[Phreddy]

Here we are folks, the long-awaited FAQs for the control / intrument lighting mods. As more questions come to light, I'll be sure to keep this list up to date.


Q: What models can your mods/kits fit to?

A: At the moment, only VY and VZ Commodore / Monaro are covered in the ASR kits. Models previous to VY can be converted, but not in a kit at this stage. Development for other makes and models is in progress, check back later.


Q: What is changed?

A: Basically, whatever lights up green currently is changed to the colour you choose. The following items are converted: Ignition switch ring, headlight switch, trip computer button panel, heater controls / climate control, instrument cluster, stereo system (factory unit), forward console mounted window switches, Auto shift and PWR + AS switches if applicable, and traction control / ESP button if fitted. If your model currently has illuminated steering wheel buttons, these are also changed. Optional items include factory Bluetooth (or other accessory) switch, factory sunroof, and back door window switches. An option also exists to change the gauge dials in the instrument cluster to white, such as several HSV and Calais models, with other illumination in the colour of choice.


Q: What colours can the instrument / control lighting be chaged to?

A: Essentially any colour in which LEDs are available in 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, and PLCC2 SMD package types. This covers blue, red, white, yellow, orange, and of course green. Other colours are claimed, such as purple and pink, but these are not recommended.


Q: What's wrong with purple or pink?

A: Let's tackle these one at a time. Purple (or violet, or mauve) is one of those colours which the human eye doesn't respond well to. The sensitivity of our eyes reduces towards the ends of the visible spectrum (red at the low end, violet at the high end) and this means that the actual output intensity of these "end colours" must be much higher for us to perceive the same level of visible brightness. Red LEDs are OK for this, because remarkably high intensity devices are available - purple however, are not of sufficient intensity. Additionally, purple devices are only available in 5mm leaded package - no 3mm, 10mm, or SMD devices are available. Pink devices are available in most package types, but these are not a true pink LED - they're white devices, with a pink filter in the lens. (additionally, I'm not certain why someone would want their control/instrument lighting in pink anyway - sorry girls!)


Q: Does the light dimming function still work?

A: Absolutely. (the ones that dim in the first place, anyway) No functionality of the lighting cicuits is altered, apart from several globes being replaced with LEDs. This proves to be an advantage, as LEDs won't blow after a few years like globes do.


Q: What about my car's warranty?

A: Because the associated sub-assemblies are dismantled and modified, unfortunately the warranty on these items will be void. However, if you're engine falls out or something, and the dealer blames your modified instrument cluster, then I think you'll have a good case with the Fair Trading Dept.


Q: Why the price differential between blue and other colours? And why is the white gauge option more expensive?

A: A simple matter of component cost. Blue LEDs are substantially more expensive than other colours, and white a bit spendier still.


Q: Why should I buy your kit? I can get the LEDs from a hobbyist supplier a little cheaper....

A: You could get most of the LEDs, although you'll find the SMD types are difficult to get hold of in small quantities. (you can find them, but it's almost guaranteed they'll be the wrong type - the ones for mobile phones are the WRONG type!) A LED is not necessarily a LED - they vary greatly in emitted wavelength (colour), angle of radiation, mounting style, intensity..... A great deal of trouble has been taken to ensure colour matched, intensity matched, and correct type LEDs for these kits. The leaded type LEDs also have various modifications to lens shapes and lead-forms to firstly make the installation run smoothly, and secondly to concentrate the light output where it needs to be. Much trial and error went into this, so you don't have to. Finally, the kit is accompanied by a 34 page document - printed in full colour - to guide you through all the stripdown, modification, and reassembly procedures.


Q: So what does the modification involve? What work will I have to do?

A: Several sub-assemblies have to be removed from the car. Items such as the headlight switch, trip computer button panel, heater / climate control, instrument cluster, stereo (if it's the factory unit), window switch module, any accessory switches (such as the T/C or ESP, bluetooth button, etc.), and if you have an Auto, the entire console needs to come out to change the lighting in the shifter and associated buttons (PWR mode, Active Select). There will also be a fair amount of trim panel removal and replacement. Once these items are out of the car they need to be stripped down, and have the globes (or existing LEDs) removed and the new devices soldered in place. The instrument cluster is by far the most risky - there's a long row of pins connecting the LCD display(s) to the main circuit board - these must be desoldered, and they must be desoldered PROPERLY. It's a "through-plated" board (techos out there will be familiar with that term), and if not desoldered correctly you can write off either the board or the display window. This will mean you're up for a COMPLETE NEW CLUSTER - somewhere in the vicinity of 400 bucks for one of those - and it's STILL GREEN!! The facia in the stereo is also a little bit tricky, but not quite as tough as the cluster. If your car has the dual zone electronic climate control, this is also a fairly delicate assembly and needs care. The bottom line is that you'll have to be comfortable with not only the soldering side of things, but also to strip a sub-assembly, noting how it went together in the first place, and then be able to put it BACK together. Don't forget to put all the screws back in when you're putting the car back together too - else you might end up with a rattle or two you never heard before.


