Optitron is a special illumination system for the instrument cluster. It works this way: when the car's ignition is turned off, the instrument cluster remains invisible. After turning the key, the arrows on the instruments should come to life first, and only after them the instruments themselves - the speedometer, tachometer and other sensors.

Optitron has a special anti-reflective background, thanks to which all signs are clearly readable in any conditions.

Required Components

The Mayak lamp is a donor of lighting components.

Lighthouse lamp, rear view.

SMD LEDs are exactly what I was looking for in a lamp. The size is about 3 by 4 mm.

Entire lamp, consumption in “dimensions” mode.

Entire lamp, consumption in stop light mode.

LEDs, 330 Ohm resistors.

Blanks printed circuit boards, cut on a lathe.

The boards are marked for installation of components. The black dots between the tracks are where the LEDs are installed.

Marking of “tracks” on the board. Here is the fifth, the inner track is superfluous, I wanted to do a two-color backlight first, but I changed my mind.

Arrangement of LEDs 3 in a cluster.

Alternatively, you can place the LEDs on one track in series, it will be even simpler plus saving one track, but my option is more reliable.

Making an optitron

I'm trying to clean the filter at the edge of the scale. The peculiarity of these scales is that they are designed for the use of ordinary light bulbs, so they have an additional layer of dark filter (dots) applied to them, which ensures uniform illumination (closer to the light bulb, darker). A yellow filter is also visible under the white scattering layer. I would leave the yellow one, but removing black and white without affecting the yellow is unrealistic.

This is what it looks like in the light. Despite the white backlight, the numbers are still yellow thanks to the yellow filter, so you will have to remove it, although I didn’t want to.

Illuminated fuel and temperature gauges. I was afraid that there would not be enough three LEDs for the scale, but it turned out to be in vain - the scale is illuminated evenly, the gradient is not noticeable to the eye. Yes! As a result, only 3 tracks remained.

Rear temperature and fuel gauges. The light filter has been partially removed in the right places.

Ready-made temperature and fuel scales.

I remove the light filter on the tachometer. I use nail polish remover and pieces of cotton pads (we take everything from my wife/mother/sister’s arsenal). The technology is as follows: soak the pieces in liquid and apply to the area for a minute. While we are making the next one, the previous one soaks and the coating can be easily removed with a fingernail. Carefully! Front side very sensitive to solvents, especially alcohol!

Installing tachometer backlight. Hot glue from a “gun” serves as supports and at the same time fasteners.
The downside is that in this version the tachometer is not removable.

Finished tachometer scale.

"Combined" lighting. LED tachometer, regular speedometer. The temperature scale and fuel gauge are double backlit. Here the photo does not convey the effect quite correctly.

Speedometer backlight board. The main difficulty, it turned out, was precisely here. Due to the built-in odometer, the speedometer device is very bulky and there is very little space left for illumination. As a result of trimming and pointing, very little remained of the scarf.

Rear speedometer backlight board. I had to restore the path this way

I'm installing the speedometer light. Two lights didn’t fit, so I moved them to the side surface

I turn on the speedometer light and check it. Between the tachometer and speedometer, the common plus and minus are brought out into the T10 socket; a protective diode and a common current-limiting resistor (all from the same lamp) are also installed in it, plugged into the standard socket from under the backlight lamp.

Finished speedometer scale

Complete tidy. Currently in finished condition.

conclusions

— The inner edges of the numbers are slightly obscured by the protruding parts of the instruments;
— I didn’t make the inscriptions shine through, I didn’t want to overload the panel with light - I had to seal it with black tape from the inside;
— The odometers turned out to be dimly lit (one must think);
— The arrows were not illuminated, I left the usual light bulbs.

The panel is in working order. In the photo it looks close to the real thing. Time: afternoon, summer. It’s a bit bright at night, and out of habit, it’s a little distracting. I hope that the brightness will go down over time.

What car enthusiasts don’t do to make them unusual. Some car owners spend a lot of money on professional tuning dashboard. And some craftsmen prefer to do it themselves. This kind of tuning is quite easy to do. In order to replace conventional light bulbs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), you do not need to have special knowledge or skills. do-it-yourself instrument panels in a car - we’ll tell you now.

