khronicboy420

i have a 95 accord and i do not want to get indaglo gauges but the color of my guauge lights at night is green,i was wondering if there was a way i could make my dash lights blue,and if so where would i get the lights at.

redbull-1

You can try replacing the bulbs with blue LEDS, see link below:

http://ledautomotive.com/HowToGuides...usterHowTo.asp

Sometimes people change the bulb condom (different color covering that goes over the bulbs); but, that may not work in your case, since the bulb condoms on them are already blue. Walmart and some other places carry bulb condoms sometimes (e.g. blue, red, green, etc.).

bseriescrxsi

that would most likely not work right as alot of the gauges are actually green on the gauge itself and it is not the bulbs..while LEDs would help they would not achieve a pure blue color

jwicecold

TRUE TRUE, also let me add on to what he says about the gauges also being green. Thats is correct!! they have a reflective green to them to intensify the light coming from the top of the cluster..

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

97% rubbing alcohol takes that color right off

Though have to be careful as leaving it too long eats plastic.

But if you get those LEDs it's pretty damn close to 100% blue haha.

mugenpower09

I actually did this to my accord. The gauge cluster was easy and so was the climate control. However the rear defrost, cruise control, and dimmer control were pretty tricky due to it being so small and intricate. Also I had a few problems with the lights themselves not wanting to dim properly, but as long as you leave them at full bright it doesn't look bad.

khronicboy420

so are the lights acutally white and then they hit a reflection which makes them green. and if i go through with this do i go get the "bulb condoms" or get an acutal blue LED light?

mugenpower09

The stock lights on mine had the "bulb condoms" to make them green. Like someone posted earlier, LED Automotive is the place to go. You tell them what you want and they send you everything you need.

Yes, it is a true blue LED. However, like I said earlier good luck with the other lights other than the climate control. The climate control was tricky, but just take your time and don't rush it. Most of the parts are really small and delicate. They also make LED lights for the vanity lights, map lights and dome lights.

khronicboy420

what year is your accord

mugenpower09

1997 Accord LX

The Digital Element

Here's what I did.

mugenpower09

Nice. I like the blue under the dash. Did you use a led strip?

thatasiankidtony

I did the LED conversion a few years ago for my car, it turned out pretty cool.

The Digital Element

Yes. I made my own dimmer too.

joc1394

Digital Element:
Would you be so kind as to post some instructions and the parts you used. I've been toying with the LED lighting idea in my CB7 1992 Accord for quite some time. However, correct me if I'm wrong, but you need to devise some sort of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) to properly dim the LEDs. I'd greatly appreciate some insight to the circuit board you have shown there...

The Digital Element

Well, Mr. Electronic Engineering Student, you are quite right. But you knew that. I'm an Avionics Technician, but I copied the schematic from here. <<<link



Pictured above was the 2 Amp circuit that I built. I have since built another circuit using the IRF530, that's what I'm running now. I have installed about 50 LED's for the ambient lighting that the dimmer is controlling. I plan to double that number, so that's why I need 14Amps. 0.03X100=3Amps The dimmer is only controlling the ambient lighting. I also changed out all the instruments and switches with LED's, and the exterior stop, turn, parking, brake and license frame bulbs too. This project has been ongoing for 7 months and in excess of $450. I only have six incandescent bulbs in my Element. High/low headlights, and fog lights. In my prior photos, I show a couple ways on how I made the conversion to LED's in the instruments. The last photo of the neo-wedge based bulbs was the most challenging. I hate admitting that I fried an instrument cluster while trying to perfect that conversion. That's an additional $250 on top of the $450. Can you see the fun that I'm having? Are you sure that you want to join me?


*EDIT*
The pics of the instruments are REV. 1. I changed LED's to make the instruments brighter. I will post some pics of REV. 2 soon.

jose310

Can anybody show or explain how to convert to led on the dash?

joc1394

Here's a few links to get you started...
For a string of LEDs: http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz
For a single LED: http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

LED's unlike the standard incandescent bulbs function on current instead of voltage. This is the reason resistors are needed with LEDs. The resistors limit the current that passes through the LED. Too much current and your LED will fry, much as too much voltage will cook an incandescent bulb.

As for dimming, reducing the voltage to an LED does not have the same effect as reducing the voltage to an incandescent bulb, which will dim. To dim an LED, you need to essentially turn it on and off. This is basically done best by pulse width modulation. For more about "dimming" LEDs, check out the link below.
http://www.reuk.co.uk/LED-Dimmer-Circuit.htm

In your dash cluster, you will probably want to use the single LED approach, and just make an LED and resistor package that replaces each individual incandescent bulb.

However, as I consider changing the bulbs in my spoiler's brake light, I'd rather use the string approach which means less resistors and power connections. The same would apply wherever you're replacing once bulb with many LEDs (like brakes and turn signals).

Also, Incandescent bulbs give off light in virtually every direction. LED's don't. LEDs have what is known as a "dispersion angle". Most commonly, LEDs have an angle between 5-25 degrees where light is brightest and such (directly in front of the LED). If you're not careful and don't give it a few tries, you'll end up with "Hot Spots". Hot Spots are where one area is brighter than another.

There is always the option of replacing your current bulbs with the blue incandescent ones. With my 2000 Olds Alero, I took this approach. I've included my results. This is by far the easier approach, and still works to some extent, although they were not as deeply blue as I had hoped. The Alero had a green tint overlay and white bulbs originally, and you can see what the blue bulbs did in the included photos.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions.