w126 Blue LED Update - Just Finished!

[1985 300SD Sady]

Hello all,

I have been busy at work on my 1985 300sd. I just converted practically every interior light that comes on when you turn on the headlights to blue LED.

I will post all the pictures I took, so you can see how to do it for yourself. Feel free to post you comments, opinions, or questions.

This first group of pictures shows how I modified the rear map lights. One shot shows my new soldering station that I love. (xytronic LX-1000)

[1985 300SD Sady]

This group shows how I glued in 5mm Blue LEDs for the CCU.

If I were to do this again, I would just find blue incandescent bulbs since LEDs do not do well shining to the sides.

[1985 300SD Sady]

The start of how I modified the window switches, which ended up being the most work.

[1985 300SD Sady]

Blue LED installed into window switches.

Back of console panel switches, I simply glued in 3mm LEDs where the fiber optic used to go.

Circuit board in which I soldered a new (filed down) LED for the ambient temperature display.

Filed down LED for Ashtray.

[DrewGerhan]

Wow! That is an excellent idea. I changed out my dash lights with some super white LEDs. The rear map lights and climate control lights would be my next conversion. Hows the light transmission in the climate control?

[1985 300SD Sady]

Originally Posted by YoungBenz

Wow! That is an excellent idea. I changed out my dash lights with some super white LEDs. The rear map lights and climate control lights would be my next conversion. Hows the light transmission in the climate control?

Thanks!

The CCU did not turn out like I had hoped, but you can see what is pressed which is what matters. I will live with it for now. You will see more pictures (results to come)

[1985 300SD Sady]

Gear Selector - I scanned the PRND32 into my computer, converted it to straight black and white, and printed it out on nice photo paper. I then laminated the paper, and cut it to size. Next I mounted it on some plexi and mounted a LED under it, I left the boot off so that you can see the gate.

CCU - Dim, I know (EC button is pushed, making it brighter)

Ashtray, hard to see, but it lights up.

[patbob]

Originally Posted by 1985 300SD Sady

The CCU did not turn out like I had hoped, but you can see what is pressed which is what matters. I will live with it for now.

Did you use super bright blue LEDs? Some of them can be pretty bright. I think they even make the 1W & 3W LEDs in blue. I've got a 1W that I use for room light when the power is out -- it's brighter than several candles (i.e. I can comfortably read by it at 5 ft). I get mine from superbrightleds.com, but lots of places sell them, maybe even Radio Shack.

[Matt L]

You need to get some LEDs without lenses to prevent the problem of light from off-center.

[1985 300SD Sady]

Originally Posted by Matt L

You need to get some LEDs without lenses to prevent the problem of light from off-center.

Where could I get those?

[1985 300SD Sady]

Day/Night photo comparison

How my car looks at night now

I got the idea to do this to my car from what Breckman99 did to his car. (see Pictures of project LED update)

I just did not want white face gauges, I did paint my needles so that they would show up better with the blue.

Notice I did the window switches, which I do not believe anyone has done yet.

What do you think?

[Matt L]

Originally Posted by 1985 300SD Sady

Where could I get those?

You need to find someone who sells for OEM applications. These are usually surface-mount, but I've soldered many of them to small boards by hand.

Digikey may sell them. I don't remember. But they're available and are cheaper than those with lenses. The last time I dealt with them was for a business client, and I got a whole bunch of them for free with a phone call.

[1985 300SD Sady]

Originally Posted by Matt L

You need to find someone who sells for OEM applications. These are usually surface-mount, but I've soldered many of them to small boards by hand.

Digikey may sell them. I don't remember. But they're available and are cheaper than those with lenses. The last time I dealt with them was for a business client, and I got a whole bunch of them for free with a phone call.

Cool thanks, Ill get researching.

[Ara T.]

Ouch, that blue would get annoying after a while. Awesome idea though I would have used a different color.

[1985 300SD Sady]

Originally Posted by Ara T.

Ouch, that blue would get annoying after a while. Awesome idea though I would have used a different color.

Well, I did the cluster first so I have been driving with it for a couple weeks now. Everyone in previous threads said they would get tired of blue as well, but I really enjoy it.