A well-lit dashboard is not only more informative at night, but also has a better view

Disassembling the console

Initially, you need to disassemble the dashboard: remove the protective glass, then the arrows, but keep in mind that they are very fragile, and in order not to damage them, it is better to slip thick paper under the screwdriver; it does not require much effort.

For the dashboard substrate, you will need a knife, with its help you need to cut through the layer of sealant around the entire perimeter.

After removing the “cover”, use a knife to carefully scratch the filter; it is a special paint. Then degrease this area with acetone or alcohol.

Changing the backlight

The first thing to change is the odometer backlight (shows the distance traveled). and remove the film protecting it, remove the light bulb, and put an LED in its place. You can experiment and install multi-color LEDs; in the future, you can choose the color according to your mood. After replacing, we put the odometer screen back in place.

Changing the console light completely

We replace all the remaining light bulbs on the dashboard with new LEDs. You can, just as in the case of the odometer, choose multi-color ones.

If you chose multi-color LEDs to illuminate the instrument panel, you will additionally need to install a color switch. It is more convenient to place it on the right side of the steering wheel, but you can implement your own option.

How to make dashboard arrows backlit

The color of the speedometer and tachometer needles is important. If they are white, then you can leave them as they are. But if not, then you need to remove the old paint with a knife and treat them with alcohol, then paint them with white varnish or regular paint.

The color of the arrow should be white, because only it conveys the entire gamut of LEDs.

You can try the shooter separately. This requires LEDs with a diameter of 3 mm at 12 V.

Important! In the car network, the voltage is 12 V; if the LEDs are designed for a lower value, then they cannot be connected directly. They should be connected through a stabilizer.

If the diameter of the LEDs is larger, you will have to make additional holes for them.

Schemes for smooth switching on of the backlight

To smoothly turn on the backlight of the scale and arrows, you need to spend a little effort, and more specifically, re-solder the circuit.

Below are two diagrams, in the first case - the dashboard, and then - the arrows. The circuits can be implemented on small pieces of a circuit board, which are sold in radio parts stores.

Consider one important factor, if the LEDs differ in power, they will not light up at the same time, some ahead of time, others late, but in general the backlight will turn on smoothly. This also applies to the LEDs on the scale.

We collect

When everything is ready, we begin to slowly assemble the console. First of all, we install the substrate. Apply sealant to the back side and glue it to the panel.

Then we put the arrows and protective glass in place. After modernization, the instrument panel looks bright and unusual.

LED lighting not only looks unusual and bright, but is also a good addition to the car in terms of economy, which helps save battery power, since LEDs consume 80% less energy than a regular light bulb.

The instrument panel is one of the important elements of the interior that the driver pays attention to while driving. Its tuning always catches the eye. Let's talk about the principles and basic ways to improve the panel.

In modern foreign cars there is a whole complex of instruments and sensors, including small displays.

How to tune the instrument panel

I would like to say right away that the boundaries of tuning the instrument panel are limited only by your imagination, the taste and color are up to you to choose. But still, for the most part, we can highlight the replacement of standard lighting, the addition of lighting for sensors, arrows and other components.

In addition to lighting, you can change appearance panels by adding special stickers to the devices. Thus, the appearance of the instrument panel will change. Some car enthusiasts manage to make such stickers themselves by printing them on a laser printer on self-adhesive paper.

The third method and the most expensive is complete replacement instrument panels for a tuned one. Most often, this may be a completely different arrangement of devices, multi-colored lighting, or the presence of additional devices. The most modern option is to install a large display instead of analog instruments, but such pleasure will cost a lot of money.

LED-based instrument lighting

It often happens that the dim factory backlight of the instrument panel confuses the instrument indicators or is not visible at all. Also, due to such illumination, the driver’s eyes get tired, which can lead to an accident.

