the LCD on the HVAC is the part people crack. Unfortunately You end up buying another board just to get the LCD.

But, if you are careful you will be ok. I used solder wick for a long time, but finally ran out and bought a sucker NEVER put any pressure on it. I do it this way:

1) Lay front half of HVAC module housing with board on its face on something soft.

2) Take all the screws out of the board.

3) Remove all solder from the LCD pins and ensure pins all move freely

4) Pick the board up off the LCD. If the LCD is still stuck, wiggle each pin with the hot iron untill you get them all free.

 

Honestly - i havent removed my board yet but I was "thinking" I would use the solder that was on the board already and heat it up, remove the led, heat it, apply new led. Is my logic wrong? That is the way I normally solder something but it sure sounds like I shouldnt do it like that. please help me w/ this so i do the right thing. I am going to wait to hear what you have to say engifineer because if you say its all good im going to order those lights from ebay since they are the right price. Do me a favor - stress test those extra hard please.

 

For the LEDs, you can do that a bit, but you usually need to add a very small amount of solder due to some that sticks to the old LEDs. You want a small tip at about 15-20W to solder them. Touch the pad and the LED lead with the iron and do the same with the solder without touching the iron. This will pull the solder across the connection to the iron.

As for the LCD, you have to remove all the solder to remove the LCD, so you need solder for that as well. Just by a very small diameter solder at Radio shack for that.

 

He is talking about the LCD that has the clock. It is soldered differently than everything else. All other led's can be removed and replaced with the same solder.

 

So how much does this all cost after its all said and done? I want to do mine blue also.

 

To do it yourself it runs about $45 for the leds, plus a few more for the resistors and wire if you are going to do the center console (HVAC) as well. If you use the LEDs off of ebay then it will be about $15 when it is all said and done for parts. One person has used them, and I am waiting for mine to do the stress testing on them. I have a feeling I will switch to them if they are good quality parts, so my prices will drop considerably. My other concern is with the color quality. But I will have 50 to play with so I should be able to tell fairly quickly.

To get my prices for doing them, you can pm me. :D

 

Well I trust your work, send me some info on it.. pricing, etc. I know I PM'd you earlier today.. I had spoke with you about it also one day way back when..

Thanks brotha.

 

I paid:

$0.99 for 50 Blue LED's
$13.50 to ship blue LED's
$6.98 for a 30watt Soldering Iron from Advanced Auto Parts

 

^^ Actually you paid $12 for the LEDs and about $2.50 to ship them That is an old ebay scam, charge nothing for the part and ridiculous shipping . But either way, if they turn out durable that is one hell ofa deal. The only reason I am checking them out so well is because I do a lot of these for other people and dont want to be sending stuff out and having leds fail down the road. So I will test them some before using them. The ones I ordered from hong konk for the HU led conversion have already had a failure, so I like to play it safe when I am dealing with other peoples cars. For my own I wouldnt hesitate to use them without testing first.

 

the one guy from asia was selling them for: $13.50 - but engifineer is going to work his magic and stress test them for us. I am a comp sci guy but not w/ the technology option (meaning i can tell you everything about a computer but the circuits).

 

it maybe one of my projects for the future

 

I dont want bulbs that burn out fast. Im looking to maybe spend a few more dollars and get something that will last.

 

Well... the registered envelope that they were shipped has $18.30 in stamps on it. It was shipped from Hong Kong. It is hard to say I guess.

 

jesus!! ha. I bet you can prob get them shipped from japan cheaper then if someone in the usa sold them to you.

 

apparently lol. either way... it is a cheap mod that stares you in the face.

 

i have to reread the howto on this.