Genuine Rolla
Its PETEY PETE, y0!
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So, I've been thinking of doing this for a while, just never got around to doing it so...I got enough motivation a couple days ago.
NOTE:
I did this two ways. I am going to show both ways. I wasnt happy with the first method that I went about doing it so I did the whole thing over again, which I show as well. I found the 2nd method a lil harder to do because it requires taking apart more of the climate control but I am happier with the results. So, read through the whole thing to figure out what method you'll go with.
The first way shows you how to make your own DIY LED strip.
Here goes:
What I used:
5mm Blue LED's from eBay. They are just the bare led's, you can get 100 of them for $5-$7 shipped.
Speaker Wire (for the first Method)
330 Ohm Resistors - 99 Cents for 5 of them from Radio Shack (for the first method)
Wire Strippers and Cutters (for the first method)
A thin punch or an awl (for the first method)
My handy dandy plier/cutter set:
First, you have to remove the climate control cluster. I know that there is a how to on here to remove the climate control to refer to that for the first step.
Next, there are 4 bronze screws on the back side of the climate control bezel, which hold on the climate control box, 2 on each side, remove those and you can take out that whole box.
From there, that are a few tabs that you can release to get inside the climate control box, all the way to the electronics board:
and you can see here the stock bulbs that are in it.
Next what I did was cut a length of speaker wire and marked with a sharpie the location of the stock holes:
Now, punch holes where you marked:
Now, take a LED and thread it through the holes. Remember, the longer lead is the positive.
Push the remainding of the LED through:
Now, pinch the sides together:
Turn the wire up next:
Now, snip the ends to fit:
One Done:
Now do the same process for the 2nd one.
Now, with that method, You can put up to 4 LED's onto one strip PER 330 Ohm Resistor(you connect the resistor on the positive lead of the speakerwire):
From there, I just attached that LED strip to inside of the climate control, right where i marked in the first place. Since the 5mm LED's are very directional...the light dispersement was less than desired, even when i filed down the tops.
But, This is how i went about making my DIY footwell lighting...I put 4 LED's into it and taped it up in the foot wells and hooked them up to a switch. They put out a lot of light and looked pretty good too.
2nd Method
Since only 2 LED's did light provide ample light, I decided that 4 would be much better.
A buddy of mine figured out what if you wire 4 leds together, in series, you DO NOT NEED the aid of a resistor.
so they are wired like this: -+ -+ -+-+
Now...this part is a bit more complicated.
I took a flat head screw driver and was able to pop off the nobs...you just have to be really careful when doing so, but they are able to come off. then I continued to take apart the climate control to get on the inside of it...lucky for you guys, I took pics of it!!!
Here is what the inside looks like:
Now what i did was take that "Daisy Chain" and put them on the inside, one negative lead coming out of one of the holes, and the positive on the other side:
From there, I just put things back together and here is the finished product:
...And thats it. There are a couple cold and hot spots but its something that I can live with. total it took me around 5-7 hours to figure out good positioning for the LED's and to take everything apart and back together. If you have any questions, let me know and hopefully I can help you out with it...!
NOTE:
I did this two ways. I am going to show both ways. I wasnt happy with the first method that I went about doing it so I did the whole thing over again, which I show as well. I found the 2nd method a lil harder to do because it requires taking apart more of the climate control but I am happier with the results. So, read through the whole thing to figure out what method you'll go with.
The first way shows you how to make your own DIY LED strip.
Here goes:
What I used:
5mm Blue LED's from eBay. They are just the bare led's, you can get 100 of them for $5-$7 shipped.
Speaker Wire (for the first Method)
330 Ohm Resistors - 99 Cents for 5 of them from Radio Shack (for the first method)
Wire Strippers and Cutters (for the first method)
A thin punch or an awl (for the first method)
My handy dandy plier/cutter set:
First, you have to remove the climate control cluster. I know that there is a how to on here to remove the climate control to refer to that for the first step.
Next, there are 4 bronze screws on the back side of the climate control bezel, which hold on the climate control box, 2 on each side, remove those and you can take out that whole box.
From there, that are a few tabs that you can release to get inside the climate control box, all the way to the electronics board:
and you can see here the stock bulbs that are in it.
Next what I did was cut a length of speaker wire and marked with a sharpie the location of the stock holes:
Now, punch holes where you marked:
Now, take a LED and thread it through the holes. Remember, the longer lead is the positive.
Push the remainding of the LED through:
Now, pinch the sides together:
Turn the wire up next:
Now, snip the ends to fit:
One Done:
Now do the same process for the 2nd one.
Now, with that method, You can put up to 4 LED's onto one strip PER 330 Ohm Resistor(you connect the resistor on the positive lead of the speakerwire):
From there, I just attached that LED strip to inside of the climate control, right where i marked in the first place. Since the 5mm LED's are very directional...the light dispersement was less than desired, even when i filed down the tops.
But, This is how i went about making my DIY footwell lighting...I put 4 LED's into it and taped it up in the foot wells and hooked them up to a switch. They put out a lot of light and looked pretty good too.
2nd Method
Since only 2 LED's did light provide ample light, I decided that 4 would be much better.
A buddy of mine figured out what if you wire 4 leds together, in series, you DO NOT NEED the aid of a resistor.
so they are wired like this: -+ -+ -+-+
Now...this part is a bit more complicated.
I took a flat head screw driver and was able to pop off the nobs...you just have to be really careful when doing so, but they are able to come off. then I continued to take apart the climate control to get on the inside of it...lucky for you guys, I took pics of it!!!
Here is what the inside looks like:
Now what i did was take that "Daisy Chain" and put them on the inside, one negative lead coming out of one of the holes, and the positive on the other side:
From there, I just put things back together and here is the finished product:
...And thats it. There are a couple cold and hot spots but its something that I can live with. total it took me around 5-7 hours to figure out good positioning for the LED's and to take everything apart and back together. If you have any questions, let me know and hopefully I can help you out with it...!
. thanks for the help.