The most modern method is LED lighting based on strips. Firstly, they are easy to buy at any auto store, and secondly, they are quick and easy to install. The first thing we need is to remove the instrument panel, depending on the make and model of the car, the panel is removed in different ways, so we will not describe the process of unscrewing and removing the panel.

Now, having removed the panel, unscrew it to the base, so that you can easily get to the standard lighting. As a rule, in passenger cars 12V power supply, same power supply and LED strip.

Next, you should be good with a soldering iron; you will need to remove the standard light bulbs and solder an LED strip in their place. As a soldering fastener, you can use two small wires, but not very thin ones; they can burn out due to the load.

It is advisable to place the LED strip evenly over the entire surface. As practice shows, it is better to solder several short strips than one long one, and the likelihood of combustion is less, and there will be no load on one power supply.

If you are not comfortable with a soldering iron, then it is better to turn to experienced ones, since here you need to be careful and careful, the slightest short circuit can burn the entire instrument panel.

Once all the strips have been soldered, it’s worth checking, connecting the instrument panel with a surface-mounted installation and turning on the backlight; if everything is done correctly, all the strips will glow. The strips themselves can be attached using double-sided tape, so the backlight will be distributed evenly across all devices. All that remains is to put everything back together in reverse order, tighten the instrument panel and enjoy.

Film instead of LEDs

More in a simple way can be considered using film instead of LEDs or LED strip. The advantage of this method is its simplicity and lower costs. Getting started is the same as in the previous case. It is worth unscrewing and removing the instrument panel, then disassembling it to the base where the backlight is located. Now the procedure begins to differ. Typically, the factory backlight is white (in domestic cars), and the color changes thanks to the film on the back of the devices.

The more transparent the film, the brighter the instrument illumination will be; depending on the color of the film, the instrument illumination will be. The principle is designed in such a way that light from a standard backlight passes through the film, thereby changing color and illuminating the devices.

Here, as they say, the colors will be limited by your imagination; you can make numbers of one color, arrows of another, and lines of a third. Some amateurs use sandpaper and a scratch pad to clean the base of the instruments on the back side (from the backlight side) so that the numbers and indicators appear brighter. The film can be used as a special film, also sold in car dealerships, or you can find it yourself from scrap materials. A big plus is that no changes will be made to the electronics, which means there can be no short circuit.

Putting a sticker on the dashboard

In addition to the above mentioned methods for changing the color of the backlight, you can also change the appearance, that is, the image of the instruments as the driver will see them.

For this purpose, special stickers are most often used. To do this, you should disassemble the instrument panel and get to the instrument backing, on which the values ​​and numbers are printed.

It is worth remembering that stickers are sold for each model, make and year of manufacture of the car separately. As an example, it may be the same car, make and model, even year of manufacture, but the instrument panel is different. One will have a tachometer, the other will not. Therefore, stickers should be selected very carefully.

Before gluing, try it superficially on the factory panel to see if it fits the fasteners, or if there is anything that interferes with the smooth application of the sticker. If the old coating can be removed, then it is better to do so; the new sticker will look much prettier. Now that everything is fine, the surface on which you will glue it should be wiped with a degreaser. Glue one side and, while pressing the sticker, slowly pull off the protective layer. It’s important to smooth it out so that there is no air under the sticker, otherwise the temperature will cause it to peel away from the surface in a few months.

After completing the procedures, you can put everything back together and mounted it to see how well the instrument panel has improved. Next, we assemble everything in reverse order, installing the panel in its proper place.

Replacing the instrument panel with a new one

As we previously recalled, in addition to the suggested methods, there is also the most expensive, but also the highest quality option, which is a complete replacement of the instrument panel. Nowadays, instrument panels that are based on a large display instead of analog instruments are in fashion.

Even on domestic cars you can install such a miracle and the panel will take on a modern look. When choosing, it is worth remembering all the parameters of your car, since even different engines may play a role in selection. Such a panel allows you to completely customize the devices to your taste, their location, lighting and other parameters. In a word, do everything to the driver’s taste. Below we have provided a video example of the operation of such an instrument panel on a VAZ 2114 car.

This technology is based on a large display covering the entire instrument panel, a minicomputer based on Android and a set of devices, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth.

