You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to start new topics, reply to conversations, privately message other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join civicforums.com today!
^^yah diy stuff always costs more...especially when ur testing stuff out...today i wasted 5 leds and now i gotta get more!! Its fun watching them burn out tho!!! Is the pod the whole pillar or just a section of it?
To remove this ad, register today for free or log in if already registered!
Sponsored Links
To avoid seeing this ad in our forum please register at CivicForums.com
By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features.
Just a section. They only have the full pillar for two or more gauges. It says the propod brand is made for both sedan and coupe, but I'm not so sure. The autometer one I got didn't fit too well. I hope this one does. You burned out LEDs? I guess you didn't use resistors, lol.
^^^im sure the pod will fit...if not bust out the heat gun!! Well i did use resistors, but i though they were already burned out...so i took them out and tested them on the first 12v source i could find....so i touched the positive and they lit up...and so i took it away...then i wanted to see what would happen....so i did it again and saw them get dimmer and then they turned like yellow and red before totally burning...it was actually pretty cool!! So yah i just horsed around with them thats why they burned out. Okay i got a question. If i string 4 leds in a row from negative cathode to positive cathode etc... and run it straight to a 12 volt source without resistors technically it should be the proper power right? Cuz they are 3 volts each. I want to do that for the leds in my vents, but i dont wanan burn them like before!!
I'm not exactly sure. Someone who knows about electronics said that just hooking them up to the battery will fry them cause there's too much current. I think each LED needs a resistor in front of the positive lead. If I'm not mistaken, blue is 3V, and others are 2V. I used 680 ohm resistors for mine. That guy who did his nissan had the current split for the speedo and tach (2 LEDs each). I just followed his diagram. I don't really know too much about LEDs, just enough to follow a circuit diagram.
hmmm....im guessing that if there is a resistor strong enough on the first one then all the rest will recieve the same ammount of current. I attached all the ones in my vents to the same string...positive negative thing....with one resistor on the first one...im gonna hook that up to a 12v source and see what i get. If they burn out then i will forget about it!!! leds are gettin kinda expensive!!
You may want to check out autolumination.com since they sell individual LEDs for only $2 instead of $4, and they come with built-in resistors. I'm not sure they would be good for backlight, cause you want a normal bulb so the light diffuses evenly.
I'm extremely pissed right now. After spending all day soldering in 194 blue bulbs into the cluster, I hook it up only to find that they light up a greenish color. Had to tear everything apart and redo it.
I've decided to keep the amber gauges with blue needles, since the only way to change the color would be with opaque LEDs. But seriously I'm done modding. I also have a nasty burn from that soldering.
For the odometer, I took out that piece and put in a strip of that tissue paper type stuff that they put your pretzel in at Sam's Club. It diffuses the light pretty well. Only thing was it was VERY bright amber. So I just took out the bulb behind it and let the other backlight bulbs light it. It's now a very dim amber, but still barely visible.
One thing I have not been able to fix is the blue mixing with the amber to give a pinkish color near the bottom of the speedo. I think the numbers are just too close to the center. At this point, it's good enough that I'm not messing with it anymore.
I got my pro pod in the mail and it's the same as the autometer one for the coupe. Sucks, but I'm gonna make do and just install it anyway. I'll get some updates and pics in here tonight.
shit that really sucks!! I spent my day soldering in leds for my vents and they turned green also...so i took of the resistor to give them more juice. Its better than green forshure. I too also got a friggin burn on my finger from soldering....hurts like i bitch...and its minue degree weather out here!!! NOT FUN!! oh well...hope the guage pod works out for you!
I think everything worked out okay. To anyone doing this DIY: Do not use colored light bulbs for anything! LEDs are the only way to get the color you want. Condoms will make the lights way too dim. I'm finally done with this, so if anyone has specific questions, ask away and good luck!!
lol, im afraid to try this now! Im thinking of making the dash an amber color... but i cant really see how that looks good IMO, isnt it look misplased kinda? I really want white :x gggggrrrrrrrrrrrr
The amber really looks nice when you see it in person. It's alot like regular light. Looks good in a sedan at least, cause the stock color is a greenish yellow. The amber is much brighter and will match everything. I don't see any other way to do this unless you use white LEDs (opaque kinds so the light won't be focused in a spot) for the backlight.
I gues I can humor myself and try those smaller blue bulbs I'm getting soon, but I don't think it will be bright enough and the right color.
Impulse--The needle DIY is easy. Just follow the steps.Didn't you do blue LEDs in the A/C controls already? You can always just buy some reverse indiglo gauges and not worry about backlight.
I guess you could always try those hyper white bulbs from autolumination, but I don't know how bright they are.
I really wanted the gauge backlight to be blue also, but I guess the amber will have to do. The amber dash lights actually look good, but the gauges are a bit much. I don't know if I should try those opaque LEDs or not.
Originally posted by gearbox reverse indiglo gauges and not worry about backlight.
they dont make guages that glow white =\ I really want the 03? guages... But, i dont want to do the swap. Plus i dont really feel like spending 80$ on a new cluster just for the overlaythingy... Would it be less expensive to just order that one part? Cause my cluster is fine....?
Is the pod the whole pillar or just a section of it? 