Q: I'd like to have a go at installing this mod - I did a little soldering at school and built a crystal radio when I was a kid. Can I do this?

A: I would very strongly suggest that without the right level of experience and access to the right tools, you should NOT take this job on. There's just plenty of situations which could end up very costly if the wrong tools or techniques are used. For those who work in the electronics industry and are comfortable with soldering (especially with surface mount components), then it's quite straightforward. For another who "built a Dick Smith kit years ago...", I'd suggest you get friendly with a good technician.


Q: I already have a HSV/Calais and my gauge dials are already white. Can a kit be customised so as to change all the other illumination, and leave the gauges the way they are?

A: Of course! If you need a kit which departs a little from the standard types, let's talk. Also if you have certain accessory switches (such as bluetooth etc.) extra LEDs can be included to cater to these items.


Q: OK, you got me - I don't feel comfortable to do it myself, so I'd like you to perform the mod. What are my options?

A: If you're in the Sydney area, that's easy - I'm located in the Western suburbs. Alternatively, I can do the work on a "mail-in / mail-back" basis - either all items, or just those you're not confident with. This work can be done overnight and the items on their way back the following day. The last option is to keep an eye out for the "ASR Roadshow" - I'm planning a trip to each state capital (in Aust) to perform full mods for folks if enough interest is shown. The first Roadshow trips are planned for early 2007.


Cheerz!

[shanhsv]

How long till a VS kit comes out.I'd love to change my dash light to blue rather than green

[Haydz]

yeah phreddy have you sorted anything out?? i still want my lcd readouts done and climate control if nothing else.

cheers bro.

PM me when your free one weekend and ill come up to your place.

[shanhsv]

so whats the latest

[ScoHar]

Yea have you ever done anything with the earlier model LED lights in the window switches, im currently doing mine, ill let you know, pretty fiddly though, Makes much easier having a mini soldering iron with temp control.

[r8chev]

Hey Phreddy, any news of when your gonna be ready to give my car the blue dash full works....... patiently waiting...... cheers

[Phreddy]

I'll get back to you real soon Mate - got a delivery of LEDs through the week, almost ready to rock.

[r8chev]

beautiful. ok mate cheers.

[TMM]

is it possible to change the polarising filters on the LCDs to invert them (white characters, black background)?

[vzlumina]

So what happens if you have a like a Berlina cluster and you want it to light up HSV style? As is just while gauges but still green screens? Also the taco do that sweet color change thing?

[Phreddy]

A "scaled down" conversion can be done to just change the gauge dials to white, and yes the colour morph needles are fine as long as the existing needles have a white backing. (red needles WON'T work, but I'm in the process of working out how to change this...) Everything else can be left green if desired. (the only question is, WHY????)

Just kidding - I know there are plenty of folks out there who don't mind the green lighting - I'm just not one of 'em!

Cheerz!

[vzlumina]

Originally Posted by Phreddy

A "scaled down" conversion can be done to just change the gauge dials to white, and yes the colour morph needles are fine as long as the existing needles have a white backing. (red needles WON'T work, but I'm in the process of working out how to change this...) Everything else can be left green if desired. (the only question is, WHY????)

Just kidding - I know there are plenty of folks out there who don't mind the green lighting - I'm just not one of 'em!

Cheerz!

The green looks OK on the screens, but for a 'luxury' cluster it looks weird, just out curiosity how much does it cost?

[Phreddy]

I don't post pricing on the forums, shoot me a PM or email and I'll set up a quote for you.

[HoldenManDan]

Originally Posted by TMM

is it possible to change the polarising filters on the LCDs to invert them (white characters, black background)?

I'd also like to know if this can be done for the vr/vs level 3 cluster windows please

[Phreddy]

I had thought about changing the pol filters, but I found myself thinking about it a little.

