Instrument Cluster Illumination

[400BHP]

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

[eyefi]

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 :)

[MONKEYmark]

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

[GavinL]

Pete Betts is your man.

[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

[Thorin]

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?

[Kevin Huntley]

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!

[Kevin Huntley]

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!

[400BHP]

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

[eyefi]

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.

[THOR Racing]

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

[Kevin Huntley]

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

[THOR Racing]

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