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> Gauge lighting is dim., Has anyone tried these LED lights?
Cevan
post Sep 20 2007, 12:41 PM
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I searched around but couldn't find anything on replacing the instrument lights with LEDs. I bought a couple new instrument bulbs from Pelican, but the light was yellowish, not the white of the OEM lights. On the other hand, the OEM lights are not that bright (ok, they barely illuminate the gauge).

I found these that look like they would be a direct replacement (the BA-7 model). Has anyone tried them?
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RoninEclipse2G
post Sep 20 2007, 12:46 PM
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I would be interested to know as well, with the winter months coming up I'm gonna be driving home in the dark and I'd like to see the guages
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dinomium
post Sep 20 2007, 12:57 PM
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Check the member vendor area, Mike914 has a kit for just this. LED panel lighting

His work is good. I have the kit, just not the time!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
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Cevan
post Sep 20 2007, 01:10 PM
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QUOTE(dinomium @ Sep 20 2007, 10:57 AM) *

Check the member vendor area, Mike914 has a kit for just this. LED panel lighting

His work is good. I have the kit, just not the time!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)



That's more $$$ for 8 lights. The website in my 1st post has them for $1.49 a bulb, $16.92 total ($11.92 +$5.00 shipping). They also have green and blue for the directional and highbeam indicators.
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dinomium
post Sep 20 2007, 01:24 PM
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malibu barbie is right

Math is hard!
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Bartlett 914
post Sep 20 2007, 01:39 PM
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If I was looking at the correct LED, then the price is .89 each! What we need now is a duty cycle dimmer.
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Cevan
post Sep 20 2007, 01:46 PM
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QUOTE(Bartlett 914 @ Sep 20 2007, 11:39 AM) *

If I was looking at the correct LED, then the price is .89 each! What we need now is a duty cycle dimmer.


add $.60 for white/blue/green, according to the website.

I seached around some more and found a link to Quarl's post back in '04. After reading that, I've discovered that the PO replaced the bulbs with LEDs. My lights are white, not yellow, and the dimmer simply turns the lights on and off, with no dimming. Quarl's post indicated that blue LEDs appear brighter than the white ones. Anyone tried blue??
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jd74914
post Sep 20 2007, 03:16 PM
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914s have a dimmer?
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ConeDodger
post Sep 20 2007, 03:22 PM
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QUOTE(jd74914 @ Sep 20 2007, 02:16 PM) *

914s have a dimmer?


Turn your headlight knob left for dim right for brighter... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
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Demick
post Sep 20 2007, 03:42 PM
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Many of us (myself included) bought these from Quarl a few years back. I have the white. They are not really much (if any) brighter than stock bulbs mostly because the LED's are very directional - as in, most all of the light comes directly out the end of the LED much like a flashlight. This isn't ideal for the gauges which were designed for regular bulbs which throw off light in all directions. So the end result is that the gauges don't really end up any brighter than before (maybe slightly).

With that said, I like the LED bulbs simply because the white light is much more pleasing than the yellow of the standard bulbs.

Also, the dimmer doesn't work with the LED bulbs, but I can't imaging anyone caring about this. The gauges are so dim anyway, why anyone would want to dim them further is beyond me.

Demick
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lotus_65
post Sep 20 2007, 04:27 PM
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i'm sure i'm different, but at night on long drives i turn them down as low as i can and still see the needles.

worse yet, i wear my shades when i drive long distance at night. for some reason, the oncoming lights really bug me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/george.gif)

maybe it's age?
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jd74914
post Sep 20 2007, 04:32 PM
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QUOTE(ConeDodger @ Sep 20 2007, 05:22 PM) *

QUOTE(jd74914 @ Sep 20 2007, 02:16 PM) *

914s have a dimmer?


Turn your headlight knob left for dim right for brighter... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


Interesting . . . I've never driven at night (or more than 5 miles), hence the lack of knowledge (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)



Like Lotus I always have the inside lights down at their minimum while driving. I don't like the extra lights in my peripheral vision.
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SGB
post Sep 20 2007, 04:33 PM
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I got blue LEDs from Quarl a few years ago. I don't recommend 'em. They don't seem as bright as incandescents, and the blue has a wierd effect that I think reduces the ability to read the guage quickly. Maybe it is just residual from a mis-spent youth, but if I sweep my eyes across the blue lit instreuments, I see traces of the blue when blinking or looking back up.
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iamchappy
post Sep 20 2007, 05:02 PM
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I got the blue in right now but also got some whites from Qarl before he gave his business away, I would love some Amber yellow ones for my signal orange car...
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BarberDave
post Sep 20 2007, 05:11 PM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

\
I repolacede all my dash gauges ,a couple of months ago. At that time I installed

Led's in all the gauges. Last night was the first time i had tyhe opportunity to

drive after dark,much brighter all around. Now factor in to that all new lenes

in the dash gauges. Surely that counts for some of the brightness, not looking

thru 30 yrs. of dirt. All and all i like the Led's Dave (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)
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ConeDodger
post Sep 20 2007, 05:12 PM
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Red might be interesting to try, if available... Pilots, particularly us single engine pilots use red lens flashlights at night to prevent light blindness from brighter white bulbs... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)
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jd74914
post Sep 20 2007, 06:24 PM
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QUOTE(ConeDodger @ Sep 20 2007, 07:12 PM) *

Red might be interesting to try, if available... Pilots, particularly us single engine pilots use red lens flashlights at night to prevent light blindness from brighter white bulbs... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)


It actually isn't the brightness. Red light is actually used because the rod cells in human eyes aren't sensitive to it which means that it doesn't screw up pupil dilation and reduce night vision. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
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Zaney
post Sep 20 2007, 06:30 PM
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I have Red LEDs in my gauge cluster and console. They are Ok but I will eventually send the 3 gauges down to North Hollywood for a cosmetic tuneup. Adding extra bulb slots in them, similar to Dr. Evil's setup.
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GeorgeRud
post Sep 20 2007, 09:01 PM
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I swapped my guages to the LEDs a year ago, and they are OK. It's a whiter light, not yellow like the original bulbs. To my eyes, a bit easier to see at night.

However, in talking to the people at North Hollywood Speedo, their setup is much better, though much more expensive than simply replacing bulbs with LEDs. As usual, you get what you pay for.

Also, be careful as there are higher wattage bulbs that will fit in the illumination holders. They get too hot and can melt/ burn out the instruments from what I've been told.
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orthobiz
post Sep 20 2007, 09:31 PM
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What about new, regular wattage incandescents. Is part of the dimness related to the 30+ year old nature of the bulbs?

Paul
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