HVAC lights

[trhlz1222]

well im about to take apart my hvac to fix my blower switch and ive been wanting to change the color of the leds. any idea wat the bulb number is in there and how many there are? heres a link to the how to for the switch and the bulbs can be seen on the second picture.
http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/1b/cf/9f/0900823d801bcf9f/repairInfoPages.htm

[BrApple]

there are two incodecent lights in the hvac .. iirc #111 maybe not sure at all ...

[trhlz1222]

only two ok. any idea wat the dimmer switch is and the two footwell bulbs are?

[my98SVTturbo]

only two ok. any idea wat the dimmer switch is and the two footwell bulbs are?

footwells are 194 i have blue leds there and it looks hot

[trhlz1222]

footwells are 194 i have blue leds there and it looks hot

do you happen to know the HVAC bulbs since he was unsure. the dimmer switch i found was 3mm

[reddired]

question........
i was at radioshack yesterday and i wanted to buy a cpl of led's but backed out becuz of this question:
does the volts on the led have to meet
the batt volts (i.e. led~5v / batt~12v)
the radio shack ppl said that the led would not work on a 12v batt.
pls advise because i really want to put these blue led's under my dash, inside my dash and in the dome...........

thanks!

[Matt R]

The dimmer switch is a 5mm LED. 3mm is too small for that.

[cannondalemtb]

question........
i was at radioshack yesterday and i wanted to buy a cpl of led's but backed out becuz of this question:
does the volts on the led have to meet
the batt volts (i.e. led~5v / batt~12v)
the radio shack ppl said that the led would not work on a 12v batt.
pls advise because i really want to put these blue led's under my dash, inside my dash and in the dome...........

thanks!

You will need a resistor

[my98SVTturbo]

The dimmer switch is a 5mm LED. 3mm is too small for that.

would a 194 work also for the dimmer and headlight switches?

[trhlz1222]

works for the headlight switch. not the dimmer

[my98SVTturbo]

okay i`ll order one of those but does anyone know what works for the dimmer and clock? and whats the best place to order stragiht blue bubls at?

[trhlz1222]

the dimmer is 5mm led i believe. the clock no idea i dont have one. check autolumination.com

[mikeswartz]

clock bulb is a bulb/socket assembly, ford part number e5ry-13466-ba. if you want color to it search the forums and it's been posted where to buy the colored sleeves that go over the bulb. i usually just find the sleeves at junkyards, mitsu uses orange, toyo and ford use green and honda often uses blue. don't know of anyone that uses red but i'm sure someone does.

[trhlz1222]

does autozone or advanced have those condoms cause i just got the dash apart to fix the switch and my leds havent come yet cause they mailed to the wrong address and the dimmer switch can be changed with just a led condom

[trhlz1222]

well i got my leds finally. one problem. ford told me that the hvac were #74. not even close.

[hotdimmes]

well i got my leds finally. one problem. ford told me that the hvac were #74. not even close.

old forums would have told you otherwise:

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=aesthetics&Number=1278138&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1

[Big Daddy Kane]

I thought they were #194s... if so, the #74s will still work, but you'll have to bend the contact 'legs' on the LED base out sideways and make sure the contacts inside the socket aren't touching.

Good way to hold them in there is hot glue (or even some Duco Cement... just make sure it works before you do that!).

And for the guy asking about the Radioshack LEDs... Here's a resistor calculator so you don't overdrive the LEDs: Luxeon Resistor Calculator (http://www.luxeonstar.com/resistor-calculator.php)

You just gotta figure out the LEDs draw, which Radioshack should have listed on the packaging. Put it in the calculator (Use ~14.2V for source voltage) and mosey on over to the resistor section and pick up a pack. ...Or do like I try and wire up enough LEDs in series that you don't need any resistors. Just have to make sure the forward voltage of all the LEDs added up is at least more than 14.5V. If you wire them up for exactly 12V, you'll burn them out in short order due to the car normally charging the battery at around 14.2V.

HOWEVER... Radioshack is damn (!!) expensive for what you get. Sure, it's an easy stop, but it's way more expensive than just going online to a place like SuperBrightLEDs.com (http://www.superbrightleds.com/) and picking some up. Way better selection too.

[hotdimmes]

I wish I could find red LED bulbs with bases in 660nm wavelength. All the superbrightled stuff is like 620-630...too orangish!

[trhlz1222]

well i got them all installed. the hvac looked awesome....until i did the guage cluster. now nothing lights up except my pillar gauges if that matters and the signal lights when used. the warning lights and everything work. the only ones that dont are the ones i replaced. i folded them like strikr said too.the dimmer switch worked while i had the hvac working then when i got to the cluster it stopped working also. do these work on a circuit or something. the floor well lighting still works and all fuses that i could relate to lighting are fine. i also switched the headlight switch bulb. i did that before the cluster but after the hvac so i couldve been there where i messed something up. someone help

[trhlz1222]

anyone????

[striker2]

anyone????
If none of the HVAC/gauge lights light up then you most likely blew the fuse for them. i did this the first time i put mine in and it happened because i didnt have one of the "tails" bent all the way around it shorted between both sides of the socket. double check all the bulbs and your fuses.


Also. once you get it working i want to see how the HVAC looks as i may be doing the SVT soon and if just using the premade bulbs works good i will do that instead of soldering in bulbs.

[trhlz1222]

ok. but one problem is why do the turn signals still work and all the warning lights? and all the switches i checked looked fine. i can check again tomorrow when i got light. also would unplugging the battery and reconnecting it sort of reset them all?

[trhlz1222]

one problem leads to another. well i got the hvac working again. it doesnt look like its gonna turn out all that great. but its too bright to tell. got to the headlight switch and got that too work too and same with that cant tell yet if it actually is visible. then to the gauge cluster. took em all out checked em all and put em all back in. highbeam is nice foglight is nice blinkers work. just cant tell if the gauges are lit up blue. not sure if its cause their white and its so light out or if their not working. anyways today i was doin the cluster and the circuit board shorted out into on of the signal lights. it still turns on and such but it doesnt lite up in the cluster. is there a easy fix or should i just order a new circuit board. it blew the 7.5amp fuse again so i replaced it with a 10 amp is that ok? seems to be working fine but i have only had the key turned and it running in the parking lot havent drove it anywheres. striker ill get pics of the hvac tonight if i remember if not ill get em tomorrow for ya

[my98SVTturbo]

i have the exact same probelm right now...and yes my #74's fit in there and then when iw went to turn them on there was no light from the gauges...

[CSVT1214]

You have to bend the contacts on the bulb just right otherwise they won't light.

The other area that gets messed up is the metal tabs on the outside of the socket. If they are not bent right, they don't touch the back of the cluster and again, will not light.

[trhlz1222]

well i went out last night and some light of the fuel gauge doesnt ill have to take a look at that down the road. its not all the bright like strikers are. really dissapointed about that. is there a difference between his zetec on the svt did both have the green film? mine kind of looks greenish blue now instead of the nice blue they should be

[CSVT1214]

The Pre-98 gauges (maybe even all non-SVT's?) have a totally different film than the SVT gauges. The SVT gauges have a very thick film to accomplish the strong green color. It's not as simple for SVT's.

[trhlz1222]

that would be why then. thanks. ill get pics for yall soon

[Matt R]

The #74 LEDs do need to have the contacts bent out as mentioned... stretch them straight out so it looks like this: ------O-------

[trhlz1222]

i got the 74s as my footwells and the 194s as my hvac cause they were brighter