Changing HSV Pod Gauge Illumination for the Holden VE Commodore
- Document Information
- Information on how to change the HSV pod gauge illumination colour
- Vehicle: Holden Commodore (VE)
- Copyright Owner: Matthew Jones (Matti Jones) (ZerOne)
- Document Visits: 15496
- Created: Wed Jul 20, 2011 12:41 am
- Revised: Sun Jul 24, 2011 3:40 am (Rev 16)
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The following document describes the process required to remove the HSV Pod gauges, disassemble them,
and change the illumination LEDs inside from the factory red colour, to aother colour such as yellow, orange, blue or white.
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Each Gauge requires at least two 1210 Surface Mount LEDs.
Two LEDs are used for the gauge background illumination, and one LED is used to illuminate the oil pressure / oil temp / battery voltage logo.
In total, you will require at least 6 surface mount LEDs to complete the conversion.
Tools Required
To remove the HSV Pod Gauges from your vehicle, you will need the following tools.
1) Phillips head screwdriver
To disassemble the HSV gauges, de-solder and re-solder LEDs you will need the following tools
1) 8mm Socket
2) Phillips head screw driver
3) A small flat headed screwdriver
4) A torx headed screwdriver
5) A good desolder sucker / tool
6) A good low wattage soldering iron (15 to 25 Watt)
7) 4 Pen Lids, or paper clips.
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The first step is to remove the HSV Can Bus converter module from the complete assembly.
Removal of this module will allow you to access and remove each individual 5mm gauge from the plastic pod.
To remove the HSV Can Bus converter module.
1) Remove the four 8mm bolts securing the secondary mounting bracket to the back of the main bracket, as shown in the image below
2) Remove the secondary bracket, along with the HSV Can Bus converter module.
3) Unplug the electrical connectors on each of the three 52mm gauges, allowing the HSV Can Bus converter module to be completely removed.
4) Remove the 6 phillips head screws holding the primary bracket in place, a shown in the following picture.
6) Remove the primary bracket.
7) To remove the 52mm Gauge from the pod, simply rotate the outer plastic mounting sleeve on the 52mm gauge anti clockwise. You may need to hold the 52mm gauge so as it does not rotate with the plastic mounting sleeve.
8) Once the outer plastic mounting sleeve has been removed from the 52mm gauge, simply remove the gauge from the pod by pulling the gauge outwards from the plastic pod.
9) Continue steps 7) through to 8) to remove the other 52mm gauges from the plastic pod.
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Once you have removed the 52mm gauges from the Pod, you can now begin to disassemble them, to allow access to the internal circuit board.
NOTE: It is highly recommended that you take your time with the following steps, as it is very easy to break parts such as the glass lens, as well as plastic clips and the dial face.
1) There is a rubber grommet located just beneath the black outer ring on the gauge. Simply slide this rubber grommet downwards, away from the outer ring, so as you can access the plastic mounting tabs for the outer ring.
2) Next, locate the three plastic mounting tabs for the black outer ring. Using a small flat headed screwdriver, carefully disengage the black outer ring from the main assembly by unclipping the ring from these mounting points.
The following image will give you an idea of the location of these mounting clips.
3) Next, CAREFULLY pry each plastic clip holding the glass lens in place, and insert something such as a pen lid, or paper clip in place to hold the clip away from the glass lens. Be very careful as it is very easy to break the glass, and it is very difficult to replace that glass !!!
The following image will give you an idea of what is required for this step, as well as the plastic clip locations.
Once you have the pen lids / paper clips in place, you can begin to push the 52mm gauge internals outwards by pressing on the back electrical connector slowly, with an even amount of force.
The glass lens should eventually pop out.
Once you have removed the glass lens, you can continue pushing the gauge internals outwards,by pushing on the back electrical connector, until you can manually remove the black rubber sleeve that sits between the glass face, and the gauge face.
Manually remove the rubber sleeve by pulling it outwards from the 52mm Gauge.
Once you have removed the rubber sleeve, the gauge face an circuit board can then be easily removed from the 52mm gauge container.
Next, you will need to remove the needle from the gauge face assembly,
Carefully use a flat headed screwdriver to gently prise the needle away from the face, as shown in the following picture,
The Gauge face simply clips on to the circuit board via two clips.
Simply compress thee clips, and pull the gauge face assembly from the circuit board.
Finally, you should be left with the following image.
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Each 52mm gauge uses 3 surface mount LEDs to illuminate the gauge face.
Two LEDs are used to illuminate the needle, as well as the majority of the face.
A third LED is used to illuminate the gauge warning symbol at the bottom of the gauge.
The following image shows the location of the LEDs.
Using a good quality soldering iron, and a good quality de-soldering (solder sucker) tool, heat up the surrounding solder around the LED that you wish to remove, and use de-soldering tool to remove the solder.
This may take a few attempts for each LED, so it is advised that you use patience when conducting this step.
Once the solder used to connect the LD from the board has been removed, carefully attempt to remove the LED from the circuit board.
Do use excessive amounts of force, otherwise you my damage the electrical tracks used to connect the LED on the board.
Once the original LED has been removed, place the new LED in the same location, noting the polarity of the LED that you are about to fit is correct.
The following image will give you an idea of the required LED position / polarity.
Once you are happy with the LED position / polarity, carefully solder the LED in to place.
Continue the above steps until you have replaced all three LEDs on the circuit board.
Once all three LEDs have been replaced, it is highly recommended that you test the LEDs and the illumination before you assemble the 52mm gauge, and mount it to the HSV Pod assembly.
To test the gauge, simply connect it to the HSV Can Bus converter module, and connect the HSV Can Bus converter module to the vehicle.
Next, turn on the vehicles park lamps, and observe the 52mm Gauge LED operation.
If one or more LEDs fail to illuminate, then check the LEDs polarity, and solder connection.