*PICS* RED LED interior and dash light conversion

HOSS-06

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Had this on the ORG, just signed up here so thought Id re-post here if anyone is interested and not on the ORG...

Truck : 2006 F350 with electronic climate control, Steering wheel controls, Aux switches and built in Brake controller.
For anyone thinking about attempting this on a newer truck like mine, warning! It is a very time consuming project and will try your patients.

as for lights I got them from, (Red 45 degree) You will need 25-29 of these LEDs depending on what you decide to use for the AUX switch's. that being said get a buffer of about 10 more to cover braking and misc damage.
Super Bright LEDs - Component LEDs

And for the climate control and steering wheel lights I could not find the small flat single diode lights in components so I used the non waterproof flexible LED strips. I took these and removed each individual LED and re used on the climate control and steering wheel. These LED strips come in half meter, meter and so on, I just got away with a half meter but would suggest getting a full meter for the little extra money. Again you need 25-29 of these depending on what you decide to use for AUX switch's.
NFLS & WFLS series Flexible Light Strips

This is a web page showing resistor colors
http://www.bpesolutions.com/atechnical/ResistorCharts.pdf

Here is picture of the 2 styles of LEDs I used
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For the door window switches I ended up using 150k ohm resistors, this may seem like a big resistor but it dims the lights just right in my opinion. It might be because of the LED I used. To get the switches apart you need to carefully pry the top part of the switch off the rest of it, get a small screwdriver under one side and pry up.

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For the drivers door switch I used 3.6k ohm resistors and put them in line with the LEDs, this was one of the first ones I did so I did not get into changing the factory resistors already in the circuit board.

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For the head light switch their is only one LED to change, the light from the single LED is then spread over with a prism. This LED I used 3.6k ohm resistor in line as well.

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The back up sensor switch was a little bit of a pain to fit the LED and resistor in. I used a 10k ohm Resistor but probably could go up to a 15k ohm in my opinion. Also the LED needs to be filed down just a little so that it fits in the switch when you press it.

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The electric back window switch i used a 6.8k ohm resistor and again had to file down the top of the LED so it fit properly.

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4x4 switch, I believe you can buy this extended Light base with a LED in it but i did not have so i just rigged it with a 820 ohm resistor. This LED for the 4x4 switch uses the same idea and the headlight switch with the prism plastic and only one LED therefore needed to be brighter.

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Now for the climate control! This was tricky because the LEDs are smaller and everything is done on the circuit board. The LEDs are all on the front and the resistors are all on the back side. You need to follow the circuit board lines to find out exactly what resistors to change. I believe they are 102 from factors and their all in pairs I replaced them with 18k ohm resistors. The display for the climate control, pop out the green plastic screen and I used a piece of red stain glass, easy to get and very cheep or even free from hobby store.

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The steering wheel remote switches are press fit into the steering wheel leather. Carefully pry out the switches watching not to pull it out far, ford does not give much slack in the wiring harness. These LEDs are the same as used on the climate control, the factory resistors I believe on this one is 122 ohm factory. I replaced with 27k ohm resistors.
Refer to the pictures for rough lay out of where the resistors are.

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The Aux switches I do not have pictures for so you'll have to attack them yourselves. The factory LEDs in the AUX switch's were domed single diode LEDs similar to the electronic climate control. I did not have the single diode LEDs at the time so I rigged it to work with the 3mm LEDs, may need to trim bit of plastic on dividers inside switch.
The built in brake controller is tricky to get apart but once apart I just straight changed the green LEDs to red and put back together, did not change any resistors, they are a little brighter but I don't mind. The actual green LED that reads out the braking for the trailer I did not change because that would mean trying to change the whole LED light board. Ill just live with the green LEDs when towing a trailer.

This is the outcome when all done. Sorry for the bad picture i will try and get better ones of it all lit up at night. Also waiting on a custom gauge face to finish it off, will post pictures of that install when it is done.

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weazel

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Nice gonna do this in blue on my truck, so it matches my livewire and stereo


Sent from in a ditch up side down and on fire with the wheels still spinning
 

blk350on20s

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Damn. Im in Michigan. Was gonna have you work on mine when ya had some more down time haha. Resistors and this kind of tedious electrical work isnt my strong suit.
 

_DieselPower_

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Okay Ive been wanting to do this for awhile in my 99 and thinking maybe Ill order some and try it on something easy to see if Im suited for it. For the smaller bulbs were these the ones you used? http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ed-15-degree-viewing-angle-5500-mcd/269/1196/
Then once you got to your climate control you just laid the strips across the holes where the bulbs go?
How did you do the instrument column? I dont know if they are any different than mine because the use clear bulbs that come out green on the display. Would you have to open the instrument cluster up and take out the green or how did you do that?
 

HOSS-06

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Okay Ive been wanting to do this for awhile in my 99 and thinking maybe Ill order some and try it on something easy to see if Im suited for it. For the smaller bulbs were these the ones you used? http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ed-15-degree-viewing-angle-5500-mcd/269/1196/
Then once you got to your climate control you just laid the strips across the holes where the bulbs go?
How did you do the instrument column? I dont know if they are any different than mine because the use clear bulbs that come out green on the display. Would you have to open the instrument cluster up and take out the green or how did you do that?

Hey man,
For the small LEDs. Are you wanting the small square ones or the small bulb style that you have shown? I believe your 99 does not have any of the small square LEDs but could be mistaken. So for the bulb type you are going to want to use 3mm not the 5mm. http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/through-hole/blue-3mm-led-30-degree-viewing-angle-2000-mcd/305/1237/

With your 99 you wont have the same climate control as I do so I think you will get away with the same 3mm bulb style as well.
With the Instrument cluster the green is actually laminated between the layers of the cluster face, so I ended up ordering a custom cluster face from Black Cat Customs for a very reasonable price, I believe was 130.
http://www.blackcatcustom.com/

Just shoot me and other questions you have and ill do my best!
Cheers:toast:
 

_DieselPower_

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Cool! Thanks! All I have to do is change the bulb and nothing else? I might try doing my lock and window buttons because if I mess up it wont be as important.
 

HOSS-06

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If you dont mind bright switches, in the newer trucks that use LEDs already. All you need to do is switch the LEDs. I have seen some people that have done that. I wanted mine as stock appearing as possible so I messed around with the resistors to dim the LEDs down a bit.
On trucks that have incandescent lights, you must add in a resistor as LEDs use much less power.
 
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