I'll never understand. I enjoy having to figure out how many inches in a foot, feet in a mile, etc.
Just exactly what kind of LED's did you use?
Did you actually hot-glue the leds to the clear plastic? They wont get hot?
And you canadians and your kilometers.... I'll never understand. I enjoy having to figure out how many inches in a foot, feet in a mile, etc.
10-20-2009, 08:38 AM
#18
thats alot of work, looks great.
for climate control button indicator lights, 3mm.
Those are LED sizes, but are the stock lights for that area LEDs?
Nothing like the small halogen #74 bulb in the stock ignition light ring ? Just yesterday my Climate Control Button Indicator light went out only on the left side.
Thanks.
for climate control button indicator lights, 3mm.
Those are LED sizes, but are the stock lights for that area LEDs?
Nothing like the small halogen #74 bulb in the stock ignition light ring ? Just yesterday my Climate Control Button Indicator light went out only on the left side.
Thanks.
10-20-2009, 09:49 AM
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thats alot of work, looks great.
for climate control button indicator lights, 3mm.
Those are LED sizes, but are the stock lights for that area LEDs?
Nothing like the small halogen #74 bulb in the stock ignition light ring ? Just yesterday my Climate Control Button Indicator light went out only on the left side.
Thanks.
for climate control button indicator lights, 3mm.
Those are LED sizes, but are the stock lights for that area LEDs?
Nothing like the small halogen #74 bulb in the stock ignition light ring ? Just yesterday my Climate Control Button Indicator light went out only on the left side.
Thanks.
10-20-2009, 10:04 AM
#24
10-20-2009, 12:35 PM
#27
Very nice work. Looks perfect. I have a friend who used a similar amount on his Spec-V cluster and blinded me with the dimmer on "low", haha. If you could do a write-up or add any tips, we'd appreciate it.
10-20-2009, 09:13 PM
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Again, looks amazing. Good work!!
10-21-2009, 05:00 PM
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-So, I ordered a dimmer for it. This one:
http://www.virtualvillage.com/led-li...ch%20Box%2012V
10-21-2009, 07:29 PM
#36
you don't need a dimmer, just solder the power wire to the pins on the female harness connector. Then you can use the stock dimmer. I know you have way more led's than I used for my setup but it should still work.
10-21-2009, 08:17 PM
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Yeah, I guess on second thought, I'd like to wire up to the dimmer of the car. I can just wire my dimmer switch I ordered later if I still want to... Thanks for any help and clarification!
10-21-2009, 08:36 PM
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I'm pretty sure I spliced into that wire #64... but I didn't use the same ground you did. I grounded it elsewhere in the car... does the dimmer work through that ground wire going to the left white plug??? Cuz I'd just have to switch that maybe and then would my dimmer work?
10-22-2009, 02:12 PM
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-I spliced into that ground, and now they do in fact dim. Buuut, they don't go as bright as before... even if they're turned up all the way. I'll have to see if they're bright enough at night. We'll see. Thanks though!