Such a replacement is usually short-lived, but expensive, so first you should think about whether you need it or just for beauty.

Instrument panel tuning price

The cost of parts may depend on what you want to get as a result. For example, an LED strip 10-15 cm long will cost about $1-2, but if you take color film, then the costs are less, or you can even find something similar at home in the garage.

As for the display instead of the instrument panel, for the same VAZ 2114 it will cost $300-400. But still, again it all depends on the modification installed software and a set of additional functions of such an instrument panel. On average, replacing the entire panel takes a couple of hours.

Video interactive display on VAZ 2114:

New dashboard lighting in classical people's carVAZ gives the interior sophistication and a sense of comfort. Installing neon or even LED illumination on a car requires a lot of money for such an expensive pleasure. The best way to solve the problem is to replace the dashboard backlight on your own. The process of replacing the lighting in your garage, firstly, is not complicated, and secondly, it requires less money. One of the options for tuning your car is a special overlay for the dashboard, but this will cost a lot. It will be better if you do the tuning of the instrument panel yourself.

To complete the job you need to be patient, as well as tools and necessary materials. The first step in creating perfection is disassembling the dashboard. To do this, you need to remove the protective glass of the devices. The next step is to remove the arrows from the instruments. To avoid damaging the arrows made of fragile material, before removing the arrow with a screwdriver, place several layers of cardboard under the opposite end of the plastic. Using a little force, gently remove the arrow from the axis. Similar actions need to be done with the remaining arrows.

The dashboard backing is also very easy to remove. To remove it, you need any stationery knife. The edge of a knife is inserted between the panel and the substrate, and then we cut a layer of sealant around the perimeter of the substrate. After removing the protective glass backing, we proceed to further work on tuning the panel.

A light filter is placed on the surface of the dashboard under the backing, which evenly distributes lighting over the entire area of ​​the panel. This light filter must be removed using a utility knife, carefully scraping off the light-conducting layer.

A light filter is a special paint that is applied to the back side of the dashboard substrate and provides color illumination for numbers and other information indicators. After rough processing of the substrate, the places where the light filter was applied must be treated with acetone or alcohol. The reagent will remove any remaining paint, as well as degrease the surface and prepare it for the next treatment process.

At the next stage of work, you will need to change the dashboard lighting. First you need to “get your teeth into it,” so to speak, and change the odometer backlight. An odometer is an indicator of the distance traveled by a car, measured in kilometers or miles. In order to install a new odometer backlight, you must first remove the odometer screen, remove the blue protective film, remove the old backlight bulb and replace it with a new LED. For the new dashboard lighting, you can use a multi-color LED, which has the ability to change colors at the user’s request. The LED is connected to the standard light bulb socket, then we put the odometer screen in its place.

The next step is to completely replace the dashboard lighting. We attach new LEDs to the instrument panel frame. The multicolor LEDs that we are installing in this case are sold complete with a color switch. If your budget is limited, you can avoid using multi-color LEDs in favor of regular ones. We install the LEDs on the seats and connect them with the standard contact of the previous dashboard lighting.

The speedometer and tachometer arrows must be able to change the backlight. Carrying out such an operation will require removing the old paint from the arrow. In order for the paint to be easily removed, you must first remove it from the surface with a stationery knife, and then go over the surface with acetone or industrial alcohol. When the arrow is clear of paint, you can paint it with white nail polish or something else. The main thing in this process is that the arrow is exactly white, since only white color can convey the entire range of LEDs.

If you have installed multi-color LED lighting on the dashboard of your VAZ car, you need to install a color switch to be able to select the color of the dashboard lighting. It is recommended to install the switch in the lower right corner of the dashboard. When all the work has already been done, you can begin the final assembly of the finished panel.

The first step is to start by installing the underlay. We apply a layer of sealant to the back side of the substrate so that it adheres firmly to the base. Next, we install the instrument arrows in their places and cover the structure with protective glass.

Let's look at the main options for tuning dashboard elements. Since each car brand has its own special layout, you may not be able to exactly copy the ideas below to your car, but in any case the sequence of actions will be the same.

