How to change a led

Adri CiViC · 6th December 2006, 16:30

Hi ya.
Here is the HOW TO of changing the factory led, I make this mod because I realised that the civic led isn't so brighter.
First of all, you must find a led like this one (the resistance is for another mod)

01zd3.jpg

Now remove the cover case, using a screwdriver and pressing in one corner ( the photo is from 5 months ago, this is why appear the new led)

02st0.jpg

OK, now we need a drill to make a biggest hole, my led size is 5 mm so I make the hole a bit bigger.
Your hole must look like mine.

03we5.jpg

04xa8.jpg

Using the screwdriver, you remove the two screws.

05fh1.jpg

Now disconnect the cables, in my case are two, the white one is for the roof shutter

06gu4.jpg

Take off the square led and try to fit the new led, probably you must burn a bit of plastic to fit the new one, finally fill the space behind the new led with something, in my case I use orange silicone, because is much better for electricity issues.
Now connect the cables again and screws, it must look like this.

07ya7.jpg

This is the final look.

08vt1.jpg

Bungle · 6th December 2006, 16:42

How much brighter is the new LED?

I posted an idea a while ago about installing an Ultra Violet LED there, but it did not get the response I had hoped for. At least I can think about giving it a go for myself now! Thanks for this.

Adri CiViC · 6th December 2006, 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bungle

How much brighter is the new LED?

I posted an idea a while ago about installing an Ultra Violet LED there, but it did not get the response I had hoped for. At least I can think about giving it a go for myself now! Thanks for this.

the new LED is much brighter, I'll make a photo at night.
about the Ultra Violet LED, is the same process but you must change the resistance, because the Ultra Violet LED works with less voltage.

Bungle · 6th December 2006, 16:53

I did not know that.

What is the voltage and current into the standard LED?

Stef · 6th December 2006, 17:00

The original LED is bright enough, they just made the opening small so that the LED is not "blinding" the driver at night. (making the LED source invisible)
Mouting a LED like mentioned here will make night driving a pain!

If you want the original LED brighter, just make "his" hole bigger.

Adri CiViC · 6th December 2006, 17:01

Sorry I make a mistake, I confuse the IR LED with the UV LED. So you don't need to make any difference in my explanation.

All leds works at 3,6 volts except red and yellow that works at 2,3 volts, deep red and non UHB 2,0 volts and IR led at 1,8 volts

Adri CiViC · 6th December 2006, 17:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stef

The original LED is bright enough, they just made the opening small so that the LED is not "blinding" the driver at night. (making the LED source invisible)
Mouting a LED like mentioned here will make night driving a pain!

If you want the original LED brighter, just make "his" hole bigger.

I try that but its looks very ugly because the square led is a bit up...

so I have the simple idea

of changing it

Jani · 7th December 2006, 10:52

....

"Your hole must look like mine"

This sounds too scary...

itsrelfy · 9th December 2006, 11:56

You can also get 12V LED's, that will go straight in a car, without the need for any resistor (unless you want to drop the voltage to make it dimmer).

To work out the resistance, decide waht voltage you want at the LED, say for example 6V.

That means you need to drop 6V across the resistor. Say the LED takes 100mA, then the resistor value =

6V / 100mA = 60 ohms.

You cant get a 60 ohm resistor, but you can get a 56 ohm or a 68ohm resistor, from the E12 range or a 62 ohm from the E24 range.

Its basic Ohms law.

They are only example values, LED current is given on the relevant datasheet.

If you by a 5V LED, obviously you need to drop 7V just to stop it destrying itself!!!

stu_iow · 9th December 2006, 14:32

Stupid question, but what is the purpose of the LED up there anyway?

I have often thought that to myself when sitting in the car.

AubreyS · 9th December 2006, 15:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by stu_iow

Stupid question, but what is the purpose of the LED up there anyway?

I have often thought that to myself when sitting in the car.

I guess just to illuminate the centre console area.

Glass Spider · 9th December 2006, 18:35

i keep thinking the moon is bright this evening then realise its the LED lighting up the gearstick!

