Does anyone sell LED lights for DASH?

Dean_Fuller

Daily Driver
I have used search with no results. My dash lights are really not bright at all. Does anyone sell brighter LED for the dash? If so...are they "plug and play"?

Other ideas to get that dash a lot brighter?

Thanks, Dean
 
Its been covered many times - try the search function.

Having said that, the topic could do with condensing into a "guide" or something, as trawling through multiple outdated threads with broken links, unattached photos and the like IS painful!

I wouldn't mind if Yves told us about his "strip" lighting which is something I've thought about - but never seen done. until I read his thread on the electronic speedo.
 
Put some fleabay chinese 194 LED's in my '74 cluster, made a world of difference in brightness. Only downside is they do not dim anymore - they are either on or off.
 
led lights

Cadillac had a 194 peanut bulb (as you have in the dash), but the bulb had a convex lens at the tip that increased the bulbs output as far as lighting. I have some here, and trying to get a number off of it as we speak.
I have a couple of days left at my old dealership and if necessary I will call Partech and see if I can get a part number and will keep you posted!!
mikemo:nod:
 
four of these and your set, mine dim fine, I run them about 1/2 of the OEM dimmer because full on is TOO bright!
these are too tall to fit though without either dismantling the cluster parts to get the plastic "diffusers" out of the way but you can break them off if you're careful. I've tried some shorter ones but they were dramatically less bright. I'd do the extra work to get these in, I've done it 3 or 4 times now.
 
Dean... there are several things you can do...

without using LEDs... but they are the current craze and well worth the effort.

As Franken points out... this has been discussed many times but we try to be sensitive and proactive and answer folks directly. When we can, we try to attach the links and fotos to the response... Its usually not fun to be told to just "go look it up yurself"!

In any case, there are some things you can do to improve what ya got and some things you will need to do in any case.

1. Remove the instrument cluster entirely... 5 Allen-head screws and push from the front trunk and pull from the inside. Two people make this easier... be patient and keep trying. Careful with the speedo cable disconnect. Reach around the pod and disconnect the 3 major connectors.

2. Twist off the caps and pull the bulb from the rear. The large illuminating back-light bulbs that came with most X1/9s are 3 Watt bulbs and are usually OLD as well. Incandescents do loose brightness over time, just like most of us too! Replace them with 5 Watt equivalents. I purchased mine at WalMart for about $3.00 for two.

3. You can look into replacing all the others with higher wattage bulbs as well. I'm sure you could replace them all for $15.00.

4. If you haven't done the Brown Wire Mod (BWM)... this is something you NEED to do for all the electrics. Your Voltmeter will indicate higher and all lights will be brighter as well. More info if needed.

5. Replace all the lamps with LED equivalents. They run about $3.00 apiece I think and hopefully someone will chime in with the numbers and where you can get them. You can do this as well with all the exterior bulbs but a new flasher will need to be installed... not a problem. Doing so relieves the alternator of a HUGE load and instead of the lights drawing 35 amps, they draw something like 7. Headlights as well... but last I saw they can be quite expensive.

More info here, for example:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/1215...ernize+your+X+with+new+LED+light+replacements

Here is just one of many sites to get and idea of costs and sizes:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/miniature-wedge-base/

6. If you want to do a bit more... then carefully seize the 5 rivets on the pod from the front... and drill out the flared ends on the back. Use a sharp drill and try not allow the rivet to spin. I used a sharp screwdriver rammed into the front of the rivet. When all 5 rivets are removed, then pull the clear plastic face and separate the back as well. Remove the BLUE lamp covers that muted the light coming from the Back-lights which allows the bulbs to emit more WHITE light.

7. Replace the gauge faces... Jeff Van Dyke here has made some templates available before... page him. The WHITE faces reflect the light better and just makes everything easier to see. The WHITE needles will need to be colored or replaced... I replaced mine with BLACK plastic Zip Ties... many other materials used as well but ya wanna keep them light. RED needles really look great as well.

file-5-1.jpg


HTH...
 
would help if I included the link I alluded to earlier, sorry
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110935547535?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Ditto on everything Tony said above. I make needle out of bamboo skewers. I have a nice picture but photo bucket is broken at the moment.

Jeff,

You wouldn't have a link(s) for the LEDS used for brake lights, turn signal lights, reverse lights? Does it really matter which manufacturer produces them? Thanks in advance!!
 
Felipe... Not to rob Jeff of the opportunity...

