White Gauge Mod.. Help!!
06-25-2013, 10:09 AM
#11
Senior Members
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Socal
Posts: 694
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: BMW E60 M5
Model Year: 2010
Engine: S85
06-25-2013, 06:03 PM
#12
New Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Haha Boss Cat I know!! I am actually really comfortable with it now, I just have to open it back up. I actually the like the way it turned out even with the LCD and needles lit up. I"ll have to post a pic later.
I talked with Lighthouse LEDs where I got my 3V 3528 LED from. The BMW OEM board needs a heat of around 350-400C to desolder the old LED, so soldering the new ones on at 250-270C didn't scare me much. Lighthouse said that soldering the new ones on can take a good amount of heat and they normally don't bust, as long as you are careful. I can solder pretty well so I have confidence. The only difference is that my cluster is very different on the inside from this cluster, which I was basing my WOULD be. I was wrong when I opened it, I now understand mine so let the troubleshooting begin! IT isn't too bad, I have SOME lights.
https://5series.net/forums/diy-do-yo...like-m5-71584/
I found a new gauge cluster on eBay, my exact model for around 150 bucks! Might be getting it soon. I'm glad to know a replacement is not expensive at all, sadly due to the newer bimmers being parted out.
Well I work at a National Lab so I'm using this to my advantage. Getting in contact with some technologists over here that might be able to help me wire some new SMD LEDs in and be able to provide me with info as to what is going on.
PS - 2010 528i owners don't even bother buying M gauge rings. I love the look of M gauge rings and actually planned on installing the rings, modding my back plates to white, and changing the LEDs all at once. You cannot remove the old rings due to NO space at the bottom of your gauges. To install them you would have to heat and remove the plastic housing from the gauge cluster and I definitely don't recommend doing that.
I talked with Lighthouse LEDs where I got my 3V 3528 LED from. The BMW OEM board needs a heat of around 350-400C to desolder the old LED, so soldering the new ones on at 250-270C didn't scare me much. Lighthouse said that soldering the new ones on can take a good amount of heat and they normally don't bust, as long as you are careful. I can solder pretty well so I have confidence. The only difference is that my cluster is very different on the inside from this cluster, which I was basing my WOULD be. I was wrong when I opened it, I now understand mine so let the troubleshooting begin! IT isn't too bad, I have SOME lights.
https://5series.net/forums/diy-do-yo...like-m5-71584/
I found a new gauge cluster on eBay, my exact model for around 150 bucks! Might be getting it soon. I'm glad to know a replacement is not expensive at all, sadly due to the newer bimmers being parted out.
Well I work at a National Lab so I'm using this to my advantage. Getting in contact with some technologists over here that might be able to help me wire some new SMD LEDs in and be able to provide me with info as to what is going on.
PS - 2010 528i owners don't even bother buying M gauge rings. I love the look of M gauge rings and actually planned on installing the rings, modding my back plates to white, and changing the LEDs all at once. You cannot remove the old rings due to NO space at the bottom of your gauges. To install them you would have to heat and remove the plastic housing from the gauge cluster and I definitely don't recommend doing that.
06-28-2013, 03:45 PM
#13
New Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok Now I feel like a dumbass... The multimeter I had was a piece of crap and was telling me that the + side was the side with the notch. Note - the cathode is still the notch, thank god. I got a much better multimeter and tested it out. This DIY won't be bad at all, and now I just have to resolder the LEDs. It won't take me long, once you get the hang of the first 4-5 leds, the rest are a piece of cake. I will resolder hopefully tonight/this weekend, and post results!!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Vman33
Complete Car Sales
5
03-14-2022 04:43 AM
bestofthebest
Complete Car Sales
5
01-05-2016 07:47 PM
umnitza
Vendor Classifieds
1
09-02-2015 11:28 AM