TAILWAG

Just look at your $ 30 sticker on your driver's door... :o

DSteck

FYI, I measured another harness. The OEM resistor is ~3870 ohms, and consequently will block a ton of power from going to an LED. If anybody puts a new LED in without changing the resistor, let us know the results!

CudjoeScott

:o :-P . Wise-****. I'll look this afternoon when I leave work.

Mark Ducati

Thanks Dood!

So, to do what YOU did, I need:

-part number 271-011 which is a blue LED from RadioShack
-and a 220 resistor (the resistor you need in series is 195 ohms. R1 can be ignored. Radioshack doesn't have a 195 ohm resistor, so go to the next highest... which is 220)

Is that it?

I'm sorry to say, I have no electrical engineering capabilities... you're speaking greek to me... the local RadioShack owner is a friend of mine, he installed a stereo/sub in my boat last summer... I'm printing out this thread and see if will change the LED for me.

Thanks,
Mark

CudjoeScott

My build date is 12/07.

I bought the parts this evening, I'm gonna install them this weekend. I'll try the blue light first with the stock resistor. If that's too dim, then I'll swap out the resistor. I'll let you guys know how it turns out. If I can get my stinking' camera to work, I'll upload some pictures of the blue bulb with the stock resistor.

TTZ06VETTE

Great...we'll be waiting your assessment.

DSteck

You got it! I'd suggest going with a stronger resistor though, unless you want the LED to be pretty strong.

greekc6

pretty cool idea. that orange is pretty hideous

TTZ06VETTE

To me the 3870ohm stock resistor is too large based on the amount orange light that comes through. To be quite honest I never knew it was there. I would like to have the blue definately be brighter but not what that translates into for resistor(i.e. 2000ohm, 2500?). Any suggestions on where to start?

DSteck

All I can say is try the parts I used, and if that's too bright, just put in a bigger resistor until you're happy. The resistors are a dollar for a pack of five, so it won't break the bank to find a happy medium.

mirage2991

yup, there's plenty of Human Factor research that demonstrate that, hence why GM put a "redish" light.

I'm not sure my 08 Z06 has it either, it's june 08 build, I'll have to check

crease-guard

Trying to dim an LED by altering the resistance usually does not work very well. LEDs are more of an on or off device. There is a very narrow voltage window in which you can get dimming effects. You are going to play a big hit and miss game trying to wire a 5% resistor in series or paralell and get the desired brightness. Resistors are used with LEDs to limit the current, not control the brightness, i.e. voltage.

The proper way to dim an LED is by using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). This essentially turns the LED on and off really fast and you can adjust the "brightness" buy turn it on or off for varying periods of time. Using a 555 timer can do this quite easily. But probably too much trouble for most and once you have it set, you really won't mess with it again.

With that being said, a better way of using the resistor method would be to simply rewire the LED with a trim pot of say 5k or 10k in value. Not sure where in the circuit the OEM resistor is but if it's visable, you can cut it out and wire in the trim pot. Then at night you could adjust your resistance to get the desired effect, then replace the bracket. If you wanted to change the brightness, you could also access the trim pot again.

Jay

blackvetterzo6

I really did not know the LED was even there until i read this thread. Never noticed it before. You learn something every day on Corvette Forum

CudjoeScott

DSteck. Thank you!!! I did the LED mod this evening and it's very I followed your instructions and used the same parts you did and I don't think the blue is overpowering at all. It's perfect. Even my wife thought it was awesome.

Thanks again for a great DIY and a mod.

jm4471

fastdriver1

OK guys, who is going to step up and do an installation on one of ours that doesn't have it. Just checked mine (4/08 build) and no light. I have the correct sunvisor bracket but no light or harness. I just got back from a night trip up into New England and it would have been nice.

DSteck

If you're able to run wires up there, you could do it easily. You'd just need an LED, and use the spread sheet I posted, but use 14.4V as the circuit voltage (since typically, the car doesn't actually run at 12V). Piggy back the positive off of something that trips when the car senses night time, and ground the other end. That's all it would take! If somebody had an 08 in St. Louis that wanted to do this, I'm sure it wouldn't take long for me to do. FWIW, if you want to buy that LED harness, it's about $35 according to Gene Culley.

fastdriver1

I'll look into ordering the harness. I assume it comes with the diode. Then try and figure what circuit gets energized at dark. If anyone else is working on this, just jump in.

StandardShift

Just installed blue LED in my 2008 Z (build date 10/07). Went to my local Radio Shack and the only Blue LED that they had was part #276-316. It’s specs are: 5mm, 3.7 volt, 20 mA, 2600mcd, with a 30 degree viewing angle. I was prepared to change resistor, but thought I’d start out with stock setup. I unscrewed the visor hinge and got access to the harness and just pulled the old orange LED from it’s socket. Be aware of the flat spot on the rim of the stock orange LED when you remove it, as you will install new one with flat spot to the same side ( mine was flat spot to black wire). I trimmed the wires on new blue LED to approx 3/8 “ and installed in socket and reinserted in visor assembly.
Have driven car for several hours over the last couple of nights. It is great! Just bright enough, and not distracting. I really like it. Thanks DSteck!

DSteck

Hmm, I'm tempted to throw a huge resistor back into it now. Any way you can do a night time prolonged exposure with a tri-pod to show us just how bright it is with the stock resistor?