But go here:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/led-vehicle-replacement-bulbs/

Its CLOSE to the home page for this site as they appear to have bulbs for everything.

Note the taillight section, etc. and notice also the numbering is similar to the stock incandescent numbers as well. I.E. an LED 1157 is a replacement for an incandescent 1157. At least this is so for this particular vender. They have other Manufacturing numbers and base numbers that MIGHT be comparable to other sites as well. But this should get ya into the ballpark.

Just remember if you change ALL four directional signals, you'll need to purchase and plug in a new timer relay. It is POSSIBLE to just replace the front or the rears and the original relay will MIGHT work, but not worth the effort...
 
Thanks guys.....I am taking all advice to heart. Lots to take in. At present I have Browns head light mod on the car. Really helped with the brightness of the headlights themselves but my volt meter reads just above RED at night.

All I want to replace right now is the dash lights. I need a new voltage regulator on my alternator and see where I am at that point.
 
Mr. Lancia... (Hey Bob Brown... please look...)

I know you are NOT Michael Toro but looking at the list, the taillight issue is kinda strange.

He states that the polarity on the socket is wrong so therefore an LED cannot be used.

Usually the socket itself is at GROUND potential and the center conductor is the +12 volts. Usually the socket is NOT isolated from the chassis either, and in this case it would have to be in order NOT to blow a fuse. Lastly, I would also think the taillight lamp would be another 1156 bulb...

I guess if the socket IS isolated, then one could simply swap the wires and then the polarity would be correct for the LED lamp to work. I don't remember anyone having this issue before either.

What say you guys?
 
Usually the socket itself is at GROUND potential and the center conductor is the +12 volts. Usually the socket is NOT isolated from the chassis either, and in this case it would have to be in order NOT to blow a fuse. Lastly, I would also think the taillight lamp would be another 1156 bulb...

Tony is correct.
But it is possible to isolate the tail light (when hooked up backwards) by burning off the coatings where the lamp hits the chassis ground points. (ugh!)

The CENTER of the lamp connection point should always be +12V.
If yours are wrong, correct them by pulling the tail lamp assembly and swapping the wires to the lamp socket.
 
I tried to do the Taillights... I gave up on it.. I am no Bob Brown..

I did remove the License Plate light housings and replace with some sweet Motorcycle LED License Plate Screws. They look like tiny little PIN HEADS with LEDs that shine down on the plate.. It is amazing how well these look at night and it cleans up the back of the X...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pcs-White-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a951d2d6d&vxp=mtr
oooooooooooiiii, good idea! I was just looking at those for a motorcycle project I'm working on, I like it, need four?
 
RE: LED dash lights

After having the LED bulbs in the dash for a while, I started to get irked over the color of them. The cluster lights were a much colder white color and the contrast between that and the warm white color of the switches just looked off.

So, this week I found some warm white LEDs and changed them over. Turned out great! Link to bulbs: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-X-Canbus-T10-194-5730-8-LED-SMD-Warm-White-Car-Side-Wedge-Light-Bulb-DC-12V-/321498031507?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4adac6a593

I'm really happy with the amount of illumination and the matching color of the light.
 
Off-topic...

Usually, the socket of a given 1156 or 1157 (or similar) bulb is the ground. But, recently I helped an old friend from Seattle get his Peugeot taillights working right.

In addition to some crappy circuit board connections and dreaded Previous Owner work-arounds, we found that on each side the tail lights indeed were designed so the ground for the running light was the tip. The socket was the (+), and it took longer than it could have to get them working because of this and our logical assumption that this would not be the case.

Crazy French cars. Once, I had a nice example of a 505sti and loved it. Best seats in the automotive world.
 
Yeah... it can really be confusing and argumentative...

as the the "theory" is that Electrons move from the - plate to the + plate INSIDE the source or battery... giving the + terminal an abundance of electrons, or MORE than the - terminal, and these little boogers are trying to stabilize or go home from whence they came.

If the battery is left alone for long periods of time... the electrons will eventually go back from whence they came or simply die off.

Give them a chance to flee the + plates and terminal via an external source... like wiring through a switch and then through the element of a light bulb and then more wiring to the chassis and then back to the negative terminal of the battery... they'll take the long way around just to get home!

TA-DAAAAA!

Maybe this is why Chrysler for many years wired their batteries in their cars with + to ground and the - to the fuse box... Thinking electrons flow from - to + OUTSIDE the source.

I guess it really doesn't matter but ya just gotta know what the engineers were thinking!
 
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