Gauge cluster bulbs - LED replacements?

Denver_whiteST185

New member
justjoe":1mc1xz96 said:
I don't see why you cannot do it in Blue.. since Blue LED's are available..
on SuperbrightLEDs.com

I ment more that I am not that talented at electrical stuff and would probably break everything and electrify myself in the process of doing it. and also i would have done it in blue cause i think it would look really sharp (think black and blue interior) :D
 

toayoztan

Moderator
Denver_whiteST185":140xgc1w said:
wow brian, those gauges look amazing. now only if i could only do that mod in blue....

Thanks for the comment!

I did the rest of the HVAC with bulb covers and i'm amazed the color is ALMOST even. I will double up the bulb cover to make them a deeper red since i'm very picky.

I'll be taking a pic of my dash area soon to show you guys.

Bryan
 

Simba

New member
justjoe":268l8kj4 said:
And Simba.. how many did you have to order from LEDtronics? like 100 pieces?

Yup, to the tune of $90 bucks or so. :twisted:

As with everything else on this stupid car, a "what if" quickly became an obsession.
 

toayoztan

Moderator
bigacuralvr":1swhqgzn said:
toayoztan":1swhqgzn said:
I will double up the bulb cover to make them a deeper red since i'm very picky.
Bryan

I told you to double bag them son! ;)

Haha yeah, but when i did that, i ran into problems of the "bulb with covers" being too bulky to fit through the holes. Thus, they would squish the rubber and stick out of the circuit board, making the bulbs have bad contact. So i'll have to go back and trim the covers and then slap them on, and should be good! The bigger bulbs like the fog light button is doubled up, and it is slightly more red and perfectly matched with the cluster.

Bryan
 

Simba

New member
Well, here's the HVAC controls with 120 degree LEDs in them. Much better than before, and about as bright as they're going to get given the design of the buttons, which pretty much sucks.

newleds1.jpg


newleds2.jpg


I have 95 120 degree white LEDs left if anyone needs some. Only $9 for ten. :twisted:
 

Aaron

Member
That's with LEDs behind all those buttons? 'cause it only looks like they're behind a few of them (like the rear defrost, 2 of the fan speeds, and the temp select knob). :shrug:
 

Simba

New member
Aaron":28e2tu4l said:
That's with LEDs behind all those buttons? 'cause it only looks like they're behind a few of them (like the rear defrost, 2 of the fan speeds, and the temp select knob). :shrug:

No, that's with the four illumintation bulbs replaced with LEDs. The light gets "piped" to the back of the buttons by a plastic matrix, and the bulbs shine into it.

Like I said, stupid design.

The temperature knob and areas around the four backlight LEDs, as well as the defrost button, are much brighter than with the bulbs in there, as there are LEDs directly behind those locations. The rest of the buttons are about as bright as stock.
 

justjoe

New member
Bryan, Did you get new bulbs? If so, which ones.. part #'s?? etc. =)

Also, did you have any bulb covers left over? I am going to be doing this on 3 cars.. and I just don't think that I can get the LED ones working for the illumination yet.

I just got done resoldering my HVAC.. went from Clear green to Red.. just like you. :D Put it all back together.. sans the illumination lights.
 

toayoztan

Moderator
(bump...so I don't have to keep searching this :p)

I'm going to make another pictorial DIY on changing out the lights, with better options...

Bryan
 

justjoe

New member
Oh.. and just for the record also..
I have ordered from Superbrightleds.com in the past, and had issues with some LEDs crapping out. (after a very short time.. 1-2 months)

And when I wanted to get 1 LED replaced, it was such an ordeal where they required me to send the "defective" LED back in FIRST before issuing a replacement.. What a pain.

just my $.02
 

mike325ci

New member
looking forward to the updated info, bryan...

LED development / products have come a long way since 2006, so I'm sure there's better options out there now.
for example, i know now we have SMDs on multiple axis that gives good output angles now...

someone should sticky/pin this thread so you don't have to bump it after 5,6 years or have it buried in search results, lol...
 

Landon

New member
So glad I wasn't the only one to want to bump this thread. lol. I think I have figured out what bulbs I need for gauge cluster, but if I want to change just the backlighting on the HVAC controls, not the 'on' lights, what bulbs do you use to match the HVAC backlight to the gauge cluster?

And I have prosport amber guages, do you think amber from superbrightleds would be a close enough match? or would red...? :?
 

Hotrodhendrix

New member
i have been wanting to do this on the alltracs for while now... Some how I didnt know this tutorial was ever posted in the first place. Your new updated how to will be used shortly after you post it. :)

~James
 

toayoztan

Moderator
Sorry for not updating yet. I'll be getting on it this weekend. I had to re-order some LEDs (indicators were too bright). And I'll be working on it.

Also been busy with a board exam (last one for a couple years!)...8 hour tests aren't fun.

Bryan
 

soarer.jzz30

New member
So I tried to replace all the 194 bulbs and it ended up crap hot spots everywhere, it just wont work even if you use the full sweep bulbs. So after some short research I figured out that there are three types of bulbbs that fit in the dash and climate control. They are called a "neo wedge" t3, t4, and t5. The t5 replace the 194 size with a 12mm base, i am using a 90 degree sweep t3 neo wedge in the climate control and everything looks great so far. as for my cluster... I went to autozone and thought about the options there.. I ended up purchasingg a package of led angel eye conversion lights that are adjustable and use double sided 3m trim tape to adhere, I did have to cut a little out of the white portion off the cluster so they fit but in the end I have no hot spots and it is connected to the fader like it should be. I went ahead and put in the t5 bulbs in the other lights like indicators and warning lights. I recently bought some white reflective gauge needle paint made for restoring old cars, since the orange sucks and its hard to see them. ill get the pics online and post them soon. my suggestion is to go custom and do it yourself, theres no way the small amount of lighting will ever fill that space and not leave hot spots.
Oh I forgot I had to use some side facing led strips to use on the bottom of the cluster to light the backing like it was stock as well and used the same style o lighting and had to wrap it in a circle around the boost/volt meter twice to light the left side up as one of the rings would not fit in the space because of the three sensors.
 
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