1. Upholstery of the instrument mask
Covering the dashboard visor is not the easiest task; the complex shape of the part does not allow you to tighten the mask without a seam.
The dashboard visor can be covered with Alcantara, artificial or genuine leather. The material and neat seams beautifully complement the panel.
// do not try to drag the panel with carpet. It turns out ugly
In the case where the part is strongly curved, then a pattern and seams are indispensable.
First, you need to dismantle the dashboard mask by unscrewing 2 bolts at the top and 2 at the bottom. Now you can remove the pattern, marking the places where the seams will go. It is better to add 1 cm to each seam. Thick Whatman paper or paper tape are perfect for making a pattern.

We transfer the template we received to the material and sew the pieces together using sewing machine. It is recommended to use an American seam with a turn. After this, all that remains is to glue the resulting cover onto the visor.

2. Starting the engine with a button
The engine start button is an ignition method that smoothly moves from luxury cars to the middle segment. More and more modern cars get rid of the old engine starting system.

There are several options (schemes) for installing a button to start the engine. They differ in several nuances:

1. The key is used to start the engine through a button (the key turns on the ignition, the button starts the engine)
2. The key to start the engine through the button is not used (pressing the button completely replaces the key)
3. Using the button, you can separately turn on the ignition (press the button - the ignition is turned on, press the button and the brake pedal - start the engine)

Let's try to show the main points of connecting the engine start button.
1. Start the engine with a button (with the ignition key)
This method, in our opinion, is the simplest.

The button does not work when the engine is running, that is, the starter does not spin, but starts working after the engine is turned off and the ignition is turned on with the key.
We take the ignition relay with the wire block. (4 wires in total, 2 high-current circuits (yellow contacts on the relay itself) and 2 low-current circuits (white contacts).
We throw the wire of the high-current circuit onto contact 15 of the ignition switch, and the second into contact 30 of the same lock (one is pink, the other is red).

We throw one wire of the low-current circuit to - ground, and the second to the green wire on it + appears during ignition and interrupt the wire from the relay to the green wire with our button.

2. Start the engine with a button (without ignition key)
The circuit uses a rear relay fog lights. You can buy it or assemble it yourself.

You need a large wire with a terminal connected to the pink one.
There are also thin wires: we isolate the red and blue ones with a stripe, and we throw the gray one on the ignition or connect it to the red one, otherwise the BSK will not work. Any diode will do.
It is convenient to connect the button illumination and relay power to the alarm system. If the engine stalls, press the button - the ignition will turn off, press the button again - the engine will start.

3. Engine start button with the pedal pressed.
We took the diagram with the rear fog lamp relay as a basis and modified it.
We use a latching button, which we connect to contacts 87 and 86 of the ignition relay. She can turn on the ignition. It would be more correct to turn on the ignition separately via the pedal.
Typically, to start the engine, use the brake pedal to turn on the ignition via a button.
As an option, you can also use the handbrake rather than the pedal, because it also has a limit switch.
To start the engine from a button through the brake pedal you need to:
Connect 86 starter relays to the brake lights, or use a relay (whichever is more convenient for you)




You can use the following as a motor start button:
Buttons domestic cars(for example, a button for opening the trunk of a VAZ 2110 (without fixation)
Universal buttons (with and without fixation)
Buttons from foreign cars (for example, BMW)
Modify the button (apply the design yourself)

3. Frame for navigator
One of the good places where you can embed a navigator in many cars is the central air duct, but for this it needs to be modified.

You can install a monitor in a deflector up to 7 inches, but here we will consider placing the XPX-PM977 navigator at 5 inches.
First, remove the deflector. After this, we cut out the central partition and the sides of the back side so that the monitor is recessed and parallel to the front surface of the deflector. We use the navigator cover as the basis of the frame. To eliminate voids we use column meshes.

We use masking tape to seal it and sculpt the frame using epoxy. After drying, remove and glue the frame using glue

Apply putty and wait for it to harden. Then we remove the excess with fine-grained sandpaper, after which we repeat this until we get an even shape.




