LEDs for Auto Climate
Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 91
Don't buy from radioshack. I went once to see prices on LED's and they are a total ripoff. They were charging me 6 bucks for 1 single 5mm LED that i didnt even need. Your best buying them off ebay theres this one seller, cwithk, he sells good 3mm LEDs, and im very happy with his products, one of the guys on the org referred all of us to this seller. He sells them at a good price. Usually 50 leds for like 20 bucks or less. They come from Hong Kong but they still get to your place within about 2 weeks if your patient. Oh yeah and he sells them with free resistors too which you will need as well. Hope that works for you. 
Alright, let's clear the air here.
First off, yes you can replaced the bulbs w/ LEDs. it will actually look quite nice with them. Look for them on eBay. First thing to do is choose your color type. Say you wanted white. You would type 3mm LED white into your eBay search, and then find the results.
The next thing you are going to see is xx,xxx MCD. MCD stands for Micro Candle Display, OR, in laymen's terms, brightness. The higher value the brighter. 3mm generally top out @ 18,000MCD, 5mm @ 20,000MCD, and 10mm @ 80,000MCD.
Almost all LEDs will achieve peak brightness at 20mA current, (3.0V for blue/white, 2.0 for red/amber). NO LED is 12V. Hence why we need a resistor. The CAR will supply the LED with 12V...so if you have an LED taht runs at 2.0V and the car is supplying it with 12V, you can see where we may run into problems.
Typically, a single LED will need a 510 to 560 ohm resistor in order to supply it with the proper current (approx 20mA).
HOWEVER...HOWEVER!!!! In all auto climate controls I have worked with on the 5th and 5.5 gens, there are OEM LEDs. SO, if you are replcaing EXISTING LEDs, you do not need a resistor. Snip the old ones off, leaving an ample portion of the leads, and cut and solder the new LEDs on in their place.
First off, yes you can replaced the bulbs w/ LEDs. it will actually look quite nice with them. Look for them on eBay. First thing to do is choose your color type. Say you wanted white. You would type 3mm LED white into your eBay search, and then find the results.
The next thing you are going to see is xx,xxx MCD. MCD stands for Micro Candle Display, OR, in laymen's terms, brightness. The higher value the brighter. 3mm generally top out @ 18,000MCD, 5mm @ 20,000MCD, and 10mm @ 80,000MCD.
Almost all LEDs will achieve peak brightness at 20mA current, (3.0V for blue/white, 2.0 for red/amber). NO LED is 12V. Hence why we need a resistor. The CAR will supply the LED with 12V...so if you have an LED taht runs at 2.0V and the car is supplying it with 12V, you can see where we may run into problems.
Typically, a single LED will need a 510 to 560 ohm resistor in order to supply it with the proper current (approx 20mA).
HOWEVER...HOWEVER!!!! In all auto climate controls I have worked with on the 5th and 5.5 gens, there are OEM LEDs. SO, if you are replcaing EXISTING LEDs, you do not need a resistor. Snip the old ones off, leaving an ample portion of the leads, and cut and solder the new LEDs on in their place.
Originally Posted by Metal Maxima
Alright, let's clear the air here.
First off, yes you can replaced the bulbs w/ LEDs. it will actually look quite nice with them. Look for them on eBay. First thing to do is choose your color type. Say you wanted white. You would type 3mm LED white into your eBay search, and then find the results.
The next thing you are going to see is xx,xxx MCD. MCD stands for Micro Candle Display, OR, in laymen's terms, brightness. The higher value the brighter. 3mm generally top out @ 18,000MCD, 5mm @ 20,000MCD, and 10mm @ 80,000MCD.
Almost all LEDs will achieve peak brightness at 20mA current, (3.0V for blue/white, 2.0 for red/amber). NO LED is 12V. Hence why we need a resistor. The CAR will supply the LED with 12V...so if you have an LED taht runs at 2.0V and the car is supplying it with 12V, you can see where we may run into problems.
Typically, a single LED will need a 510 to 560 ohm resistor in order to supply it with the proper current (approx 20mA).
