DIC / HUD Led Conversion polarity documentation
Administrator
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From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
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Good information. Thanks for taking the time to document this for others that may want to make the conversion.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,429
Likes: 973
From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
Jonathan from JWMotoring used to have a diagram showing which pins to attach test leads from a 9v battery. Whichever bulbs had the correct polarity would light up. THAT is easy. Some of the other ideas about a voltmeter were not helpful.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,747
Likes: 224
From: Hillsboro Oregon
When I did LEDs on my 99 I found the plug and play LEDs were often too loose in the factory boards and could vibrate loose in use. So once I had them in the boards and tested I placed a drop of hot glue on one edge to stop them from shaking loose. Hot glue is easy to remove if needed in the future.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,429
Likes: 973
From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
When I did LEDs on my 99 I found the plug and play LEDs were often too loose in the factory boards and could vibrate loose in use. So once I had them in the boards and tested I placed a drop of hot glue on one edge to stop them from shaking loose. Hot glue is easy to remove if needed in the future.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,431
Likes: 233
From: Chicago Illinois
Thanks guys, yes I've seen those links and much to my surprise with all the in depth info there is nothing showing polarity of the switch housing.
OK well here is the DIC & HUD switch housings marked for polarity.
Attachment 47817898
Attachment 47817897
As you can see the clearence is very tight between the bulb and the housing. In fact the stock bulbs on the HUD switch don't want to come out.
Attachment 47817899
And this is how they break trying to get them back out. No big deal if it's a stock bulb like this that doesn't want to come out but when it's your new LED and you didn't order a few extra and you break a bulb and need to wait a week to or your dash back together for a $2.50 bulb to come in the mail trust me it sucks. This is why it would be so much easier if we had a picture showing the polarity of the housing and why I felt the need to test and post the pictures. It's not as easy and some of y'all may think as just popping out a bulb and popping a new one in.
Attachment 47817902
This is not how you want your car sitting waiting for that single bulb or two.
Attachment 47817903
OK well here is the DIC & HUD switch housings marked for polarity.
Attachment 47817898
Attachment 47817897
As you can see the clearence is very tight between the bulb and the housing. In fact the stock bulbs on the HUD switch don't want to come out.
Attachment 47817899
And this is how they break trying to get them back out. No big deal if it's a stock bulb like this that doesn't want to come out but when it's your new LED and you didn't order a few extra and you break a bulb and need to wait a week to or your dash back together for a $2.50 bulb to come in the mail trust me it sucks. This is why it would be so much easier if we had a picture showing the polarity of the housing and why I felt the need to test and post the pictures. It's not as easy and some of y'all may think as just popping out a bulb and popping a new one in.
Attachment 47817902
This is not how you want your car sitting waiting for that single bulb or two.
Attachment 47817903
I ordered the door switch bulbs. I wanted to replace the DIC and HUC control bulbs. But, dont know if I want to pull the dash apart.
I found these on EBAY, will these work?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-Blue-T4-...-/111462217772
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 14,137
Likes: 2,985
From: Iowa
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
I'm about to tackle this job right now. I'm not looking forward to doing it as not only am I going to do the LEDs in the cluster (doors and console already done years ago) I'm also going to do trim rings around the gauges and install a MGW shifter. I guess I could take pictures and show progress. My biggest fear is getting the gauge cluster out so if anybody has some suggestions on how to do that, my ears are open.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 25,303
Likes: 1,683
From: The Steel City, Colorful Colorado
Winner 2020 C7 of the Year - Modified
WTF! You have to pull the entire instrument cluster in order to replace the DIC bulbs and HUD bulbs?
I ordered the door switch bulbs. I wanted to replace the DIC and HUC control bulbs. But, dont know if I want to pull the dash apart.
I found these on EBAY, will these work?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-Blue-T4-...-/111462217772
I ordered the door switch bulbs. I wanted to replace the DIC and HUC control bulbs. But, dont know if I want to pull the dash apart.
I found these on EBAY, will these work?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-Blue-T4-...-/111462217772
I used lights from this guy http://www.ebay.com/usr/vettelights?...p2047675.l2559 and all went well.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,431
Likes: 233
From: Chicago Illinois
I'm about to tackle this job right now. I'm not looking forward to doing it as not only am I going to do the LEDs in the cluster (doors and console already done years ago) I'm also going to do trim rings around the gauges and install a MGW shifter. I guess I could take pictures and show progress. My biggest fear is getting the gauge cluster out so if anybody has some suggestions on how to do that, my ears are open.
I want to do it this spring, but for now, I am only going as far as the door switches LEDs.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 25,303
Likes: 1,683
From: The Steel City, Colorful Colorado
Winner 2020 C7 of the Year - Modified
http://www.vetteessentials.com/instr...zel_howto.html
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,431
Likes: 233
From: Chicago Illinois
If I remember right, the HUD lights are a smaller size than the DIC lights. And yes, to do this mod you must pull out your gauge cluster. It takes some time, but well worth the effort in my opinion.
I used lights from this guy http://www.ebay.com/usr/vettelights?...p2047675.l2559 and all went well.
I used lights from this guy http://www.ebay.com/usr/vettelights?...p2047675.l2559 and all went well.
Then I start reading that some times a bulb may break. I would like to have extra bulbs in case there is a breakage. I started looking at where the bulbs could be had from a non-Corvette parts retailer, for all the obvious reasons (aka, the Corvette Tax).