All that remains is to paint the frame. We use aerosol paint and apply it in several layers.




We block off the air flow from the navigator using a sheet of celluloid and tape. Snap the deflector.




By analogy, you can build a tablet into the panel, and, if desired, also make it removable.

Behind the grids (which go along the edges of the navigator) you can put LED backlighting LED strip. It would look very nice.
.

4. Instrument panel lighting
We decided to use 3 colors for illumination at once.
Instrument scales are illuminated in blue.
Numbers are in white
Red zones are colored red accordingly.
First, we remove the instrument cluster. Then you need to carefully remove the arrows. Next, carefully remove the backing of the numbers. It is made from thick polyethylene tape. The backing is glued. With careful, competent effort, it comes off well.
You should get something like this:


Next, you need to lay the backing on the paper, face down. There is a light filter on its back side. Which we wash with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Afterwards we clean off the spray used to fix the filter.
It should look like this


Now you can start cutting out the base where the LEDs will be soldered. You can use textolite; if you don’t have it, you can use thick cardboard. We cut out the base for the diodes in it.


We use different colors of LEDs, so it is necessary to make a light fence (otherwise the colors will mix). We make a slot in the center of the base to create a light fence between the two diode scales. We cut a line from the same cardboard to size and height and insert it into the slot made between the two rows of diodes.




Now you need to solder the LEDs in parallel:


For the arrows, we solder two red LEDs at the base and point their lenses upward.
Similarly, we highlight all other scales and numbers.


We solder + and - to the tracks from the standard light bulbs and, observing the polarity, solder the wiring.
Now you need to install the arrows. We carefully attach them to the motor drives, but do not plant them deep, otherwise the arrows will cling to the scales. Then we put everything back together in reverse order and connect it.

An interesting modification of such lighting is possible. You can take three-crystal RGB diodes (they are brighter and more reliable than conventional ones + their glow can be controlled) and install them by connecting
Let's explain the difference! In this case, when dimmed, the backlight will shine exactly the same (only much brighter), but if desired, by pressing a button on the remote control remote control you can change the color of the instrument lighting and even more - turn it on in light and music mode!
You can also add footwell lighting for the front passengers by connecting it to the same controller. To do this, we recommend using It turns out that the backlight of the panel and legs glows in the same color or simultaneously in light and music mode.

5. Making a rack for additional devices

A radical and very interesting solution is podiums for additional devices in the window stand.
First, we measure a convenient distance between the sensors inside the cabin. We remove the plastic stand and sand it down so that the glue sticks better.


Cups may not be included with the devices, but they can be made from a plastic pipe of the required diameter. Now you need to temporarily secure the resulting podiums at the desired angle. After this, we try on the devices again and cut holes in the rack to deepen them sufficiently. At this stage, the most important thing is to see whether they are conveniently located.

Now, for everything to be beautiful, you need to make a smooth descent from the device to the rack. This can be done in different ways.
One option is to use pieces of plastic pipe or cardboard. Let's cut out small shapes and glue them so that we get a smooth descent from the sensor to the stand.
In another option, any fabric that needs to be wrapped around our blanks is suitable. We secure the fabric with clamps so that it does not slip.
We lay fiberglass on top of the cardboard, pipe or fabric and then apply epoxy glue. It is also important to apply fiberglass to the stand itself in order to securely fix the device sockets. After this, we wait until our structure dries.
Next, we cut off the excess fiberglass and clean the structure. During the cleaning process, you cannot work without a respirator - it’s harmful! Then, using fiberglass putty, we create the smooth shapes we need. We do this until we get a flat surface. The next layer will be putty for plastic. We apply it, wait until it dries, and clean it up. We repeat this until the surface is as smooth as possible.











All that remains is to create an attractive look for our podiums. To do this, we use either a primer followed by painting, or upholstery with material (a more complex option). Finally, we insert the devices and connect them.

A very interesting addition would be to install a neon ring in the gap between the edges of the device and the end of the cup, or, alternatively, from the inside along the visor of the device, if there is one. It would be very futuristic! This would require about