HOWEVER...HOWEVER!!!! In all auto climate controls I have worked with on the 5th and 5.5 gens, there are OEM LEDs. SO, if you are replcaing EXISTING LEDs, you do not need a resistor. Snip the old ones off, leaving an ample portion of the leads, and cut and solder the new LEDs on in their place.
First off, yes you can replaced the bulbs w/ LEDs. it will actually look quite nice with them. Look for them on eBay. First thing to do is choose your color type. Say you wanted white. You would type 3mm LED white into your eBay search, and then find the results.
The next thing you are going to see is xx,xxx MCD. MCD stands for Micro Candle Display, OR, in laymen's terms, brightness. The higher value the brighter. 3mm generally top out @ 18,000MCD, 5mm @ 20,000MCD, and 10mm @ 80,000MCD.
Almost all LEDs will achieve peak brightness at 20mA current, (3.0V for blue/white, 2.0 for red/amber). NO LED is 12V. Hence why we need a resistor. The CAR will supply the LED with 12V...so if you have an LED taht runs at 2.0V and the car is supplying it with 12V, you can see where we may run into problems.
Typically, a single LED will need a 510 to 560 ohm resistor in order to supply it with the proper current (approx 20mA).
HOWEVER...HOWEVER!!!! In all auto climate controls I have worked with on the 5th and 5.5 gens, there are OEM LEDs. SO, if you are replcaing EXISTING LEDs, you do not need a resistor. Snip the old ones off, leaving an ample portion of the leads, and cut and solder the new LEDs on in their place.
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Originally Posted by Metal Maxima
Alright, let's clear the air here.
First off, yes you can replaced the bulbs w/ LEDs. it will actually look quite nice with them. Look for them on eBay. First thing to do is choose your color type. Say you wanted white. You would type 3mm LED white into your eBay search, and then find the results.
The next thing you are going to see is xx,xxx MCD. MCD stands for Micro Candle Display, OR, in laymen's terms, brightness. The higher value the brighter. 3mm generally top out @ 18,000MCD, 5mm @ 20,000MCD, and 10mm @ 80,000MCD.
Almost all LEDs will achieve peak brightness at 20mA current, (3.0V for blue/white, 2.0 for red/amber). NO LED is 12V. Hence why we need a resistor. The CAR will supply the LED with 12V...so if you have an LED taht runs at 2.0V and the car is supplying it with 12V, you can see where we may run into problems.
Typically, a single LED will need a 510 to 560 ohm resistor in order to supply it with the proper current (approx 20mA).
HOWEVER...HOWEVER!!!! In all auto climate controls I have worked with on the 5th and 5.5 gens, there are OEM LEDs. SO, if you are replcaing EXISTING LEDs, you do not need a resistor. Snip the old ones off, leaving an ample portion of the leads, and cut and solder the new LEDs on in their place.
First off, yes you can replaced the bulbs w/ LEDs. it will actually look quite nice with them. Look for them on eBay. First thing to do is choose your color type. Say you wanted white. You would type 3mm LED white into your eBay search, and then find the results.
The next thing you are going to see is xx,xxx MCD. MCD stands for Micro Candle Display, OR, in laymen's terms, brightness. The higher value the brighter. 3mm generally top out @ 18,000MCD, 5mm @ 20,000MCD, and 10mm @ 80,000MCD.
Almost all LEDs will achieve peak brightness at 20mA current, (3.0V for blue/white, 2.0 for red/amber). NO LED is 12V. Hence why we need a resistor. The CAR will supply the LED with 12V...so if you have an LED taht runs at 2.0V and the car is supplying it with 12V, you can see where we may run into problems.
Typically, a single LED will need a 510 to 560 ohm resistor in order to supply it with the proper current (approx 20mA).
HOWEVER...HOWEVER!!!! In all auto climate controls I have worked with on the 5th and 5.5 gens, there are OEM LEDs. SO, if you are replcaing EXISTING LEDs, you do not need a resistor. Snip the old ones off, leaving an ample portion of the leads, and cut and solder the new LEDs on in their place.
Wow Nice Job
I learn something new everyday
4th gen Auto Climate uses a bulb. You will need to solder a resistor to it. I used two 5mm leds per bulb, i would use three 3mm leds if you know how to 
Mine looks like that but it is brighter in real life.
Mine looks like that but it is brighter in real life.
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