Uprating Dash Bulbs?

[Geezabloke]

Following a dash dial change for white.....
The Digits are not as bright as before?
Can the bulbs be exchanged for higher wattage equivelents?
If so has anyone done this and what did you use?

[Matt Harwood]

And there was me thinking you were going try to make the uprated bulbs make the speedo needle climb faster!

The problem with higher wattage bulbs is that they start to make their fixings and surrounding areas melt! :eek: Been there, done that! :innocent:

[Geezabloke]

I did ask the guys that did the dials to put 300mph on there, but they said i needed a bigger speedo....:p

Anyway, you mentioned melting but is there another resolve to this bulb upgrade?:baa:

[Supradude666]

yea im in the same boat ive got some Ally look HKS logo'd dials coming from miami rice and to make them GLOW i need brighter bulbs

im stuck too help please..

[Dragonball]

I am sure that Mark Ayling has the info on upping the LED specs somewhere?

How did you cock up Matt? I mean in the nicest way - what went wrong with your bulbs etc

?

[Mark Ayling]

Originally posted by Paul E
I am sure that Mark Ayling has the info on upping the LED specs somewhere?

Yep, I've spoken to Russell and pointed him to my instructions, here:

http://www.mpaconsultancy.co.uk/supra/leds

...but thats only to change the LEDs on the control buttons (a/c, fans, etc), not the bulbs in the instrument binnacle which light up the dials...

[Supradude666]

yea thats kool for the LED's thanks again mark but i want brighter bulbs for the backlighting of the dials to make em glow bright...

[THOR Racing]

I'll just add my 2p.

http://www.trlperformance.com/personal/EL_Dash/el_dash.html

Doesn't help your situation much. Sorry

Regards
Pete

[Matt Harwood]

Originally posted by Paul E

How did you cock up Matt? I mean in the nicest way - what went wrong with your bulbs etc

?

It wasn't the Supra to be fair, but some time ago on two previous cars. First was a RS2000 and the second was a 2.8i Capri.
Both should have had 3w bulbs and I replaced them with 5w bulbs.
I was lucky with the RS2000 as one of the bulbs blew and I noticed all the surounding area to the bulbs, was going yellow.

Stupidly, I did the same with the Capri and left them like it until the bulb holders kept falling out!

Maybe it's just a thing with older Fords, but it's put me off from trying it again... - Supra dashboards aren't as easy to come by as Capri ones! :innocent:

[Supradude666]

is the Supra dash more robust than fords tho??? maybe it could handle more heat..

what about a heat shield around the bulb holders??? silver foil or something to reflect the heat away????

[Matt Harwood]

I'm not sure that's a heat shield so much as the electrical contact for the bulb.
The Toyota dash maybe a better quality, but it's still only plastic.

I'm not saying that it would melt, but it's just a warning as I've had this problem before...

[Supradude666]

i spoke to my toyota dealer today to see if toyota actually do brighter bulbs themselves they dont but the guy said now the normal bulbs should be capped with a green cap to give the green tint to the bulb.. this cap can be removed and should make the bulb brighter without it.. it'll suit me as the dials im buying are already coloured and use the standard backlight.. im hope this is another alternative for you,

if hes wrong will u let me know.. cheers