How to change the color of AUTO in power window button

[bolink654]

This is the first how to write up I've ever done. Also my camera sucks at up-close.

How to get the switches out has already been covered by other how-tos in the sticky, so I wont bother with that.

Here is what you need



The little silver doo-dad is a clip on heat sink, prolly not needed but used for piece of mind.
You dont really need the flat head but I use it for moving hot pieces and bending.
Phillips screw driver (not pictured)
Soldering iron
Solder
Side cutters of some form
3mm LED - I'm going with blue - this one http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...-mcd/305/1237/
Resistor that matches LED - I'm going with blue so I'm using a 470ohm, specifically this one http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...hole/901/2220/
If you chose a different color, you may need a different resistor.

Now lets take it apart. Remove the 3 silver screws circled in red


Then turn it over and pull off the button that locks the windows. It just snaps on/off


Then turn it back over and remove the 3 yellow-ish screws circled in red.


Now use them side cutters and nip off the green LED. LEDs are polarized, so make note of which way the old one was - the new one must go back in the same way, or it will not light up.


And then solder up you new LED and resistor. Apologize for the bad pictures, but hopefully you get the idea.


Put it all back together - just reverse the directions - And this is what it looks like

[mazdaverx7]

good writeup! thanks for sharing!

[rusty9]

Pro-tip for close-ups: Use the macro function on your camera, usually the flower symbol.

[DM616]

I didn't even know there was a light there...mine is probably dead...

time to switch!

[WaxonWaxStillOn]

Why did you need to insert a resistor where there wasn't one before? Can you link which type of led and resistor you used?

[bolink654]

Why did you need to insert a resistor where there wasn't one before? Can you link which type of led and resistor you used?

Well... The LEDs you can buy have a set "forward voltage" which is basically the max volts you can run through it without burning it out. For example, the forward voltage on the blue LED I bought is 3.6 volts. Now when I hooked a voltmeter to the original green LED, it was at 12 volts. So we need to limit that 12 volts down to 3.6 volts.

There is a calculator on this page - http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...2Fled_info.htm

This is the LED I used - http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...-mcd/305/1237/

So if you read the stuff under parameters on that page, then plug the numbers into that calculator, it would be like this

Supply voltage: 12volts
Diode forward voltage: 3.6 volts
Diode forward current: 20 mA

Then click the Find R button and it will tell you that you need a 470 ohm resistor - this one http://www.superbrightleds.com/morei...hole/901/2220/

However, if you go check out the red 3mm LED, for example, it will show you that its forward voltage is 2.1 volts, and in that case, using the calculator, would show you that you would need the 560 ohm resistor.


Now, why Toyota can have LEDs that run on 12 volts, but we cant buy LEDs of the same size that run on 12 volts? I have no idea.

As I understand it, there it a bit more to it than this, though. For example, on the blue LED, it says you only NEED 420 ohm worth, but the nearest one you can buy to 420ohm, is 470ohm. Always better to go a little over. But you could mix and match 2 or 3 smaller resistors and come up with a number closer to 420ohm, which - I assume would make it burn a slight bit brighter. However, I am not sure if the LED's receive 13-14 volts when the car is running (ya know, since that's what the alternator puts out), not to mention you don't really have room for 2 or 3 resistors.

Now that's just my understanding of it. I've just started messing with them. I'm sure someone else here knows more, and if I got anything wrong, I hope they would feel free to correct me.

[bolink654]

Originally Posted by rusty9

Pro-tip for close-ups: Use the macro function on your camera, usually the flower symbol.

I actually did use the macro. I had a 2-3 year old Nikon digital camera that had an awesome macro (it said it was good for 2inches to 20 inches or something)

But I've lost it and all I have is a newer Kodak. It's macro is only good for like 9 inches to 25 inches or something hardly macro IMO

But yes that is a good tip.

[Creeps228]

Nice write up, I've been wanting to change it for a while now. Great job man. STICKY!!

[WaxonWaxStillOn]

Thanks for the thorough explanation (and original writeup.) Threads like this make me ponder going places with the camry I've never considered before. I love the blue led look.