Obc Led

[hoveringuy]

Ok, So I have my OBC out for a burnt light (again). I need to run to the rat shack tomorow to pick up the standard 6v bulbs and am considering the LED upgrade. The only issue that concerns me is dimming. I don't have the time build a PWM dimming circuit, does anybody have LED's in their OBC and how does it look when the lights are on? Are they obnoxiously bright at night?

Hoveringuy

[hoveringuy]

I'll reply to my own post....

I went with two 12v bulbs and wired them in parallel. I don't understand why two 6v bulbs were wired in series to begin with, it's too much like my X-mas lights... one goes, they all go out.

Anyway, I think it was Radio Shack part# 272-1092, 12v minature bulbs with a 10,000 hour expected life. Looks like stock, will last forever and I can dim them unlike LED's.

Hoveringuy

[MikeE30325i]

mine are burnt out too, how did you go about changing them? i have never pulled it out of my car and would like to know how to fix it.

[hoveringuy]

Having just finished it, I would say the easiest way to do it is to

1) pull your radio out.
2) pop out the hazard switch and the blank plate at the top of the center console and remove two screws inside the holes..
3)pull the center console face forward about 1 inch.

At this point, the white cover that needs to be pulled out of the right side of the OBC will be visible, but will be partially hidden behind some of the plastic from the center console. The key to making the removal easy is to snip away the plastic that is in the way or use a dremel to remove enough to allow the white plastic cover to slide out. Don't worry, the plastic isn't visible when everything it installed.

The alternative to snipping the plastic is to remove the 4 screws that hold the OBC in place and that involves partial disasembly of the right side of the console and the glove box.

It will be obvious how to replace the bulbs once you pull the white plastic sword out. Use needle nose pliers to get it out. The two factory bulbs are 6v bulbs wired in series. I chose to replace them with two 12v bulbs in parallel. Your choice. You could also buy a new sword assembly from the dealer.

Anybody have anything to add to this? Did I miss something?

Good luck!

hoveringuy

[BimmerBall]

here's what i did...

http://m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=812

brightness is about the same. haven't tried the dimming, don't really care. went to radio shack and got a bag of leds and a pack of resistors. total was less than $5. and i'm going to use the other leds for other interior projects..


.

[MikeE30325i]

very nice, i will tackle this project sometime in the future.

BTW: my 1000th post! yay

[hoveringuy]

I noticed while I was there that Radio Shack sells LEDs with integrated resistors that are designed for +12v. Might make things easier if you go that route

Hoveringuy

[doigal]

Dimming works with the LED mod, and i'm fairly sure that it isnt 12V that it runs off, more like 10.6V in series (meaning 12V LEDs wont work)

[BDSax]

i followed the e28 way.

http://searchcomm2.cardomain.com/cardomaincommunity/search.aspx?SI=883aab1e-67fe-46b6-a306-e2faac805f82&Action=14&AXD=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cardomain.com%2fride%2f2205147%7e2205147%7eSome+pics+I+took+while+upgrading+my+OBC+to+LED%7e

its a perfect brightness.