What LEDS to use for stock radio led conversion?

[TRD-CELICA-GT02]

Okay, I've thought about purchasing an aftermarket Head unit but will delay it for now since I live in a pretty bad neighborhood with a lot of car theft bs going around.

So down to the question, since I can't find no members selling their converted amber radio head units. I'm attempting to do my own amber radio led conversion.

Main question is, what are some good quality leds to buy? For those who've done it, what brand/size leds did you use? Also where did you purchase them from.? How many would I need?

Any info regarding this project is highly appreciated. Thanks in advance. :)

[Jesse IL]

1206 size. I have a load of blue ones I'd be happy to sell you.

[Superstuddc27]

i want one.. ! Do you know how to actually install it into the radio though? Thanks

[slidr]

Originally posted by Superstuddc27
i want one.. ! Do you know how to actually install it into the radio though? Thanks

Takes quite a few more than one to get the job done.

You have to solder/desolder the LED's onto the circuit boards.

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by slidr
Takes quite a few more than one to get the job done.

You have to solder/desolder the LED's onto the circuit boards. :werd:

There's almost 50 of them in the radio, and they're tiny.

[slidr]

Originally posted by Blue Bomber
:werd:

There's almost 50 of them in the radio, and they're tiny.

Very, very tiny.

I recommend getting a very fine point pair of tweezers to handle them.

[Superstuddc27]

what the hell... 50 LEDS?! Blue, how the heck did you convert your radio to all red? Manually?! Yikes..

[slidr]

Originally posted by Superstuddc27
what the hell... 50 LEDS?! Blue, how the heck did you convert your radio to all red? Manually?! Yikes.. Yeah, he would have had to.

I did also, except I did the buttons blue, and the rest red.

[TRD-CELICA-GT02]

Damn 50! Well I'm up for the challenge. Im thinkin about atleast getting a used one off Ebay or off the board to actually do it on. If successfuly then I'll swap out radios.

Can anyone recommend where I can get good quality leds? I appreciated the offer Jesse IL, but I want to do an Amber color led conversion.

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by Superstuddc27
what the hell... 50 LEDS?! Blue, how the heck did you convert your radio to all red? Manually?! Yikes.. Yup, and would you believe that I did it twice? :D Green to orange, then orange to red. :)

[Superstuddc27]

aha wow.. you must have insane patience. Hey jessie, how many blue ones do you have and where are they from (what brand)? i dont want it dull or faded blue ya know. :D Im up for the challenge though. I have never soldered anything in my life and i barely know how it works.. well you use the solder tool to melt the metal and kind of mini-"weld" it. Is this a DIY for a newbie in the electrical field? I'm also going to change my gauge LEDS from amber to blue.. or white. Radio will be white and blue.

[Jesse IL]

Originally posted by slidr
Very, very tiny.

I recommend getting a very fine point pair of tweezers to handle them.
Don't use tweezers. Very cumbersome. Use two fine tip, low-wattage soldering irons and maneuver them around with the tips.
Originally posted by TRD-CELICA-GT02
Damn 50! Well I'm up for the challenge. Im thinkin about atleast getting a used one off Ebay or off the board to actually do it on. If successfuly then I'll swap out radios.

Can anyone recommend where I can get good quality leds? I appreciated the offer Jesse IL, but I want to do an Amber color led conversion.
I believe there are something like 46 in the radio. Just so you know, the GT stareo is basically impossible to do. You can't remove the LCD screen. Also, there is an extra green one in the window switch, but you should use a different LED there. I find that a 2832 works well there.
Originally posted by Superstuddc27
aha wow.. you must have insane patience. Hey jessie, how many blue ones do you have and where are they from (what brand)? i dont want it dull or faded blue ya know. :D Im up for the challenge though. I have never soldered anything in my life and i barely know how it works.. well you use the solder tool to melt the metal and kind of mini-"weld" it. Is this a DIY for a newbie in the electrical field? I'm also going to change my gauge LEDS from amber to blue.. or white. Radio will be white and blue.
I have something like 50, I know its definitely enough to do a radio, because they were planned for a GT radio, which I found out later was impossible to do. They are made by a company called Excelix and I have them in my stereo as well. If you use the standard 470 nm blues in the gauges that everyone does, these will match the background of the gas/temp gauge.

