HVAC digital control LED disaster
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
HVAC digital control LED disaster
I pulled the trigger and replaced the 14 lamps in my digital HVAC controller with LED's and resistors. That's the good part of the story. The bad part is that now the HVAC doesn't light up or work at all. I had to run jumper wires a number of places where the foil had released from the circuit board. I checked and re-checkd my work, and everything looked OK. But now I have no HVAC. I ran codes and HVAC code was "no communication". Fuses are OK. I'm guessing I need a new control panel. Sure would like to replace it with a manual unit, but I'm guessing it's not plug-n-play. I've been in electronics since 1962 when i was an electronics tech in ASA and NSA, but I'm afraid these old eyes and old hands need to turn such projects over to the younger generation!
2000 convertible
2000 convertible
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From: Dyer, IN
I pulled the trigger and replaced the 14 lamps in my digital HVAC controller with LED's and resistors. That's the good part of the story. The bad part is that now the HVAC doesn't light up or work at all. I had to run jumper wires a number of places where the foil had released from the circuit board. I checked and re-checkd my work, and everything looked OK. But now I have no HVAC. I ran codes and HVAC code was "no communication". Fuses are OK. I'm guessing I need a new control panel. Sure would like to replace it with a manual unit, but I'm guessing it's not plug-n-play. I've been in electronics since 1962 when i was an electronics tech in ASA and NSA, but I'm afraid these old eyes and old hands need to turn such projects over to the younger generation!
2000 convertible
2000 convertible
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
It wasn't from the heat from my 25 watt soldering pencil, it was from the tiny drill bit I used to clean out the holes. Bummer! Shoulda invested in the electric solder sucker instead of depending on my old squeeze bulb! save a buck, spend a few!
Last edited by mtdoragary; Feb 26, 2011 at 11:05 AM.
Tech Contributor
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From: Dyer, IN
Nope, but a forum member Tstar, works on them as well. I would contact him first.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/memb...267-tstar.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/memb...267-tstar.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Ocean Springs MS
The last one I did for a friend I had to run a few jumpers as well on the rear of the panel from LED to LED to get them all to work but it worked fine for me. 
Any chance you have a friend nearby that would let you try their HVAC in your car to narrow down something else being wrong? Stupid suggestion I know, but did you remember to plug the connector back into the other board when you put it back together?
Tim (Tstar) is one of the resident experts here, hopefully he"ll chime in soon but he keeps some really strange hours! Maybe a "Twilight" thing?
Any chance you have a friend nearby that would let you try their HVAC in your car to narrow down something else being wrong? Stupid suggestion I know, but did you remember to plug the connector back into the other board when you put it back together?
Tim (Tstar) is one of the resident experts here, hopefully he"ll chime in soon but he keeps some really strange hours! Maybe a "Twilight" thing?
Last edited by rpm462; Feb 26, 2011 at 12:51 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: jackson nj
A guy on ebay rebuilds them. Any feedback on him?
It wasn't from the heat from my 25 watt soldering pencil, it was from the tiny drill bit I used to clean out the holes. Bummer! Shoulda invested in the electric solder sucker instead of depending on my old squeeze bulb! save a buck, spend a few!
It wasn't from the heat from my 25 watt soldering pencil, it was from the tiny drill bit I used to clean out the holes. Bummer! Shoulda invested in the electric solder sucker instead of depending on my old squeeze bulb! save a buck, spend a few!
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
EDIT: I took another look at it, removed the LED's cleaned up the board, and began bridging the bad areas. I'll do more tomorrow.
Last edited by mtdoragary; Feb 26, 2011 at 08:58 PM.
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Thread Starter
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
Thread Starter
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
I got a reply from the ebay seller, Digital Speedometer Repair Service (mandigital) telling me not to bother sending it to him! So, lacking any response from others I contacted, I began work again my unit. I've got no way of telling whether or not I fried the IC's or even the body computer, but I have to start somewhere. First I removed the LED's I had installed as backlights, then with my newly purchsed solder sucker, I cleaned up the areas and examined them under high magnification. I'm now bridging all the areas where the foil pulled away from the circuit board.
Last edited by mtdoragary; Feb 27, 2011 at 01:19 PM.
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From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
Damm that sucks... sorry to hear that.
Google search for Used Corvette parts places.
You might get lucky if they have a bunch of parted out cars.
Check the For sale section for parted out car's also.
Google search for Used Corvette parts places.
You might get lucky if they have a bunch of parted out cars.
Check the For sale section for parted out car's also.
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
If I'd found the thread for re-soldering the resistors before I found the LED thread, I'd have saved myself a lot of grief and money! I'm now trying to repair the board and get it back to stock configuration...
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Santa Maria Ca.
These guys might be able to help with repairing/rebuilding it
http://corvettesalvage.com/index.php...roducts_id=263
http://corvettesalvage.com/index.php...roducts_id=263
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Horseshoe Bend ID
...not to hijack this thread, but when I did the "dim HVAC" fix I found that these boards are REALLY fragile. I used a low watt soldering iron and found how easy it was to get components to peel up from the board--take your time and good luck
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
If I had done the dim mod, I'd be OK. But I got overjealous and went for the LED mod, made some mistakes, and now I'm paying for it with an eBay controller out of an 03!
Team Owner
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From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
If you drilled through plated-thru holes... there's a chance you also removed the copper barrell (the plated-thru part)... breaking needed electrical connections.
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
I don't know of the specific item you are working on, but most holes these says on circuit boards are "plated through"... meaning making an electrical connection from one side of the board to the other.
If you drilled through plated-thru holes... there's a chance you also removed the copper barrell (the plated-thru part)... breaking needed electrical connections.
If you drilled through plated-thru holes... there's a chance you also removed the copper barrell (the plated-thru part)... breaking needed electrical connections.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Port Birmingham AL
I may be wrong, but it would seem that if you have the dim
display caused by the bad solder joints on the resistors, then these
would need to be repaired before installing LEDs. The LEDs still
get power through these resistors as the bulbs did????
Larry
display caused by the bad solder joints on the resistors, then these
would need to be repaired before installing LEDs. The LEDs still
get power through these resistors as the bulbs did????
Larry
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From: eustis FL Saved and blessed; what else matter?
Good logical hypothesis, but they are completely different circuits. The backlights have to have their own resistors if replaced with LED's.