Took some time to do this write-up so I hope everyone enjoys. Very informative with pictures.

 

Nice job.

Direct link: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/305093/7

 

Thanks, I forgot to post link.

 

Nice writeup, but in your descriptions you're tapping into the GROUND wires of the illumination wires instead of the POSITIVE side. If installing the correct polarity inside the switches, and then reversing the polarity in-line with the resistor, you're reversing the voltage of the LED. This, in turn, increases the voltage value of the LED. For example, let's say the LED has a forward value of 3.3V and a reverse voltage value of 5V. Wiring the LED by its reverse voltage will inrease its mcd brightness, and more than likely, its mA value, too. This will work, by all means, but the LED will die a lot quicker than if it was wired using it's forward voltage. This is just a thought to throw in there so that you want your LED's to last a 1000 hours longer and the valued resistor will not go beyond its limits. I'm not here to flame you by all means, but I just thought it would be safer by wiring the LED by it's forward voltage to avoid any potential problems. Please, by all means, correct me if I'm wrong from anybody knowledgeable on this matter. Again nice write up...I posted a link to a similiar write up in another thread.

 

thomasd cook

 

first of all thank you very much for the write-up

it's very nice job.But i still have 3 questions?

1. on are maximas 5th gen is the resistor the same on all the switches?.And if it is.Can i use the one on my car the one you guys said its inside the rubber(resistor 1000 ohm) with any led or the same one i used on the driver side?.

2. Is the resistor in question (1) 1000 ohm ? now i don't need to cut any wire.Is it possible to conect the resistor to the led directly on the negative side and then to the copper in the switch negative side too?

Or another word ( tap the resistor on the led and copper both the negative side)

3. witch way sould the resistor in question (2) go ,or dose not matter ?

sorry it look like more than 3 questions

Again Thomasd cook
Thanks for the write-up

 

Sweet, thanks a lot, thomasd cook. Now I have a couple of projects to work on during the weekend.

 

jsut to let you know the driver and passenger window switches for the 5.5 gens are different....but the rears are the same

-J

 

The driver's side AND passenger's side LOCK switches does NOT need resistors. They are built into the circuit board. The passenger's side WINDOW and rear WINDOW swtiches DO need resistors. You can use the existing resistor already there, but you have to cut the boot to get at it. It's much simpler to tap this resistor in line with the wiring. If not, then it is just messier when soldering on the copper contacts. There isn't enough room to put the switch back together. The LED must sit on top of the copper contacts like originally. Now, does it matter which way the resistor goes...yes and no. Yes if you want to keep it wired like factory and have the LED last longer, and no if you shorter life of the LED want to increase the mcd brightness. I had given an example in my previous example for a better understanding.

 

CORRECT. 5.5gens have this "problem". I've done the rear but couldn't do the front. I need some lower voltage LEDs or bigger resistors.

 

i need some leds to try it all out jsut no time maybe we can help each other out one day
-J

 

I don't understand your statement here. He is not reversing the polarity. If he is LED won't light up.

Reverse voltage value in LED spec is there for precautoinary. If you apply over that voltage reversely(+cathode -anode) there is a sudden increase of reverse current and it will destroy the LED(or shorten the life).

What he is doing is perfectly fine. The most important thing in LED is to keep dc forward current within spec (by using proper resistor).

 

Guys it's not that hard i just finish from my car i take 2 hours of your time two step

1.press on the link and follow it .its for the driver side switches and the passenger door lock only
http://www.alexhsu.com/maxima/ledinstall/

2. you have two choices one to do it like thomasd cook his link is
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/305093/7

or my site on car domain it did not explain that much but the picture will do.
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/526558/4

 

I'll keep ya'll posted if the LED burns out prematurely. I personally think it's much much easier to butt connect the resistor in line rather than trying to sauter it on. That's the reason in my picture that the left copper is shorter than the right one. The resistor got in the way when trying to snap it back together.
I even swapped my light that illuminates the gear shift area. It was a green light which spreads out. Now there's an LED and it's pretty bright. I'll take a pic to post pics. I even took my AC control out and pulled the blue condoms off and painted it with a sharpie. It's brighter but I want to swap out to an LED. I'll go to Radio Shack to see if they have one similar.

 

what size bulb was in the gear shift area?

 

i was just about to say the same thing...i was like what in the world is this guy talking about...u said it correctly man...he had the whole reverse voltage thing all wrong...i wonder if he thought that putting the resistor on the ground side reversed polarity? im not sure....you can certainly put the resistor on + or -

has anyone attempted this on the 2002 max? i had problems a while ago with the led's on the PCB

 

Can't be too much difference. Try the rears to familiarize yourself. The bulb was pretty small, like a mini 194 bulb. It just pulled out. I'm talking about the light that shines through a clear thing on top of the gear shift. Right above ashtray. I just pushed the metal prongs through the switch cut it off then sautered a LED with resistor reusing the same plastic holder. It's very bright and really lights up my carbon fiber kit. I'm going to see if I can find a small LED to swap out the lights in the AC controls.

 

Tonight I took out the little clear thing under the AC controls. The 1 LED would point in a certain direction. I drilled 4 holes and inserted LED's. I wired them in series and they look very good. Looks almost like neon. It brings out every little square in the carbon fiber kit.

 

i did the rear doors like a year ago...and its "solder" not "sauter" hehe

the PCB (printed circuit board) for the drivers side uses surface mount LEDs on the 2002 maxima... and they are at a low voltage so i cant get a new LED to work on it....from the pic in ur post it looks like they are regular LEDs on ur drivers side circuit board..is that the case?

and these are my pics from a long time ago:

http://jerk.lxanyc.com/window%20switch/index.html

 

you paid $4.99 per LED? i hope not...

www.superbrightleds.com has the brightest LED's you can find at great prices

for example 2500 MCD white LED with 45degree viewing angle is $1.38

they have white LEDs that go up to 10,000 MCD and i have a few...holy sh*t are they bright!!

i even used a bunch of the Blacklight (UV) LEDs they sell...very sweet...put one or two under the dash and the seats and ur all set

 

Oh...i thought you meant the one that shines up through the auto gear shift indicator. That bulb you replaced btw is a #74.

 

You come too late my freind.I'm done with this project if you just came 3 days earlylier.Thanks any way
They are not that bright but at night you can see them very clear ,any way if they are too bright i can't drive at night i will keep looking at them

 

Okay since we are talking about leds.Does any one install led side mirror on his car?
If yes ,is there a write-up any where on the.org for it ?
This is my next mod i just got the covers with the leds.

 

How bright are those UV LED's? Does it light up like purple like regular black light?

 

it functions just like a regular black light...its pretty damn bright actually

i have the 2000 MCd ones and one of them can pretty much make anything white in a mdeium sized room glow...but its pretty directional...i think the viewing angle n it is 30 degrees..its fun to work with, and works great under the dash or under a seat...if u want the light to be difuse, u can cut the top of the lens off with a dremel tool

 

Also anyone change the light to the gear shifter? How difficult is it to take the shifter apart?

 

Yeah, the 2K's have flat surface mount LED's, too. There are four point connections for each LED (two positives, and two negatives). When soldering new LED's, you must cross the connections over the existing LED's to cancel them out. If you let the connections touch, the original LED will not cancel out and will remain lit.

 

If it's like the fourth gener's, it should be a 194/168 wedge bulb. Remove the shifter trim panel, and remove the screws holding the shifter to the floor. Once removed, you can turn the shifter and reach your hand underneath and twist the bulb out. When I had my '95, it was like this. I haven't attempted this yet on my 2K SE. It should be somewhat the same.