Instrument Cluster Display - possible mod ...

[ZZZZ]

A while ago I bought an instrument cluster, from a W245, to get me a set of nicer looking clock needles.

The cluster was listed as non-working, with a failed central display, and I bought it for next to nothing.

I fitted the needles to my cluster, and put the rest away, with a view to its potential use as a spare - the screen was clean and scratch-free, and the casing had all the fixing lugs. But all I really wanted is these:

old needles:

new ones:

These central displays are prone to failure (dead pixels), so I thought I double-check it, and bin it, if it's not working. The chap said the display was completely dead, so I fully expected to just chuck it.

Now, I never powered the cluster before, as all I wanted from it were the dial needles ...

This is what I saw first:

That can't be right, I thought, so had a closer look - the cluster was disconnected from the board, simple as that.

I then looked at those 21 orange LEDs and thought, if I can replace them with blue ones, it could look nice:

Oh, and not a single dead pixel on display, so that's another spare

 

[forrera]

Have you actually connected the cluster you bought to your car?
To my knowledge the odometer will not work.

 

[ZZZZ]

Have you actually connected the cluster you bought to your car?
To my knowledge the odometer will not work.

Thanks Des, no I haven't - and not planning to: I might use the display screen, if mine fails sometime in the future (providing mine is also 8V - I don't know), but this will be my testing battleground - once I'm comfortable replacing SMD LEDs on this one, I'll have a go at my actual cluster ... I only bought it for the W245 needles, and I got those out of it The extra spares: the front glass; the back cover; and the LCD screen are just an unexpected bonus.

 

[forrera]

Your last picture with blue light, this is what you get if you fit a cluster form another car, because the mileage is logged in the ignition switch EIS.
You can buy new LCD on ebay if need to.

 

[ZZZZ]

Your last picture with blue light, this is what you get if you fit a cluster form another car, because the mileage is logged in the ignition switch EIS.
You can buy new LCD on ebay if need to.

Ah, I see.

No, I was just pressing reset button too few times, and it was an actual blue 3mm diffused LED under the display. The mileage shows up on odometer, once cluster is disconnected and powered again. Anyway, I've no plans to use the cluster.

I have since concluded that, to get the desired effect, i.e. dark blue background and white characters (like in later MB clusters), I need to replace the 21 orange LEDs with white LEDs.

This is what I'm going to try / test on this cluster.

My LCD is perfectly fine so far, and if it ever fails, I can check to see if it's 8V, and if so I can use this spare one, if it's 7V - I'll get a new one off eBay.