F1Junkie

Hi -

Just for kicks, I was wondering if anyone has changed the LED on their radio to a new bright blue one.

I have an older KO EX-1 (with the analog voltage meter) and was curious as to how complicated it would be to take out the old red LED and install one of those new blue ones. I am electronics-illiterate and so please be gentle... LOL

Of course I have basic soldering techniques!

Thanks in advance

Dave

p.s. anyone think it will be straight swap? Maybe all the electronics are in place - just snip and replace?

This is the radio

http://rctech.net/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=719403

Mag

The red ones use 1.7V but the blue ones use between 3-4V I think. You would have to check what voltage is used to feed the LED and find the current limiting resistor. If it is 5V that is used, the resistor would be (5-1.7)/20=0.165 kohm (165ohm) if the LED is using 20mA which is a very common current. It probably uses less. A blue one would need (5-3)/20=100ohm. But this is only if the LED is not fed from some chip or similar. If it is, it might be easier than described above. You might be so lucky that the LED is fed from a current limiting chip, and in that case it might be a straight swap. I don't think it might hurt to try and put one in instead of the red one.
Be careful. Mind the polarity of the LED. It won't lit if you put it in backwards, but they don't brake either. You will probably just find that the blue one won't work, but than again, it might.
Good luck.

JusBox

iTrader: (1)

Buy a Mars R, they have the blue led already!

Cole Trickle

But it's more fun, to have some, the others dont have!

And if you're happy with your EX-1, why change?

stefan

The problem with the Mars is that you cannot access the back of the circuit board, since there are two boards back to back and they are unfortunately permanentally connected (solder pins)

I tried and gave up, chances of screwing something up are too great...

F1Junkie

Thanks for the advice guys - I'll stay with the red and work on other cosmetic items...

Dave