400BHP Posted May 15, 2003 Share Posted May 15, 2003 I am thinking about removing my instrument cluster and replacing the illumination bulbs with high-intensity LEDs, anyone ever done this? I hope it will light the dash up brighter and i'll let you know how i get on. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyefi Posted May 15, 2003 Share Posted May 15, 2003 yes, its a bitch and doesnt work very well. very high intensity leds get there intensity from the focus of the lens. the instrument cluster is designed to have a wide beam bulb illuminating it. there is a mask behind the gauges that evens the light spread, this would have to b removed and would in turn produce its own problems. i scrapped the idea and have gone with some EL sheets to provide the illumination, it'll b much brighter and more even, and i think easier in the long run. but then again im going custom faces and blu illumination. dont let me put u off and good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKEYmark Posted May 15, 2003 Share Posted May 15, 2003 go here http://www.supraforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=122545 there is some pics on supra forums of a guys blue lights http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid61/p173d80801cfbedd34dd621ee8629c7f7/fc28ca6d.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinL Posted May 15, 2003 Share Posted May 15, 2003 Pete Betts is your man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
400BHP Posted May 15, 2003 Author Share Posted May 15, 2003 Thanks Guys!! I like the look of the EL instruments on SPEEDHUT.COM, I think i'll get a set if another 13 people want them then they'll run production, go have a look in the development section. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted May 15, 2003 Share Posted May 15, 2003 Originally posted by 400BHP Thanks Guys!! I like the look of the EL instruments on SPEEDHUT.COM, I think i'll get a set if another 13 people want them then they'll run production, go have a look in the development section. Chris US dials are the wrong way round you realise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Huntley Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 I am still looking for a solution to this problem as I have converted everything else to blue ilumination and it would so finish the car off if I could get some white dials that iluminate blue at night! So I would be up fro a group buy unless eyefi or pete Betts could come up with something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Huntley Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 Originally posted by Thorin US dials are the wrong way round you realise? I might be wrong here but is'nt it just the fuel and temp overlay that are the wrong way round I think the speedo and revs are the same! If thats the case all we need to send over is that counter or a template of that counter and an American firm could sort us out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
400BHP Posted May 16, 2003 Author Share Posted May 16, 2003 I hope so Kevin, perhaps when I get a bit of time i'll email them and find out, unless of course you want to do it? If they can accomodate us then I'll definately buy a set. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyefi Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 i think pete only needed about ten identical sets to do his. the problem with that for me was i want black face with blue, EL illuminated font (and font matched to apexi gauges) the general consensus was white face so i decided to undertake a labour of love and get exactly what i wanted. im gonna start building mine soon and its gonna b a bit "r&d" but i dont foresee any major problems. im gonna get the dials screen printed as this is the only way to obtain good results. they'll then need die or hand cutting. id obviously have to get mine built before i could offer any kind of open service for this, to b honest i had'nt even thought of offering the service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOR Racing Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 Here's what I did with a mates Red MkIV (I've done the same in blue on mine) I used E.L. wire instead for the backlighting. Better than LED's and easier in this instance than E.L. sheet. http://www.trlperformance.com/personal/EL_Dash/el_dash.html Regards Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Huntley Posted May 17, 2003 Share Posted May 17, 2003 Wish I new this stuff existed before I undertook the mighty challenge of replacing everything with blue LED'S! I now blue everything except the speedo, revcounter and gauges! Would this stuff be anygood for backlighting the speedo, revcounter and gauges. I have also managed to source some white dials but they are not the EL type! Hope you can come up with something Pete! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOR Racing Posted May 18, 2003 Share Posted May 18, 2003 I've never tried backlighting the facia dials with E.L. wire, but I guess it would work. My only critisism would be the dispertion pattern. With the ordinary dials the dispertion pattern would interfere a little. MAYBE! Depends a lot on how you place the wire inside the speedo head. But if you have an ordinary white dial repalcement already this is very UNlikely to have the dispertion pattern on the back and therefore the E.L. wire would be great, but again experiment with the layout of the wire inside the casing to get the correct light levels across the dial face. Do not put it too close to the dial face. Instead curl a loop (or loops) of it up and stick to the plastic backing. That way the intense light of the wire won't just appear like a line on your guages but a more diffused softer light. In theory anyway. E.L. wire and the inverter can be sourced from Farnell easily enough. Regards Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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