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by Jesse IL
Just so you know, the GT stareo is basically impossible to do. You can't remove the LCD screen. I did one with blue LEDs. Even changed the LEDs behind the screen. Might still be for sale by nate22.

[Jesse IL]

Originally posted by Blue Bomber
I did one with blue LEDs. Even changed the LEDs behind the screen. Might still be for sale by nate22.
Exactly how did you desolder all 50 individual connections that the LCD screen has to the board? Please don't tell me that you sat there with a desoldering braid and tried to suck up all the solder. I told the kid I was gonna do it for that I wasn't interested in getting involved with that stereo. Even if I felt like taking the time to try and desolder it, I didn't want the responsibility of trying to resolder the whole thing and not bridge any of the solder points.

[Miguel GTS]

what color matches the stock amber best , amber or red

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by Jesse IL
Exactly how did you desolder all 50 individual connections that the LCD screen has to the board? Please don't tell me that you sat there with a desoldering braid and tried to suck up all the solder. I told the kid I was gonna do it for that I wasn't interested in getting involved with that stereo. Even if I felt like taking the time to try and desolder it, I didn't want the responsibility of trying to resolder the whole thing and not bridge any of the solder points. Don't remember. Might've just bent the LCD screen up instead of desoldering it. Either way, I changed all the LEDs.

[SleekAh]

Get a deck.. and a 2 way pager alarm.

[evil eye]

Originally posted by Jesse IL
Also, there is an extra green one in the window switch, but you should use a different LED there. I find that a 2832 works well there.

Jesse, is that teh same size LED that's in the gauge cluster? If not, can I still use an LED intended for the gauge cluster in the window switch location?

[TRD-CELICA-GT02]

Jesse IL, can the AC leds be switched out/replaced too? I ordered Russ' Bulb covers but they come out pretty dim. I'm wondering if they can be swapped out for some colored ones, if so, what size would I have to buy to replace those...

[Jesse IL]

Originally posted by evil eye
Jesse, is that teh same size LED that's in the gauge cluster? If not, can I still use an LED intended for the gauge cluster in the window switch location?
The LED that is in the window switch is not the same as the gauge LEDs, but those ones work well in there. If you use the 1206 radio LEDs there, it will be very dim.
Originally posted by TRD-CELICA-GT02
Jesse IL, can the AC leds be switched out/replaced too? I ordered Russ' Bulb covers but they come out pretty dim. I'm wondering if they can be swapped out for some colored ones, if so, what size would I have to buy to replace those...
There are no LEDs in the AC controls. They are light bulbs. There are many other trheads about changing the color there. Do a search. For blue, the best solution is to use a cold cathode flourescent tube.

[evil eye]

Thanks Jesse. Is it hard to open that window switch box? It looks like it might take a lot of work to get to that circuit board. I wonder if it's even worth it.

[BizkitOO]

Gonna have to bring this post back from the dead. For my radio, which one of the leds would work best? I need red ones, but there are 2 different styles of them on this page and I don't really know much of anything about leds.

Size 1206 leds (http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Criteria?Ref=304381&Site=US&Cat=32047950)

-Adam

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by BizkitOO
Gonna have to bring this post back from the dead. For my radio, which one of the leds would work best? I need red ones, but there are 2 different styles of them on this page and I don't really know much of anything about leds.

Size 1206 leds (http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Criteria?Ref=304381&Site=US&Cat=32047950)

-Adam They're just different colors. 630NM is orange-red, and 660 is pure red.

[BizkitOO]

Thanks for the very fast reply Blue. Just ordered some 660's.