Detailed HVAC red light mod with step by step pics for 05 06

DoctorSTi · 07-23-2006, 01:41 PM

Well this is how I did it. I followed all instructions and used the resistor recommended by the resistor calculator on this page: http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz
I used Leds from radio shack: 3000mcd 1.7v 20mA and phone line wire as seen in pics. I chopped the heads off the LEDs to increase the angle of viewing. I also used a 1/4 Watt resistor at 100ohms which is what the resistor calculator told me to use for these 6 LEDs in serial arrangement.

I then soldered two leds together to be placed in each dial. Notice the tops of the LEDs is chopped off and I sanded down the sides to diffuse the red light better.

pulled the controls apart

drilled two holes 1/16th i think, very small, in the side of the black dial base at 11 and 1 o'clock.

soldered short end to long end of leds and wires to both sides and stuck it into the dial and through the holes I made.

here is the drawing of my plan s=short l=long or negative and positive respectively.

I continued running the wire from the positive/long side of the second led to the short side/negative of the 3rd led in the second dial and so forth for the next two dials.

Here is the finished product

I did end up painting the LEDs with some red poster craft paint you can get at any CVS, Right Aid, or Walgreens. Thats it.
The two things I learned that have not been stated elsewhere that will help the next time is that the LEDs need to be beneath the central button. In other words the place where the two LEDs are soldered together needs to fit in between the central button and the two circular tunnels at 6 o'clock on the dial, unlike the pics above. I forgot to take pics of how I fixed them to fit. That way the LEDs will fit up into the dial button and not prevent the button from pushing down. The other thing I learned is to make the holes with the drill bit as low on the dial base as possible as higher can prevent the dial button from pressing down enough to flip the switch (rear defrost, recirc, and A/C).

All in all I am pleased with the mod so far but I have some more powerful LEDs here that are 3mm LEDs and have a much greater viewing angle then what I used. I will be trying them on a second HVAC set I have. I think they will make the red light more uniform then this particular set up. I think Ardinos, who originally posted this mod, now uses one 3000mcd red with 12 degee viewing angle and an 800mcd red with a 60 degree viewing angle, both from radio shack, in each dial. I purchased LEDs from http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds.htm and I want to try them but I needed larger more unusual resistors which I didn't have. I will update this post if I find a better way.

Kevin

***VSGTS14*** · 07-23-2006, 02:06 PM

man, that's a very very clean and easy way to do it

not sure why it doesn't light

DoctorSTi · 07-23-2006, 02:26 PM

I made a led soldering noob mistake... switched polarity on them... all of them so at least I was consistent and all I had to do was switch the wires that attach to the board. noooo problem. I will update the pics above so people can have a detailed example of how to do this.
Just to let everyone know, today was my first day holding a soldering iron and I learned how to do it from the package insert it came with. EVERYONE can do this but it might take you 3 hours like it took me! Anyway I will get it together and take pics at night tonight.

scottjua · 07-28-2006, 07:42 PM

so there was only one resistor used throughout the whole wiring scheme?

do you have a larger pic of the whole board finished?

JJ18Sniper · 07-28-2006, 08:43 PM

Wow, great job. Wish I could hire you!

WESTI · 07-28-2006, 10:55 PM

cool......

***reeksti*** · 07-28-2006, 10:57 PM

sick....

***sti-liger*** · 07-28-2006, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ18Sniper

Wow, great job. Wish I could hire you!

i second this one good job

KiTsuNe · 07-29-2006, 02:48 AM

haha i know how you feel, when i did mine for the first time i switched the L and S sides of the LEDs. Great write up.

***playboy5k*** · 07-29-2006, 03:34 AM

I need to get around to doing this I got all of the equipment I need but I just dont have any time.

Monarch

ridered · 07-29-2006, 07:55 AM

looks hawt!!

**evilSTi7** · 07-29-2006, 08:00 AM

do you make house calls?

***Insane06STi*** · 07-29-2006, 08:12 AM

Awesome write up, a future project for me.

JJ18Sniper · 07-29-2006, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evilSTi7

do you make house calls?

Hopefully

scubynewbie · 07-29-2006, 10:20 AM

Wow, that looks really nice. Good job!

