Modifying face lighting in a Cobra

[JSMachine]

Just wondering if anybody has any info on how this is done or what is used. I am going to open mine up shortly to add a resistor across the jacks in the back to get the talkback feature, and I figured while I was in there I could maybe upgrade the lighting. The blue lighting is kind of neat, and less intense. Mine is stock with the yellowish colored lighting.

I don't know if those are like incandescent bulbs or what, but I do know that in order to change to some sort of LED, more wiring / components might be required. My 25 LTD does not have a dimmer either, so I am stuck with either bright or dim controled by the switch on the face. Dim isn't much dimmer, lol.

I was also wondering about the digital channel readout. Are the ones with blue numbers a completely different readout, or is that some sort of change that can be made internally to change the color? The bright green is very intense. If I can't change it easily, I am going to put a piece of window tint film on it to dim it out.

I have to make a trip to radio shack to ge the 100 ohm resistors, so I figured I could get some other upgrade parts too while I was there. If the backlighting is LED, what type of LED would I need to put in the place of what is there? -I know all electronic things have different voltage ratings and specifics.

Thanks

 

[RC286]

Meter light is easy to change. It is usually an incandescent lamp, can be replaced with an LED of your
choice + current limiting resistor. I would say 330Ohm Maybe 470ohm.

The displays are much more difficult, they are segmented LED displays with many pins on em.
You wont find these at the rat shack. Usually have to be ordered. IIRC they will have 9-12 pins on em.

 

[AronDouglas]

Mr Tim at SnakeRadioCustoms does great CB work. He can do the light mods and just about anything else you want. If you hit any snags, give him a shout.

SnakeRadioCustoms - Home
SNAKERADIOS - YouTube

 

[JSMachine]

Meter light is easy to change. It is usually an incandescent lamp, can be replaced with an LED of your
choice + current limiting resistor. I would say 330Ohm Maybe 470ohm.
.

That's what I figured. I wonder if anyone knows for sure

The displays are much more difficult, they are segmented LED displays with many pins on em.
You wont find these at the rat shack. Usually have to be ordered. IIRC they will have 9-12 pins on em.

I figured the same here. Like I said..not a big deal, I was just wondering what it would take to change it.

 

[JSMachine]

Mr Tim at SnakeRadioCustoms does great CB work. He can do the light mods and just about anything else you want. If you hit any snags, give him a shout.

SnakeRadioCustoms - Home
SNAKERADIOS - YouTube

I tried calling him earlier but didn't get an answer. I know he does it for a living. I feel kind of bad asking him how to do something. Maybe he will pass a few hints along.

 

[AronDouglas]

He works from 12:00-9:00 CST, and his lunch break is somewhere in between some time.Yah, I dont like asking for free advice. I'd personally send my radio to him any day, but I'd have him do a tune up or other mods while he had it.

None of the mods you want are impossible, but some are more difficult.

 

[RC286]

That's what I figured. I wonder if anyone knows for sure

Depends on the LED.
Different colours and intensities have different voltage drops and operate at different current.
Go on ratshacks website and choose one, they SHOULD have the ratings there.
Then its a simple calculation to figure out the resistor.

 

[sdeeter19555]

The meter LED is easy, a simple 12-volt LED from Radio Shack...done many of my radios.

The channel display is something else in itself. I think you can get several different colors: red, blue, yellow, and green? But I have never tried to replace one, I leave that to the guys that do it for a living.

 

[JSMachine]

The meter LED is easy, a simple 12-volt LED from Radio Shack...done many of my radios.

The channel display is something else in itself. I think you can get several different colors: red, blue, yellow, and green? But I have never tried to replace one, I leave that to the guys that do it for a living.

Is there a LED in there to start with - from the factory?

 

[sdeeter19555]

No, its a single incandescent bulb...

 

[JSMachine]

Ok. So I will surely need a 12 volt LED with some sort of resistor. I need to find out what type now.

 

[sdeeter19555]

As long as you get a LED with the leads (+ and/or -) designated, all you need is the LED and no resistor. The have several to chose from at RS.

 

[AronDouglas]

I use LighthouseLED.com for all my lighting needs. 0603 SMDs, 5mm LEDs, Pre-Wired Leds, High Power Lights, Xbox 360 Mods and Cases - Lighthouse LEDs

They have prewired LEDs as well as simple bulbs. Stick to the 'ultra' bright bulbs and not the 'soft' bulbs. Soft white is an amber glow, while the ultra is a clear, crisp white.

I;d stick to the 3mm and 5mm bulbs. 5mm might be too big for a meter light come to think of it. The 3mm bulbs are plenty bright though, so you might be better off sticking with that size.