Changing dash lights to blue!!

[philipnslater]

Anyone done this, girlfriend has just got a new mini, i hate the dash lights glowing red/orange.

CAn they be changed? is it a filter or bulb? i have done it before on a MK3 Golf and it looked wicked.

Someone must have tried this??

Thanks in advance

Phil

[mikeythemini]

Its LED's & lots of them

[mutilator]

think that requires lots of soldering, altho i cant confirm this and i dont know why i think this ??? hehe.
hope u sort it.

tom.

[sorphin]

I converted my whole dash (well, minus the warning lights), clock, heated seat lights, and the flat tire reset button to blue. too just under 50 LEDs.. I do have pics, they're blurred a bit and brighter blue than the LEDs are, but if anyone wants me to post them anyway, I will. (Seems Blue LEDs don't photograph too well in the dark w/ a digital camera, it blurs, and of course, the flash washes things out so you can't use it)

[tribalmini]

oohh yes please. piccies would be great. Can u tell us more about the process???

[298]

Quote: Originally Posted by sorphin

I converted my whole dash (well, minus the warning lights), clock, heated seat lights, and the flat tire reset button to blue. too just under 50 LEDs.. I do have pics, they're blurred a bit and brighter blue than the LEDs are, but if anyone wants me to post them anyway, I will. (Seems Blue LEDs don't photograph too well in the dark w/ a digital camera, it blurs, and of course, the flash washes things out so you can't use it)

How long did it take? I am guessing lots of solder and flux right????

Would love to see the pics.. I can't think of a better light color than blue for my Indi Blue/White MCS

[sorphin]

ok, here's the pics, as promised ( I say I'll give pics and i deliver :P ), please NOTE, the pics make the leds look lighter blue than they really are, they are 470nm, so not *deep* blue, but a midway between light blue and deep, they are harder to see in the day light too, but still possible to see... it took me a few hours (tho i did one "Group" at a time, i.e. tach and speedo, auto ac, switches, etc.. seperately.. the LEDs on the bottom of hte switch panel as well as the ones in the seat heater controls are Right Angle LEDs, i had to improvise and take normal ones and put them on their sides.. Behind the LCD on hte Odometer and teh clock have an orange plastic diffuser, while leaving that in will still show blue, it diffuses too much, and i ended up using the waxy paper from a Walgreen Prescription bag, works fine, and avoids the spotlight affect from the LEDs., i DID end up using small pieces of hte orange plastic to dim down the heated seat switches and the flat tired reset LEDs, they're way too bright otherwise.

here are the LED *sizes*
the majority of the LEDs are, PLCC size, digikey part number: 160-1229-1-ND
the LEDs under the menu button on the NAV, as well as on either end of the LED gas gauge are 805s, digikey part num: 160-1579-1-ND
the LEDs in the cruise control buttons are, 1206s, part number: 160-1401-1-ND
the LED in the Flat Tire reset is a T1 sized blue LED.


and now, to the PICS, please be aware, the actual leds are not as light of blue (they look moreso like hte color in the auto AC pic....

Enjoy.

[minigolf]

That looks bloody good. Must admit, I'm gonna miss my blue dash lights in my GTI.

[TIMMIT]

Hey where can i get my dash lights changed? (aus) Melbourne
Really like the change.
There is just to much orange.

[mab01uk]

In the UK:
Work in progress | EssentialMINI.co.uk