How to: Interior Dome Light LED Conversion (PICs)

Here Is how to convert your dome lights from light bulbs to LEDs.

Starting with the Driver and Front Pax

What you will need

20 LEDs 55,000mcd
20 Resistors to bring the voltage down from 12volts to what your LEDs are rated at. Mine were 3.6v
Radio Shack Project board

First cut 2 pieces of the project board to 1.35" X1.35"

Then arrange your LEDs on the board the way you want them. I used 10 on each board, 6 as spot lights and 4 on the corners as floods (grind the tips flat on the 4). Solder a resistor to each + lead of each LED and wire all the - leads together. Use Hot glue to attach each LED.

Use clear nail polish to refinish the 4 ground down LEDs.

Test

Now disassemble the over head console and remove the 2 bulb holders

Remove the metal shrouds from each of the bulb holders.

Attach each board to the bulb holders using a Zip Tie, then use hot glue of silicone on the back to bond the board to the bulb holder

Wire the 2 boards to the corresponding light switch on the console and snap on the cover.

2nd row seats

I used 8 LEDs for this

Cut 2 pieces of project board .84"x.84"

Arrange your LEDs and solder away.

I used the - leads on the LEDs to hold the 2 boards together since the dome light reflector is in a pyramid shape and has to be bent in the center.

Hot glue the board in.

Done

Cargo Area

I used 12 LEDs here

After removing the Unit from the headliner you need to gut out the metal contacts that were used for holding the bulb. Then Cut a piece of project board to fit inside the housing. Arrange you the LEDs and solder away.

Here is what the back looks like on the boards with the - leads soldered together.

Use hot glue to glue the board into the housing, and coat back of the board with glue or silicone to insulate.

Done

Will get pics when it gets dark out

Good Luck

 

[RickOTR]

Looks nice. Did you use plug and play LEDs for the 2nd row reading lights or did you make boards for them?

The dome lights are 10 LEDS hard wired together. The map lights are fitted with WLED-xHP6 SMTs. I ordered them from http://www.superbrightleds.com. They put out about 35 lumins each.

 

[supertuner19]

i did the dome light this past week i am very impressed i purchased prewired leds and i will not complain i will get pics up in a couple days

 

[PedroDaGr8]

By the way, it is a better idea to say the starting voltage is 14.5V instead of 12V. This is why a lot of cheaper LED lights go bad. THey spec them to 12V to save money, but car charging systems fluctuate between 12V and 14.5V.

 

[RichCresci]

Where did you wire in the lights that light up where your feet would be? I've been thinking about that for some time but I'm deathly afraid of creating an electrical "gremlin"

 

[MustangP51]

By the way, it is a better idea to say the starting voltage is 14.5V instead of 12V. This is why a lot of cheaper LED lights go bad. THey spec them to 12V to save money, but car charging systems fluctuate between 12V and 14.5V.

I agree completely, I am planning on putting in a voltage regulator for the power that goes to my cluster, just to prevent the LEDs from being over driven.

Where did you wire in the lights that light up where your feet would be? I've been thinking about that for some time but I'm deathly afraid of creating an electrical "gremlin"

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202947

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=217551

All of my LED projects are in my signature

 

[RichCresci]

Thank you sir, But did you just wire them up independently or are they into the dome circuit? That's how I'd like to wire up mine so they come on when the doors open and etc.

 

[MustangP51]

Thank you sir, But did you just wire them up independently or are they into the dome circuit? That's how I'd like to wire up mine so they come on when the doors open and etc.

I have them wired off of a separate switch. they are not connected to the dome lights. Its all in the other thread.

 

[PedroDaGr8]

I agree completely, I am planning on putting in a voltage regulator for the power that goes to my cluster, just to prevent the LEDs from being over driven.

Then may I recommend the Sharp PQ12RD21 Low Drop out voltage regulator. It will regulate a constant 12V needing only .5V of overhead, unlike some that need 1.5V-3V of overhead.

 

[Toast]

Alright, Went to tackle this one today, but stopped once I got the Lights off.

Where do I wire it into?

Im a bit confused where the negative and positive go?

 

[MustangP51]

Alright, Went to tackle this one today, but stopped once I got the Lights off.

Where do I wire it into?

Im a bit confused where the negative and positive go?

I made a plug from an old 194 LED and plugged it into the factory socket

 

[Toast]

Off to Canadian Tire I guess haha

Thanks =) Hopefully I can get this one to work a bit simpler than the Under Dash(Only took 7 months somehow =S )

And what would you say about these LED's?
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300341702786
I trust your opinion

 

[Toast]

And $15 Later I have a 194 LED Replacment Bulb. Ripped it apart, and now Im confused

So thers the two leads that lead out of the light? Are they both Anodes? Or is one the Cathode? How Do I wire the Anodes and Cathodes into the holder?

 

[MustangP51]

And $15 Later I have a 194 LED Replacment Bulb. Ripped it apart, and now Im confused

So thers the two leads that lead out of the light? Are they both Anodes? Or is one the Cathode? How Do I wire the Anodes and Cathodes into the holder?

They are just a positive and negative leads, however all you need to do is strip and slide wires into the holes and bend them around, to make contacts. You don't need to worry about polarity, because you can just rotate the plug 180 degrees in the socket.

 

[bill32399]

My post is a little late but I have to tell you that you do good work and it looks very nice.

 

[Toast]

So I wired up mine yesterday for my middle dome light and they worked for a bit(tight fitting because i used balsa wood as a base, Then I hit a bump and 1 of the lights blew up basically. So Im not sure if the resistor got knocked off, or what, but I want to redo them.

Ive had this project board for the longest time and its the only kind I can find around my house. It has copper plates on it to direct current, How could I use this for the dome light?
Would putting all the positives on the bottom(copper side) work? and leave all the negatives on the top of it?

 

[dannyces]

there are tons of posts on this site about leds and how to use the copper plated project board
http://www.instructables.com/
there is also alot of other really good info, hope that helps
Danny

 

[RickOTR]

Ok, I need some help here with a problem I am having with a flikering LED. When cold it works fine, after its been on for about two minutes or so, it starts to flicker for a while then just goes out until it cools down again. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[PedroDaGr8]

Ok, I need some help here with a problem I am having with a flikering LED. When cold it works fine, after its been on for about two minutes or so, it starts to flicker for a while then just goes out until it cools down again. Anyone have any suggestions?

It's dying. Plain and simple as it is heating up its making it worse.

 

[PedroDaGr8]

The dome lights are 10 LEDS hard wired together. The map lights are fitted with WLED-xHP6 SMTs. I ordered them from http://www.superbrightleds.com. They put out about 35 lumins each.

One thing I just noticed, no way in hell those things put out 35 Lumens at a 31mA current draw. Some of the BEST (AND EXPENSIVE) LEDs right now put out 20ish Lumens at 50mA (this excludes some of the super high power ones which can get some crazy efficiencies but at much higher currents).

 

[Przybysz]

Sorry for the bump but i got a question...

How come in your pictures the negative wires are wrapped around the positive wires? Wont that set off sparks?