This site, and others sell these bulbs in clusters of 10. I may order them:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-Blue-T4-...-/111462217772
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,431
Likes: 233
From: Chicago Illinois
I used the instructions (below) to get my gauge cluster out.
http://www.vetteessentials.com/instr...zel_howto.html
http://www.vetteessentials.com/instr...zel_howto.html
How difficult was it to get the cluster to clear the sheering wheel?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 25,303
Likes: 1,683
From: The Steel City, Colorful Colorado
Winner 2020 C7 of the Year - Modified
After looking at the pictures in this thread, I can positively tell you that the HUD neo wedges are smaller than the DIC neo wedges. Make sure you have the right ones before pulling your gauge cluster out or you will be sorry. The DIC neo wedges are the same size as the door switch, traction control, trunk/hatch/foglight neo wedges.
I suppose you could take the LED w/resistor out of the neo wedge housing and swap it into the factory housing for the HUD light after you removed that bulb if necessary. But the guy I mentioned a few posts above had the lights labeled where they go with the correct sizes, no extras needed and the price was right.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 503
Likes: 50
From: Bradenton, FL
WTF! You have to pull the entire instrument cluster in order to replace the DIC bulbs and HUD bulbs?
I ordered the door switch bulbs. I wanted to replace the DIC and HUC control bulbs. But, dont know if I want to pull the dash apart.
I found these on EBAY, will these work?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-Blue-T4-...-/111462217772
I ordered the door switch bulbs. I wanted to replace the DIC and HUC control bulbs. But, dont know if I want to pull the dash apart.
I found these on EBAY, will these work?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-Blue-T4-...-/111462217772
All in all, a 2 to 3 hour job.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,431
Likes: 233
From: Chicago Illinois
Rather than buying a "Corvette marketed" T4 Neo Wedge HID/DIC LED kit, I think I will buy a hand full of these T4 Neo Wedge LEDs.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10x-Blue-T4-...-/111462217772
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 25,303
Likes: 1,683
From: The Steel City, Colorful Colorado
Winner 2020 C7 of the Year - Modified
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,431
Likes: 233
From: Chicago Illinois
My car is Navy Blue Metallic. For that reason, I changed the interior bulbs to blue LEDs. Yes, it looks amazingly cool. But, as already stated, they will last longer, run cooler, and draw less power. The heat of the stock bulbs is a real concern. When I changed the bulb in my automatic shifter assembly, it was clear that the stock bulb was doing damage to the plastic parts in the shift illumination components. Some components showed signs of melting. I discovered the same thing when examining the map light housing and foot well light housings as well. LED swap out is worth the effort. Now, I need to drum up the nerve to tackle the instrument cluster.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 164
Likes: 10
I used the instructions (below) to get my gauge cluster out.
http://www.vetteessentials.com/instr...zel_howto.html
http://www.vetteessentials.com/instr...zel_howto.html
Any body have the document for installing ?
1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Thank you!!!
This was extremely helpful. I purchase a DIC/HUD LED kit from Corvette Mods and the LEDs were not labeled for polarity. With your pictures, I was able to test each LED for polarity AND place them in the correct orientation the FIRST time.
On another note, I removed the gauge cluster using the Corvette Mods instructions and it was rather difficult. In the same day I also repaired my HUD which had broken both hinge points. Thus I had to remove the dash. I would recommend anyone who wants to remove the gauge cluster: Find another reason to remove the dash. Remove the dash before removing the gauge cluster, it is MUCH easier in that order.
This was extremely helpful. I purchase a DIC/HUD LED kit from Corvette Mods and the LEDs were not labeled for polarity. With your pictures, I was able to test each LED for polarity AND place them in the correct orientation the FIRST time.
On another note, I removed the gauge cluster using the Corvette Mods instructions and it was rather difficult. In the same day I also repaired my HUD which had broken both hinge points. Thus I had to remove the dash. I would recommend anyone who wants to remove the gauge cluster: Find another reason to remove the dash. Remove the dash before removing the gauge cluster, it is MUCH easier in that order.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 82
Likes: 19
From: Dorchester Ontario Canada
Thanks guys, yes I've seen those links and much to my surprise with all the in depth info there is nothing showing polarity of the switch housing.
OK well here is the DIC & HUD switch housings marked for polarity.
Attachment 47817898
Attachment 47817897
As you can see the clearence is very tight between the bulb and the housing. In fact the stock bulbs on the HUD switch don't want to come out.
Attachment 47817899
And this is how they break trying to get them back out. No big deal if it's a stock bulb like this that doesn't want to come out but when it's your new LED and you didn't order a few extra and you break a bulb and need to wait a week to or your dash back together for a $2.50 bulb to come in the mail trust me it sucks. This is why it would be so much easier if we had a picture showing the polarity of the housing and why I felt the need to test and post the pictures. It's not as easy and some of y'all may think as just popping out a bulb and popping a new one in.
Attachment 47817902
This is not how you want your car sitting waiting for that single bulb or two.
Attachment 47817903
OK well here is the DIC & HUD switch housings marked for polarity.
Attachment 47817898
Attachment 47817897
As you can see the clearence is very tight between the bulb and the housing. In fact the stock bulbs on the HUD switch don't want to come out.
Attachment 47817899
And this is how they break trying to get them back out. No big deal if it's a stock bulb like this that doesn't want to come out but when it's your new LED and you didn't order a few extra and you break a bulb and need to wait a week to or your dash back together for a $2.50 bulb to come in the mail trust me it sucks. This is why it would be so much easier if we had a picture showing the polarity of the housing and why I felt the need to test and post the pictures. It's not as easy and some of y'all may think as just popping out a bulb and popping a new one in.
Attachment 47817902
This is not how you want your car sitting waiting for that single bulb or two.
Attachment 47817903
Indeed these bulbs can be difficult to remove, even if they are loose. I found that gravity helped somewhat which means basically working over your head.