07-23-2006, 01:41 PM	#1
DoctorSTi The Next Petter Solberg Car: 05 CGM STI on 57F br Fav Mod: stage 2 Location: Newark, DE Posts: 869 Join Date: Jan 2005 Trader Rating: (2)	Detailed HVAC red light mod with step by step pics for 05 06 Well this is how I did it. I followed all instructions and used the resistor recommended by the resistor calculator on this page: http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz I used Leds from radio shack: 3000mcd 1.7v 20mA and phone line wire as seen in pics. I chopped the heads off the LEDs to increase the angle of viewing. I also used a 1/4 Watt resistor at 100ohms which is what the resistor calculator told me to use for these 6 LEDs in serial arrangement. I then soldered two leds together to be placed in each dial. Notice the tops of the LEDs is chopped off and I sanded down the sides to diffuse the red light better. pulled the controls apart drilled two holes 1/16th i think, very small, in the side of the black dial base at 11 and 1 o'clock. soldered short end to long end of leds and wires to both sides and stuck it into the dial and through the holes I made. here is the drawing of my plan s=short l=long or negative and positive respectively. I continued running the wire from the positive/long side of the second led to the short side/negative of the 3rd led in the second dial and so forth for the next two dials. Here is the finished product I did end up painting the LEDs with some red poster craft paint you can get at any CVS, Right Aid, or Walgreens. Thats it. The two things I learned that have not been stated elsewhere that will help the next time is that the LEDs need to be beneath the central button. In other words the place where the two LEDs are soldered together needs to fit in between the central button and the two circular tunnels at 6 o'clock on the dial, unlike the pics above. I forgot to take pics of how I fixed them to fit. That way the LEDs will fit up into the dial button and not prevent the button from pushing down. The other thing I learned is to make the holes with the drill bit as low on the dial base as possible as higher can prevent the dial button from pressing down enough to flip the switch (rear defrost, recirc, and A/C). All in all I am pleased with the mod so far but I have some more powerful LEDs here that are 3mm LEDs and have a much greater viewing angle then what I used. I will be trying them on a second HVAC set I have. I think they will make the red light more uniform then this particular set up. I think Ardinos, who originally posted this mod, now uses one 3000mcd red with 12 degee viewing angle and an 800mcd red with a 60 degree viewing angle, both from radio shack, in each dial. I purchased LEDs from http://www.superbrightleds.com/leds.htm and I want to try them but I needed larger more unusual resistors which I didn't have. I will update this post if I find a better way. Kevin This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad. Last edited by DoctorSTi : 07-30-2006 at 06:26 AM.

07-29-2006, 03:34 AM	#10
*playboy5k* Platinum Member Car: 05 Subaru WRX STi OB Fav Mod: Ultimate Racing GT35R(ooops I meant GT30R). Location: Camp Zama, Japan. Posts: 522 Join Date: Sep 2005 Trader Rating: (12)	Thats the hottness!! I need to get around to doing this I got all of the equipment I need but I just dont have any time. Monarch

07-29-2006, 10:20 AM	#15
scubynewbie Professional STI Racer Car: 06 Galaxy Gray RX-8 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 666 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Wow, that looks really nice. Good job! This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

07-23-2006, 02:06 PM	#2
*VSGTS14* Muller Chevrolet Car: 08 Chevy 2500HD Fav Mod: a new 08 STi Location: Milford, NJ Posts: 9,984 Join Date: Oct 2004 Trader Rating: (11)	man, that's a very very clean and easy way to do it not sure why it doesn't light

07-23-2006, 02:26 PM	#3
DoctorSTi The Next Petter Solberg Car: 05 CGM STI on 57F br Fav Mod: stage 2 Location: Newark, DE Posts: 869 Join Date: Jan 2005 Trader Rating: (2)	I made a led soldering noob mistake... switched polarity on them... all of them so at least I was consistent and all I had to do was switch the wires that attach to the board. noooo problem. I will update the pics above so people can have a detailed example of how to do this. Just to let everyone know, today was my first day holding a soldering iron and I learned how to do it from the package insert it came with. EVERYONE can do this but it might take you 3 hours like it took me! Anyway I will get it together and take pics at night tonight.

07-28-2006, 07:42 PM	#4
scottjua Professional STI Driver Car: 06 Aspen White STi / Location: Plano, TX (Dallas) Posts: 461 Join Date: Jan 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	so there was only one resistor used throughout the whole wiring scheme? do you have a larger pic of the whole board finished?

07-28-2006, 08:43 PM	#5
JJ18Sniper Silver Member Car: 05 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: DB 20G, Diamond Black BBS RE's, S2K retrofit Location: NY Posts: 4,592 Join Date: Jul 2004 Trader Rating: (6)	Wow, great job. Wish I could hire you!

07-28-2006, 10:55 PM	#6
WESTI I'm Jim Halpert Car: 06 WRB STI Fav Mod: Ricer Flyby Location: Irvine, Ca Posts: 6,278 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (9)	cool......

07-28-2006, 10:57 PM	#7
*reeksti* Friendlys Suby Car: 06 CGM/Emotions Fav Mod: M&J Modified Location: Bensalem, PA Posts: 7,203 Join Date: Jan 2006 Trader Rating: (10)	sick....

07-29-2006, 02:48 AM	#9
KiTsuNe Spec C Club Car: The Vroom-mobile Fav Mod: JDM Gears Location: San Jose, California Posts: 2,334 Join Date: Jun 2005 Trader Rating: (1)	haha i know how you feel, when i did mine for the first time i switched the L and S sides of the LEDs. Great write up.

07-29-2006, 07:55 AM	#11
ridered Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 subaru WRX STi Location: portland oregon Posts: 28 Join Date: Jun 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	looks hawt!!

07-29-2006, 08:00 AM	#12
evilSTi7 The Hoff Fan Club, member #001 Car: 05 WRB/Gold Fav Mod: Hood Scoop Homer Location: Where ever The Hoff is! Posts: 10,323 Join Date: Jul 2004 Trader Rating: (4)	do you make house calls?

07-29-2006, 08:12 AM	#13
*Insane06STi* Nanned ® Location: Where the left lane is th Posts: 17,349 Join Date: Oct 2005 Trader Rating: (9)	Awesome write up, a future project for me.