99-02 odo, swapped OEM smd leds with white smd leds, +converting odo to OLED screen
08-08-2014, 09:40 AM
#101
little side track but could you recommend a soldering station? looks like the one you are using is no longer available. http://www.circuitspecialists.com/soldering-stations
08-08-2014, 12:21 PM
#103
Thanks for the good words. Im super happy everything up to this point is working out how I envisioned before I started working on anything.
The 60 watt station listed first on that page would be a good one for a casual user. They make good stuff and Ive never had a problem with the 60 watt station I have now and its got alot of use in it. I will be upgrading soon to a station that has hot air as well, with the surface mount stuff Im going to switch to a liquid solder paste which just requires hot air.
little side track but could you recommend a soldering station? looks like the one you are using is no longer available. http://www.circuitspecialists.com/soldering-stations
08-11-2014, 09:16 AM
#104
Nice job on the dimmer man. Thats one area I have not even adressed yet , but plan to. You mind shooting me a link to hid planet article? I was going to do something similar with pwm circuit and run off the stock dimmer wheel, but it was more custom work that was willing or wanted to do to have the stupid dimmer wheel "look" stock. Im "told" that using the 12 volts going thru the OE dimmer wheel for the supply voltage to the pwm circuit will work. Then as you decrease voltage supply to pwm board, the leds will dim properly. I have not verified it yet. If that doesnt work Im just going to ditch the headlight switch/dimmer wheel and fab in a switch/dimmer from a GM car that uses all LEDs inside.
Heres the assembly I want to try to make work. Its from a 07-14 Escalade
Also, I was cleaning out the wife's ridiculously filthy '13 Acadia this weekend, and I believe her dimmer is the same one...may save you some cash not having the "Cadillac tax" on parts....
Hard to see (can't find a good pic), but you can barely make it out here:
08-11-2014, 11:38 AM
#105
Thank you for the link man.
I will keep looking on the switch until I find a reasonably priced one. I'm not sure I can get it to work, so Im not willing to pay alot. All of these new style GM switches are pwm not switched 12 volt. Ill have to rack my brain and figure a way to cross the 2 styles of electronics. Our current headlight switch uses such heavy gauge wire, and a big bulky dimmer with large heat sink because all the current from the headlight circuit passes through it. The new style acts basically like a really, its just a switch signal sent to the bcm, and the bcm actually turns the lights on, not the switch per say and it is a very low voltage pwm circuit like most of the electronics in new GM cars. Shall be interesting.
I will keep looking on the switch until I find a reasonably priced one. I'm not sure I can get it to work, so Im not willing to pay alot. All of these new style GM switches are pwm not switched 12 volt. Ill have to rack my brain and figure a way to cross the 2 styles of electronics. Our current headlight switch uses such heavy gauge wire, and a big bulky dimmer with large heat sink because all the current from the headlight circuit passes through it. The new style acts basically like a really, its just a switch signal sent to the bcm, and the bcm actually turns the lights on, not the switch per say and it is a very low voltage pwm circuit like most of the electronics in new GM cars. Shall be interesting.
08-11-2014, 04:24 PM
#111
Sparky- Yea, I know. It will be a challenge if even possible. Ill just sit on it until I can find a switch for dirt cheap to play with.
Klabz28- I really dont have any clue how to make this work with a 97-98 cluster that you would need with your dash conversion. Even though the odometers visually look the same, the 99-02's are 100% different as far as wiring and circuitry goes. Gm switched alot of the cluster inputs to class 2 serial data beginning in 99. If I put a 98 cluster in my car, and I have because I got one to hack up, most of the cluster will not even work incl. the odo, except for the few anolog inputs that remain the same.
Klabz28- I really dont have any clue how to make this work with a 97-98 cluster that you would need with your dash conversion. Even though the odometers visually look the same, the 99-02's are 100% different as far as wiring and circuitry goes. Gm switched alot of the cluster inputs to class 2 serial data beginning in 99. If I put a 98 cluster in my car, and I have because I got one to hack up, most of the cluster will not even work incl. the odo, except for the few anolog inputs that remain the same.
08-11-2014, 07:13 PM
#113
Only if you want the dimmer to work. But thats true of any led, if you want to properly dim them the circuit has to be designed for it. Most just put leds in and live without a properly functioning dimmer. They will dim with the stock dimmer but it will jaggedy and not smooth. Your call.
08-12-2014, 11:19 AM
#115
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Sparky- Yea, I know. It will be a challenge if even possible. Ill just sit on it until I can find a switch for dirt cheap to play with.
Klabz28- I really dont have any clue how to make this work with a 97-98 cluster that you would need with your dash conversion. Even though the odometers visually look the same, the 99-02's are 100% different as far as wiring and circuitry goes. Gm switched alot of the cluster inputs to class 2 serial data beginning in 99. If I put a 98 cluster in my car, and I have because I got one to hack up, most of the cluster will not even work incl. the odo, except for the few anolog inputs that remain the same.
Klabz28- I really dont have any clue how to make this work with a 97-98 cluster that you would need with your dash conversion. Even though the odometers visually look the same, the 99-02's are 100% different as far as wiring and circuitry goes. Gm switched alot of the cluster inputs to class 2 serial data beginning in 99. If I put a 98 cluster in my car, and I have because I got one to hack up, most of the cluster will not even work incl. the odo, except for the few anolog inputs that remain the same.
08-12-2014, 12:11 PM
#116
The body control module and dash/interior harness is whats going to mainly effect the cluster operation, not the engine harness. There were alot of analog inputs to the cluster that changed to class 2 serial data. I have never done the swap though, so I am just just going off wiring schematics and putting a 98 cluster in my 2000 and over 1/2 of it didnt function. But I was not trying to swap in a 98 cluster so I never investigated it further. If you can get the 02 cluster to work correctly in your car, that would be great.
08-12-2014, 01:27 PM
#117
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I could see that being an issue. Luckily I have the 02 body harness as well. It sounds like way more work than its worth when you can just buy an LS car but mine is super clean.
08-12-2014, 01:33 PM
#118
Its really not a big deal swapping the body harness. I find these cars quite simple to work on, like one big lego, lol. If I had a lt car to me it would be far easier to swap and entire wrecked car over, than blend the 2 systems together.
08-13-2014, 09:04 AM
#120
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Yeah I figured instead of cutting and splicing everything to work with the pre 99 stuff, just strip it down and swap it all. Less potential for error, plus it gives me a good excuse to upgrade the interior.