Stef · 9th December 2006, 19:09

Just some info on LED's
Red, Green and Yellow needs 1.7V and 20mA (absolute max is 40mA)
Blue and White LED needs 3V / 20mA (max 40mA)
(voltage can change a bit due to make or current)

So 1 blue or white LED needs next resistor:
12V-3V = 9V ( U over resistor) then 9V/0.02A = 450ohm resistor
(470 ohm is standard value).

You can use 3 white LED's in series, leaving a drop of 3x3=9V

Then you need a resistor:
12-9 = 3V > 3V/0.02 = 150ohm ( 180 or 120ohm is a standard value)

Mind also that the car voltage can go up to about 14V.

Adri CiViC · 15th December 2006, 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stef

Just some info on LED's
Red, Green and Yellow needs 1.7V and 20mA (absolute max is 40mA)
Blue and White LED needs 3V / 20mA (max 40mA)
(voltage can change a bit due to make or current)

So 1 blue or white LED needs next resistor:
12V-3V = 9V ( U over resistor) then 9V/0.02A = 450ohm resistor
(470 ohm is standard value).

You can use 3 white LED's in series, leaving a drop of 3x3=9V

Then you need a resistor:
12-9 = 3V > 3V/0.02 = 150ohm ( 180 or 120ohm is a standard value)

Mind also that the car voltage can go up to about 14V.

I think that you are wrong

Here a leave a link to a resistor calculator
http://www.dotlight.de/shop/rcalc.ph...97a32636ef7e0c

Stef · 18th December 2006, 22:56

Nope, I design this stuff.
The site is wrong on the "standard" LED voltage.
Try the site and enter 3V for the LED, 12V for the car, you will get 470ohm
Here you see all at once, 12V power, 0.02A, 3.14V over White LED

PSyCoJuMPeR · 28th December 2006, 10:35

Great Adri_Civic (very good your english and your HOW TO, jejeje)

Adri CiViC · 28th December 2006, 22:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSyCoJuMPeR

Great Adri_Civic (very good your english and your HOW TO, jejeje)

Your welcome

britsbest · 3rd February 2007, 21:42

What LED I dont seem to have one? Maybe I have a glass roof instead??

Glass Spider · 3rd February 2007, 22:43

i have led and glass roof

britsbest · 4th February 2007, 09:57

OK I found a small rubber grommet between the map lights but if the LED is there it's very small and does not protrude from the lens cover. Could this be the first fault on my Civic?

4th February 2007, 09:57	#20 (permalink)
britsbest Supporter Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 9th September 2006 Location: Cheadle Hulme Posts: 228 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	OK I found a small rubber grommet between the map lights but if the LED is there it's very small and does not protrude from the lens cover. Could this be the first fault on my Civic? Last edited by britsbest; 4th February 2007 at 10:27.

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This thread is about: How to change a led, it's in How To at the Honda Civic forum Civinfo; Hi ya. Here is the HOW TO of changing the factory led, I make this mod because I realised that the civic led isn't so ...

6th December 2006, 16:30	#1 (permalink)
Adri CiViC Valve Cap Join Date: 26th September 2006 Location: Madrid - Spain Posts: 38 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi ya. Here is the HOW TO of changing the factory led, I make this mod because I realised that the civic led isn't so brighter. First of all, you must find a led like this one (the resistance is for another mod) 01zd3.jpg Now remove the cover case, using a screwdriver and pressing in one corner ( the photo is from 5 months ago, this is why appear the new led) 02st0.jpg OK, now we need a drill to make a biggest hole, my led size is 5 mm so I make the hole a bit bigger. Your hole must look like mine. 03we5.jpg 04xa8.jpg Using the screwdriver, you remove the two screws. 05fh1.jpg Now disconnect the cables, in my case are two, the white one is for the roof shutter 06gu4.jpg Take off the square led and try to fit the new led, probably you must burn a bit of plastic to fit the new one, finally fill the space behind the new led with something, in my case I use orange silicone, because is much better for electricity issues. Now connect the cables again and screws, it must look like this. 07ya7.jpg This is the final look. 08vt1.jpg

6th December 2006, 16:42	#2 (permalink)
Bungle Rocketship door handle Join Date: 3rd July 2006 Location: SE London/Kent Posts: 1,217 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	How much brighter is the new LED? I posted an idea a while ago about installing an Ultra Violet LED there, but it did not get the response I had hoped for. At least I can think about giving it a go for myself now! Thanks for this.

