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shimmy_yaz
06-07-2003, 12:35 PM
HAs anyone figured out how to change all the dash lights to a different color? I see in the center console for the temperature controls and stuff it appears to be an orange film that makes the color which should be simple to replace i just have no clue what to replace it with. I really wanna change this and just aint too sure how.

SinisterCivicSi
06-07-2003, 02:15 PM
i would love to change it to a deep red instead of that orange...but i dont know how either.

Civicvtec1ps
06-07-2003, 03:34 PM
i did on my old ride.
which is same method that you can do on new si's.
i bought these blue condoms (i forgot the url.. i will lookk)
so basically you take everything aprt. then just put these blue condoms over leds. they do look blue but they are dimmer than stock ones.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid64/p91725ae92e40a72e4f69f1bce93f7ef2/fbfb3d30.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid64/p00359e17d14ef2387db266270c1407e9/fbfb3d2e.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid64/p1798ac2b5e8ef5ff7aa82061237f4d57/fbfb3d2d.jpg

Ocelaris
06-10-2003, 07:57 AM
hehehe... perfect timing. I just finished changing all the bulbs/tints over to LEDs (which are a pure color). Basically I removed all the bulbs/LEDs and changed them to white LEDs. The bulbs you have to solder on resistors in line, and then solder them to the copper "twist on" lightbulb contacts. I chose white, but you can do any LED color you want. Will post some pics and diagrams later. Haven't gotten the dash installed yet since I have to paint it. To be continued...

Ocelaris
06-10-2003, 08:07 PM
a little sneak peak

shimmy_yaz
06-11-2003, 04:19 AM
Looking forward to seeing how yours look and please post any help on changing this you can for me

Brettnyt
06-11-2003, 12:40 PM
Yeah man, those white LED's look awesome!

BarracksSi
06-11-2003, 08:58 PM
I'd use red LEDs myself, but hey, that works.

What kind of bulbs are they?

siver-SI
06-11-2003, 09:21 PM
I have to say I was thinking of changing the color of my dash just so I could put a alpine unit in my car and the dash and head unit would match up.

c0mf0rt
06-11-2003, 10:06 PM
Yeah fellas links on where to get this stuff would be great.... Anybody change the Red colors behind the gauge cluster?????

chubbychu
06-12-2003, 12:24 AM
you can get most of the colors of leds at radio shack and all those other little things. The only thing you need to do is take apart your guage cluster and replace the led bulbs. People do this thing to their cars all the time so if you search around other message boards you should get the general idea on how they do this.

Ocelaris
06-12-2003, 05:53 AM
I'll be posting a DIY with pics and diagrams later tonight when I get home.

The problem with simply switching out bulbs, is that LEDs and bulbs aren't compatible... and most are bulbs, few are LEDs... You have to figure out the circuit, whether it's paralell or series, and add a resistor in line with the anode (longer wire), with the resistance varying with how many LEDs you have, and the voltage drop (all LEDs have this rating). It's pretty easy if you have a small soldering iron >15watts.

The biggest problem I ran into is that the LEDs are very directional, so some of the knobs were bright in one area, and not another... technical detail, but important.

You can use whatever color LED you want, just remember they're a little dimmer than a bulb of similar size. For example I used 12 LEDs in my console area to replace 3 leds, and 4 bulbs... Red would have looked good too, and/or blue, whatever you want...

I got my LEDS from www.superbrightleds.com which sells the high output variety (you can get them anywhere, just make sure you get the super bright ones), which radioshack doesn't sell... the white ones were 1.60 a piece, blue were 1.45, red were 0.60 a piece. Anyone interested in the NOVA/metro dc area interested in seeing it in person is welcome to come by or we can meet up, always interested in meeting other Ep3ers. Bill

i-WERKS
06-12-2003, 07:08 AM
Originally posted by Ocelaris

The biggest problem I ran into is that the LEDs are very directional, so some of the knobs were bright in one area, and not another... technical detail, but important.


Buying led's with a wider viewing angle should help this problem a bit or maybe somehow incorporate a light diffuser so it looks more even.

siver-SI
06-12-2003, 07:12 AM
Ok I am getting a little confused. I am seeing all this work with using LED's but what I am wondering is there not just a stock like bulb we can put in place of the factory one with out any work? I am thinking of trying to go blue with my lights but I would just like to put in a new bulb and that is it.

Civicvtec1ps
06-12-2003, 07:42 AM
Originally posted by siver-SI
Ok I am getting a little confused. I am seeing all this work with using LED's but what I am wondering is there not just a stock like bulb we can put in place of the factory one with out any work? I am thinking of trying to go blue with my lights but I would just like to put in a new bulb and that is it.
nope. need soldering to use led setup. so it wont be just plug in play

BarracksSi
06-12-2003, 07:48 AM
I think siver-SI is asking about using differently-colored bulbs that are the same size & type as the stock ones.

siver-SI
06-12-2003, 09:37 AM
Yea that is what I am looking for. What advantage would the LED's have though over OEM type stock bulbs?

chubbychu
06-12-2003, 10:18 AM
maybe longer life....leds dont get hot either....but i doubt thats a problem. lol...doing this install is a pain because you have to take everything apart. and i mean EVERYTHING!

