How to: Replace switch bulbs with LEDs

[Welsh Dan]

Well, only a rough guide, but should give you a good idea of how to to it. I take no responsibility for broken switches/cut fingers/cars on fire/World war 3 etc :wack:

First of all. Take one switch

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/1.jpg

Then, using a flat head screwdriver, remove the front of the button. It should come off with a small bit of effort, without breaking the switch. You can do it the long way around and take the switch apart, but I thought this way was far quicker.

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/2.jpg

Using a pair of tweezers, remove the bulb (or needle nose pliers if they fit)

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/3.jpg

One removed bulb. This is for the rear fog, so not all of the switches will have a shroud as big as this one.

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/4.jpg

The tools needed for removing the bulb are, a pair of tweezers and a needle (to make unravelling the wire easier)

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/5.jpg

Remove the bulb, making note of how the wires are wrapped around the holder.

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/6.jpg

Then, using a 12v LED (or using an LED and resistor - I used some of the 12v ready made ones with wire from Ultraleds)

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/7.jpg

Cut the wires to about about 2" long, and strip the covers, making note of the positive and negative (positive is the one with the resistor)

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/8.jpg

Make sure that you insulate the wires (I did one, and did the other once it was fitted), then thread the wires through the holder.

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/9.jpg

Proceed to thread the wires through the holder, in the same way as the bulb was threaded, making sure that the wire passes through the flat holes at the ends (as this is where the contacts are). I threaded it through the flat holes twice, just to make sure that there would be a good contact.

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/10.jpg

Cut the ends of the wires, so theres no straggly bits and lose ends(sorry for the poor pic)

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/11.jpg

Then, insulate the rest of the holder, just because.

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/12.jpg

To get it to fit in the switch, you'll need to bend it slightly

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/13.jpg

Put the LED into the switch, making sure that the positive is at the bottom of the switch. You should be able to see how the LED needs to be fitted into the switch

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/14.jpg

Replace the switch into the dash panel, but don't put the button cover on just yet

[Welsh Dan]

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/15.jpg

Then, put the dash back in and test that the LED works.

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/16.jpg

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/17.jpg

Replace the switch cover, and voila!

http://www.corsasport.co.uk/carimages/5800/18.jpg

You may have to fiddle with the position of the LED inside the switch, but its best to make sure the top of the LED is in the centre of the switch, facing as forward as possible.

Dan

[blue boy]

Nice work :thumbs:

[fingerpie]

Nice work Dan....

Mine were a direct solder from the legs on the LED onto the contacts in the switch... didn't spring to mind to use LEDs with trailing wires....

Looks good.... are you going to replace the other bulbs? ;-)

[Egon]

Nice one that man! :thumbs:

[Welsh Dan]

I thought about soldering the LEDs, but I thought i'd try it this way first. If it hadn't have worked, i'd have taken them out and soldered them.

Personally, me and a soldering iron is asking for trouble anyway :wack:

[Welsh Dan]

Also, i'm in the middle of doing the other bulbs, but theres already guides for those. I'm using the same LEDs and will mount them in the same way

[fingerpie]

The bulbs I was on about were the front fog switch, headlight adjuster switch, cigarette lighter illumination and the drivers side electric window switch... have done them on mine and it looks really cool with all the switches/clocks/gauges in the same colour....

[SL25]

Are these the 5mm LED's? Want to do this on mine but thought they were 3mm?

You planning on doing any of the other bulbs (heater controls etc)?

:thumbs:

[Welsh Dan]

Well, I attempted to do the heater controls, but I think I buggered them up as some of the tracks lifted (you can't use the holders as the unit won't go back together again). I'll try to repair them, but i've hopefully got a spare set of controls that I can butcher and use.

[Welsh Dan]

Yes, these were the 5mm LEDs. Wanted white ones, and the range from Maplin is quite limited.

[James_200sx]

Just been to Maplin today.

Order 3 new bulbs (not LED) at 69p each

Did'nt relise button front came off, as they are tricky to get back together.

However did'nt have to do any of that flying lead messing around and they were a perfect replacement.

[s14jme]

i had 2 of my lights go out and nissan wanted to sell me a whole new button.
just took it apart and went of to mr maplin.
for some t3 sub minatures.cost about 30p each.
only problem was the original blue diffuser on the old bulb dod not fit the new bulb.
so i had to change all of them. so they light up equal. (i am fussy)
these bulbs did not require any soldering just bent the feet and they fittid in the old holder.
just be carefull not to snap anything.
lol
cheers
justin

[James_200sx]

If you get the correct bulbs from Maplin the little blude covers fit proper.

done one of mine and now another bulb has blown. I fix it when i get home.