26 replies to this topic

[TheRealVXed]

Hi all, thought I'd be clever and change the colour of the LEDs in the stack. However now they are working but very dim. Looks like earth leak, but they never get brighter. I think I have assembled the stack wrong, and that the very small nuts on the back actually go on inside the cover to earth the circuit board inside or does the earth for the lighting go though a wire that may be broken. For the record the remainder of the stack works perfectly.

[vocky]

I don't think the nuts provide an earth for the stack leds because they were all soldered direct to the pcb on all the stack dashes I've pulled apart

[Winstar]

Hi all, thought I'd be clever and change the colour of the LEDs in the stack. However now they are working but very dim. Looks like earth leak, but they never get brighter. I think I have assembled the stack wrong, and that the very small nuts on the back actually go on inside the cover to earth the circuit board inside or does the earth for the lighting go though a wire that may be broken. For the record the remainder of the stack works perfectly.

may be stating the obvious have you tried turning the brightness up?

[RobNA]

Hi all, thought I'd be clever and change the colour of the LEDs in the stack. However now they are working but very dim. Looks like earth leak, but they never get brighter. I think I have assembled the stack wrong, and that the very small nuts on the back actually go on inside the cover to earth the circuit board inside or does the earth for the lighting go though a wire that may be broken. For the record the remainder of the stack works perfectly.

may be stating the obvious have you tried turning the brightness up?

First thing I thought too. Hold down the "reset trip mileage" button next to the key and it cycles through brightness'

[TheRealVXed]

Yes I have tried the brightness thing. even in it "brightest" setting it is so dim that I can't even see the dials in the pitch black. I hate electronics Can anyone who knows about this sort of thing help me out? Willing to travel to you with my stack if necessary?

[slindborg]

chances are you have either fitted dimmer then std led's, OR you have fitted bright ones but they are such a narrow band you see them dimmly on the dash, OR they need more current than the originals and the inline resistor is too high.

[TheRealVXed]

Thing is, when I first tested them before I put it all back together they were bright, but flickered. Seemed like and earthing issue so I assumed some of the stack earthed through the chassis. But when I put it all back together they stopped working properly. They are PCDs, but the stack has cone shaped "spreaders" about each buld so directional shouldn't be an issue. I checked the polarity of the old bulbs very carefully before I replaced these and have double and triple check they are all wired in the correct way round The only reason they are on at all looks like because there is earth leak (similar to when the interior light is changed for an LED bulb)

[2.2_na]

The only reason they are on at all looks like because there is earth leak (similar to when the interior light is changed for an LED bulb)

They must be extremely dim if that's the case. It's like they are not getting full power to them at all.

[TheRealVXed]

Precisely. But I don't know how to check that or which wires I should be checking. I hate electronics Anyone know where there is a wiring diagram for the internals of the stack unit? And also for the wires going in I guess is just in TIS?

[slindborg]

you wont find a schematic of the inside of the stack. The TIS wiring diagram will tell you how to connect it up though (cant believe you even did this 'project' knowing you hate/cant do electronics )

[Jameshs]

Precisely. But I don't know how to check that or which wires I should be checking. I hate electronics

Anyone know where there is a wiring diagram for the internals of the stack unit? And also for the wires going in I guess is just in TIS?

Why play with them if you dont understand them

[d4nnyk]

What colour led did you go for?? not that it would make a difference

[ChrisS1]

What colour led did you go for?? not that it would make a difference

black by the sounds of it.

[2.2_na]

What colour led did you go for?? not that it would make a difference

black by the sounds of it.

[TheRealVXed]

currently black, but actually should be white. I did it suceccesfully with my clio. Now have lovely white instruments with blue screens. even managed to do the radio and the a/c and all the button/window switches etc and just need to make up a board to do the clock bit as currently it's bulbs... But the stack has flummoxed me I can't understand why they only partially work. so they clearly are in the correct way round etc. Any one offer any solution? I am a numpty (for the record I also have sucessfully done all the switches with white icons and blue indicators and they look ace ) Happy to advise anyone wanting to do that themselves despite the proof above of my allergy to electronics!!

[Jameshs]

What did you remove and what did you replace it with. Have you checked the spec of both parts??

[TheRealVXed]

Well I removed the original LEDs and replaced with these

not sure what the spec is of the stack ones? perhaps these would be better matched?

[slindborg]

in short, if they are dim they need more current...

[d4nnyk]

I am no auto electrician and problem talking a load of b*ll*cks but if there is 12v running through the stack to light the leds and there are six leds then in theory each led would have to only require 2v to be on maximum brightness?? Am I talkng sh*t???

Edited by d4nnyk, 21 January 2011 - 03:55 PM.

[slindborg]

I am no auto electrician and problem talking a load of b*ll*cks but if there is 12v running through the stack to light the leds and there are six leds then in theory each led would have to only require 2v to be on maximum brightness??

Am I talkng sh*t???

talking sh** lol

They wont be in series, or atleast shouldnt be.
They most likely wont take 2v, most LED's dont thesedays