Ocelaris
06-12-2003, 01:48 PM
lightbulbs = amber/white light only...

LEDs = colored light only

you can filter lightbulbs with color to achieve a general color.

LEDs produce an absolute spectrum.

They do make replacement bulbs, but they're just replacement bulbs. You are looking for a filter. They're condom like looking ones. Find them at www.partsexpress.com blue ones turn out turquise. Best, Bill

BarracksSi
06-12-2003, 01:58 PM
Originally posted by Ocelaris
LEDs produce an absolute spectrum.


At first, I took this to mean that LEDs produce a full spectrum of light, but I'm not sure that that's what was meant.

Do you mean that they produce a more wavelength-specific spectrum of light?

If you refracted (with rainbow-effect laser-cut plastic, or a prism, or really strong eyeglasses like mine) LED light, it breaks into very specific wavelengths of light. White LEDs separate into bands of blue, green, and red, while red LEDs don't separate into any other colors at all -- they're pure red. Same thing with most color-specific LEDs.

Anyways, just wanted to be sure what I red... I mean, read... ;)

Ocelaris
06-12-2003, 03:25 PM
Sorry, that was a quick post from work running out the door... what I meant is that LEDs produce one specific wavelength, and they can dope the semiconductor with different chemicals to produce any frequency desired.

white LEDs are actually a combination of three seperate colored LEDs, red, blue and green, (our three receptor cone areas), which is 3 seperate wavelengths...

"white" bulbs are like millions of frequencies, a spectrum... you can defract a white bulb into a gradient of colors, where as a "white" LED will be only 3 colors, not a gradiant between them.

I will post some more pics tonight, but here's how my dash looks

BarracksSi
06-12-2003, 03:46 PM
Man, that looks bright.. lol

I'll have to see that in person sometime. How long did it take?

Ocelaris
06-12-2003, 09:45 PM
I started a new thread with a walk through...

http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15418

Took me maybe 5 hours? I mean I had to figure everything out on the fly though... disassembly included? I've been planning, thinking about it so long it seems so short.... BarrackSi you'll definetly have to see it sometime, maybe we can meetup some weekend. Or will meet at some EP3 meet. Bill

camslash
06-16-2003, 09:47 PM
i wouldn't mind putting condoms on. i don' t know about you guys but my interior lights are too bright even at the lowest setting. ruins my night vision. i wish it had a fade to black like most cars.

Ocelaris
06-17-2003, 06:18 AM
I was actually thinking about doing a dimmer for the dash lights, it wouldn't be that hard, just need a rheostat inline with the power to the lights. Though you would need a seperate rheostat for the knobs vs. buttons... And I'm not sure if that would interfere with the power to the knobs and/or buttons, as they're not just simple potentiometer like dimmers, they have a whole garble of digital circuits in there that I don't understand. But it could be as easy as soldering a dimmer or two in. Or not?

If anyone has experience with a fan bus for a computer, it would work the same way, simply lowering the voltage, similar to slowing the fans down to lower noise level... But where would the dimmer be? Somewhere inocuous, maybe the blank button to the right of the steering wheel where Paxie put his JL knob?

rgGolf4
06-17-2003, 07:34 AM
I thought there was a dimmer...the one in the instrument cluster...next to the trip button.

BarracksSi
06-17-2003, 08:42 AM
Last time I checked, I could turn the instrument lights all the way down with the dimmer (the little knob to the left of the speedometer).

I could be imagining things, too. I'll check again tonight.

c0mf0rt
07-16-2003, 01:12 PM
So does ANYONE know where to get the light condoms?????

Ocelaris
07-16-2003, 01:46 PM
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=070-086

not sure what size exactly you need, but there are lots of condom colors and sizes on that page, get a couple of each if you're not sure. otherwise try the LED swap... here is a permanant install.

http://www.k-series.com/tech_detail.php?Tech_ID=EP_CON_LITE_SWAP

JLannoo
07-16-2003, 07:10 PM
Originally posted by Ocelaris


If anyone has experience with a fan bus for a computer, it would work the same way, simply lowering the voltage, similar to slowing the fans down to lower noise level... But where would the dimmer be? Somewhere inocuous, maybe the blank button to the right of the steering wheel where Paxie put his JL knob?


We already have a dimmer...watcha talking bout?

Two others have already mentioned this...why am I? I dunno :o

StrangeShadow
07-16-2003, 11:53 PM
rofl yea it's in the in the guage cluster area, there are two little nobs, one for the miles per trip and the other is a dimmer, I have mine ALL the WAY DOWN until I can change the lights, I'll probably reallyook into it this week, I changed on of my over head lamps, the one in front that comes on withthe door open, I made it blue, from outside just looks like a dimmer light but from inside you can tell it's blue, haven't found a blue light for the back over head lamp.