Starting Blue Led Convertion

[ST 2 SHO]

Well I think I have all the parts to start this convertion.... I have searched here the find what OHM load to use with no luck. It would seem that the info has been lost. So I will be testing different loads to see what will work the best without killing your eyes when you look at it.
I will only be doing the door switch's for now but do plan on moving to the dash. I will post info on loads so others wanting to do this convertion will have an up todate how too.
Avery

 

[Pro*banshee]

you can learn Ohm's law and do it yourself

...Or you can cheat and use this series/parallel wizard:
http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz

Your source voltage will probably be B+ or 14.4v; the forward voltage drop of a blue LED is typically 3.5 volts and if you got fleabay LEDs the safest current you can usually run is 20 mA.

There's three out of the four numbers for you right away, you just have to plug in how many you want!

 

[gmail]

its not bad doing it.. i recommend using the wizard.
for the door switches its as easy as removing the old leds and installing blue ones.

i also just finished my second SHO dash symbol light that gets brighter when you hit secondaries.
if you like i can tell you which leds and which resistors i used as well as the transistor.

they can be made for like $12 at radioshack or if your cheap go online to buy the stuff and save probley half the money.

personally gen2s are better for it since they got a functional dash emblem.

even doing the radio, switches, etc is pretty straight foward.
so people like it super bright personally i just picked bright enough.

 

[38SHO]

thats badass that it gets brighter with RPM lol...........

I was thinking of doing some kind of lighting on mine by the glovebox area....

 

[beaudeen]

Hey Gmail..i'd like a little more info on the dash sho lite mod..I'm no electrician, but after changing all the brake lines last week..this seems like a little bit of fun

 

[ST 2 SHO]

I have finished the driver door.......
This is what I've found out ......
1) If ya use the stock the resistors ITS WAY TO BRIGHT !!!! I had to change the resistors to make it more in-line with the stock brightness... DON"T ADD resistors to the open holes!!!! with a 5% T resistor you can have up to a 10%change across the board.... Remove the old resistor and do it right.
2) If you use a Quality LED most likely you will be shaving the bottom lip off to make it fit. I used LED's From http://www.superbrightleds.com/
I used the blue 3mm / 30deg. veiwing angle LED , anything over 8.5 volts will blow these LED's and I'm sure the life span isn't very long above 4.5 volts ......
I will post the resistor size and color info on my next post with pic's of the work as it was done and the finished door switch's installed in the door panel.
With the right tools this is an easy mod that most could do ( door switch's that is )
I think the dash hardware will be a little harder to do
Avery

 

[gmail]

I have finished the driver door.......
This is what I've found out ......
1) If ya use the stock the resistors ITS WAY TO BRIGHT !!!! I had to change the resistors to make it more in-line with the stock brightness... DON"T ADD resistors to the open holes!!!! with a 5% T resistor you can have up to a 10%change across the board.... Remove the old resistor and do it right.
2) If you use a Quality LED most likely you will be shaving the bottom lip off to make it fit. I used LED's From http://www.superbrightleds.com/
I used the blue 3mm / 30deg. veiwing angle LED , anything over 8.5 volts will blow these LED's and I'm sure the life span isn't very long above 4.5 volts ......
I will post the resistor size and color info on my next post with pic's of the work as it was done and the finished door switch's installed in the door panel.
With the right tools this is an easy mod that most could do ( door switch's that is )
I think the dash hardware will be a little harder to do
Avery

it comes down to the leds you use.
you can leave the stock resistors in there if you use different leds.
every led is rated differently.
either way tho good deal glad to hear you got it to work out for you

 

[gmail]

Hey Gmail..i'd like a little more info on the dash sho lite mod..I'm no electrician, but after changing all the brake lines last week..this seems like a little bit of fun

ok im gonna list the stuff i used which i got it all from radio shack.
now granted if i woulda got the right resistors i could have made it come out better like brighter or dimmer but personally im very satisfied.
now like i said this stuff is all from radio shack and when i go to different chains of the store they all seem to carry the same stuff.

1 pack of 470-Ohm resistors (pack of 5) rated at 1/4 watt 5% tolerance
1 pack of 100-Ohm resistors (pack of 2) rated for 1 watt at 5% tolerance
3 4 pin High Brightness Blue LED (basicly think superflux) heres some of the specs on them
- viewing angle 130 degrees FW supply 3.5v (typical) 4.0v (max)
1 transistor - 2N3904
1 PC board size i got is 1 (27/32)x2 (27/32) or 47mmx72mm

now granted it takes some trimming to get it to work out for you but before you solder get the board cut to fit in behind the SHO symbol.

basicly its gonna take a little time to sit down and get it all worked out.

ill try and explain the transistor setup to make it easier as long as you can solder this is very straight foward.

emitter leg on the transistor is +(positive) basicly just solder it to a wire no resistors or anything just straight to a wire.
base leg on transistor goes to the 100 ohm resistor then from the other side of the resistor goes another +(positive) input
the collector side of the transistor goes to the 470 ohm resistors basicly use 1 per led goes right to one side of the LED.
the other side of the LED goes right to a - (negative) wire

after you get all that its pretty much done

ill try and remember to grab some pics of it working tonight and post them up for you.

 

[gmail]

once i find my blue tooth ill upload my video and pic so it can be viewed
its off a cell phone and well i gotta admit it dont do it justice but you get the idea