6th December 2006, 16:53	#4 (permalink)
Bungle Rocketship door handle Join Date: 3rd July 2006 Location: SE London/Kent Posts: 1,217 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I did not know that. What is the voltage and current into the standard LED?

6th December 2006, 17:00	#5 (permalink)
Stef Supporter Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 14th October 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 357 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The original LED is bright enough, they just made the opening small so that the LED is not "blinding" the driver at night. (making the LED source invisible) Mouting a LED like mentioned here will make night driving a pain! If you want the original LED brighter, just make "his" hole bigger.

6th December 2006, 17:01	#6 (permalink)
Adri CiViC Valve Cap Join Date: 26th September 2006 Location: Madrid - Spain Posts: 38 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Sorry I make a mistake, I confuse the IR LED with the UV LED. So you don't need to make any difference in my explanation. All leds works at 3,6 volts except red and yellow that works at 2,3 volts, deep red and non UHB 2,0 volts and IR led at 1,8 volts

7th December 2006, 10:52	#8 (permalink)
Jani Locking Wheelnut Join Date: 8th October 2006 Location: Finland Posts: 101 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	.... "Your hole must look like mine" This sounds too scary...

9th December 2006, 11:56	#9 (permalink)
itsrelfy Wheelnut Join Date: 19th November 2006 Location: kent Posts: 94 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	You can also get 12V LED's, that will go straight in a car, without the need for any resistor (unless you want to drop the voltage to make it dimmer). To work out the resistance, decide waht voltage you want at the LED, say for example 6V. That means you need to drop 6V across the resistor. Say the LED takes 100mA, then the resistor value = 6V / 100mA = 60 ohms. You cant get a 60 ohm resistor, but you can get a 56 ohm or a 68ohm resistor, from the E12 range or a 62 ohm from the E24 range. Its basic Ohms law. They are only example values, LED current is given on the relevant datasheet. If you by a 5V LED, obviously you need to drop 7V just to stop it destrying itself!!!

9th December 2006, 14:32	#10 (permalink)
stu_iow Big Civic fan Locking Wheelnut Join Date: 19th August 2006 Location: Isle of Wight Posts: 181 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Stupid question, but what is the purpose of the LED up there anyway? I have often thought that to myself when sitting in the car.

9th December 2006, 18:35	#12 (permalink)
Glass Spider Supporter Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 15th June 2006 Location: London Posts: 305 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	i keep thinking the moon is bright this evening then realise its the LED lighting up the gearstick!

9th December 2006, 19:09	#13 (permalink)
Stef Supporter Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 14th October 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 357 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Just some info on LED's Red, Green and Yellow needs 1.7V and 20mA (absolute max is 40mA) Blue and White LED needs 3V / 20mA (max 40mA) (voltage can change a bit due to make or current) So 1 blue or white LED needs next resistor: 12V-3V = 9V ( U over resistor) then 9V/0.02A = 450ohm resistor (470 ohm is standard value). You can use 3 white LED's in series, leaving a drop of 3x3=9V Then you need a resistor: 12-9 = 3V > 3V/0.02 = 150ohm ( 180 or 120ohm is a standard value) Mind also that the car voltage can go up to about 14V.

28th December 2006, 10:35	#16 (permalink)
PSyCoJuMPeR Valve Cap Join Date: 15th August 2006 Location: Ávila, Spain Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Great Adri_Civic (very good your english and your HOW TO, jejeje)

3rd February 2007, 21:42	#18 (permalink)
britsbest Supporter Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 9th September 2006 Location: Cheadle Hulme Posts: 228 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	What LED I dont seem to have one? Maybe I have a glass roof instead??

3rd February 2007, 22:43	#19 (permalink)
Glass Spider Supporter Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 15th June 2006 Location: London Posts: 305 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	i have led and glass roof