Replace Radio Lamps????

[CareyWeber]

Has anyone replaced their radio lamps????

Mine are getting to be few and far between each other. :mad:

http://www.corvetteradios.com/home/Page1bulb.jpg

http://www.corvetteradios.com/Page7.html

Carey

[David_Jennings]

I posted a similar question a couple of weeks ago. I emailed a couple of places and got estimates of $50 and $80 for the job. I have a '99 GMC with a tape deck and external CD. I took it apart but could not get to the led's or lamps. Nice stereo, but I can't beleive the lamps are already burning out.

[Dimsdale]

Same here on my '99 Burb. The light is out on my last preset buttons. Not a biggie, but I expect that the others will someday bite the dust as well.

You would thing that there would be an LED substitute that we could plug in and would last longer than the vehicle, but I would take a simple replacement bulb and instructions. The service manuals have nothing.

Given the prices mentioned above, it might be worth just upgrading to some aftermarket radio.

[diesel65]

I have repaired my radio,
The hardest part is you need to get the faceplate seperated from the chassis and then removing the circuit board from the faceplate.
You have to unsolder the bulbs from the board to replace.
I have tried locating the OEM bulbs, one repair place told me they wanted $6.00 per bulb, and you need 10 to replace all the bulbs.
I ended up using Radio Shack #272-1154 bi-pin bulb, they are physically smaller than OEM, but at night I can't tell the difference.
Maybe when I replaced all ten, I don't have a reference to judge if it is dimmer than before.

[ace58]

Its getting dark in my truck too and I found a radio repair shop that goes through the entire unit for $100. They say if they can't repair the lights, no charge. Still debating about aftermarket stereo, but I am happy with factory piece and a new unit will be more than $100, I suppose.

[diesel65]

bump

[tom.mcinerney]

Now I'm wondering if i should be able to see the radio after dark...i only see the < > seek arrows, and the time/frequency LED.

Some LEDS are available (?) but not, to my knowledge, socketed:
1.) 15V internal resistors {only if want buy lots)
160-1050-ND 160-1112-ND 160-1046-ND
160-1054-ND 160-1052-ND
All provided by Lite-On Trading USA Inc; the part numbers are from DigiKey.com
OK, so to get 15Volt items from Digikey, you'd have to order too many.
But reasonable quantities of '12V' LEDs (leds usually drop 2-4 volts, and require an external resistor so as not to be exposed to more than that voltage, which fries) are readily available from Digikey. I would prefer to use 15 volt bulbs, as they'd be less likely to burn out. LEDs do dim in service, and do burn out if run hot/bright. Bad news: Digikey charges a $5.00 penalty if the order totals less than $25.00.
Good news:
Feel free to buy some 12Volt LEDs from
http://www.digikey.com/.
Suggested items--
67-1079-ND {Bright140millicandela, yellow, 3mm//1/8"T1 12V LED with internal resistor by Lumex Opto Components}
67-1067-ND {50millicandelas, red 3mm//1/8"T1 same mfgr}
These cost about $0.25 each.
There are about 205 commercial lightbulbs for which DigiKey sells socketed LED replacements. The 1156 is one. I want to check others, find "LED lamp replacements" under "optoelectronics" in their search arrangement. (?)

[a5150nut]

Arn't they T1 3/4 bi-pin incadesents? Not LEDS?

[tom.mcinerney]

5150-
The part numbers i wrote above are for LEDs with internal (integral) resistors which can be wired into a 12 volt circuit without an added external resistor to limit current. The polarity is important.

Surely you've noted that Cadillac 2001+ use led tailamps, and a lot of trucks/trailers??
I didn't really search thru the "LED lamp replacements" section, as i didn't have an incandescant bulb part number to match. The section includes LED bulb-arrays which are so configured as to be used as 'plug-in' replacements for legacy incandescant bulbs. For example, Digikey P/No=441-1015-ND, corresponding to Sunbrite P/No=SSP-1157B153S12, is described as "LED 1157 REPLACEMENT 590NM YELLW" , application "Incandescent Replacements, Indicator Lights" replacing lamp "1157" of base type "Bayonet (BA15D)", for price each about $4.25.

If you click on the DigiKey.com link above , and input the part number {67-1079-ND} in the 'search' box on that page, you are forwarded to another page which advises that ,
>Digi-Key Part Number 67-1079-ND corresponds to Manufacturer {Lumex} Part Number SSL-LX3044YD-12V
>The item description is "LED 3MM 12V SHORT LENS YEL DIFF"
>Lens Style/Size Round, 3mm, T 1
>Lead Style Radial
>Voltage Rating 12V
>>clicking on the part number redirects to a pdf from Lumex catalog:
<http://dkc3.digikey.com/PDF/T051/1484.pdf>
Which lists P/N=67-1079-ND as illustrated in the "T-1" section in "Figure #5" where it is seen that the longer led lead is anode(to battery+), the O.D. of the bulb's shank is 2.9mm, the O.D. of the retaining lip is 3.2mm, and the overall length of the LED 'bulb' (less leads), is 4.6mm; the leads are spaced 2.5mm apart, parallel.
[I would prefer that the leads be described as 'axial', from radial/diameters/chords].