See these type of displays are designed to be "transflective" - a mix between "transmissive" (where only backlighting comes through the display, such as a laptop LCD) and "reflective" (the types of LCDs which have been around for years - with the silver backing which reflects light back through the glass).

The problem with just shifting the polarising on a transflective glass is that it costs you a lot of contrast. That's why a laptop screen (or LCD TV) works in transmissive mode - to maintain a hight contrast ratio. I would suggest that a transflective display - whilst very visible at night - during the day would be difficult to read, because at this time the screen is depending more on the reflected light than the backlight coming through.

(I think most of that makes sense!)

And apart from that, if I tried it and screwed up the display glass, I'd have to buy a new cluster 'coz you can't get the individual parts for 'em!

So, TMM and HoldenManDan - in my own opinion it would work, but not particularly well I don't think. If I had a junked cluster it might be worth a try, but I don't...

Cheerz!

[Nevyn]

Hi.....what would be the best type of LED lights to use in the L3 cluster of a VN?.....I had some multi globe ones, but they didn't show the needle very well, and then they seemed to start burning out as well.

Any chance you could make up a kit for the VN-VS's??

[excalibur]

do you have any contacts in WA that can do the led conversion

[Phreddy]

Nevyn - very difficult, for a number of reasons which I won't go into. (actually, scroll up a bit and read the FAQ!!)

Excalibur - if you're referring to your VZ you're laughin'. Shoot a PM to Anthony - wrx884 on the forum - he looks after installs for me in Perth.

[excalibur]

thanks phreddy will do

[Phreddy]

Um - Nevyn, there's a large plate of scrambled eggs just been thrust in my face! I'm a bloody dope....

In the FAQ that's posted here, I didn't go into details about why it was tricky with VN - VS models.... (that's in a FAQ list that I was wanting to post on my web site! D'OH!!)

My apologies Mate - and here's a bit of a "why" for you....

VY and VZ are real easy, because the dial mask (the sheet that the gauge scales and stuff are printed on) is clear translucent. It will simply transmit whatever colour light it's backlit with, so we simply change the colour of the LEDs.

VT and VX are a bit harder, because they actually have a green filter coating on the inside of the dial mask. That needs to be scraped off (from the inside of course) during the process for these models, especially if the intent is to light the scales in white. (if going blue, the filter coating can in fact be left on, when the globes are replaced with the LEDs it's only blue light that's finding its way through the filtering anyway)

Now comes the pain in the arse - earlier models actually used a green translucent film for the gauge dials - overprinted in white then black so the scales show up, when lit from behind green light gets through really easy - but because the film is relatively thick (compared to the coating on the inside of the VT/VX mask) blue light doesn't find its way through all that well. Additionally, because the needle is an orange colour on the back edge, when you try to illuminate this with blue light, you end up with none of the blue wavelengths reflecting off the back of the needles so they become invisible.

So, if that makes any sense to you then that's where we're at. If one was to arrange custom printed dials on blue base material, then that would work great! However, it's probably going to be spendy. Some of the ebay offerings need to be carefully considered too - some of them are pretty junky quality wise....

Anyhow, hope that provides some answers for you - only from my experience here, mind you... I know others have successfully modded their VS/VP clusters - they might have some tricks up their collective sleeve maybe?

Cheerz!

[Nevyn]

thanks anyway Phreddy......I might see about if I can get some dials made up like u suggested and get back to u.

[wrx884]

Originally Posted by Nevyn

thanks anyway Phreddy......I might see about if I can get some dials made up like u suggested and get back to u.

Ive got a contact that ive used from ebay a fair while ago i got him 2 make me up some custom dial faces including all the small buttons faces on the VP calais dash and made them look very close 2 original even in its colour (Black). The only real differences that i can see wen u look real close is that the white dial markings u can see they have outlayed a white film behind the clear film so on certain angles in sun light u may get a faint shadow but thats the best ive found so far. if u want the contact detail give me a PM.

Also on top of that a custom PCB boards need 2 b made up aswell 4 the cluster, as the amount of globes in the clusters wont allow any type of LED 2 spread the light well enough around the clusterface.

[Nevyn]

I got onto that contact, and am getting a custom set of dials made up the way I'd like them.....will send u a pic once I receive them and have them installed.

[arrow]

well this sounds seriously awesome!
but how much does it cost?

cheers
steve

[dipdip]

any one no of some one in the eastern who can do the kit??
i wouldnt have a clue wat im doing
cheers