Autometer Gauges and changing the backlight color...

[jesterbot]

My gauges arrive in a couple days and I'll be doing the same thing.

Quick question:

Why only 2600mcd? You can find LED's up to 10000mcd. If you are talking about having to run two LED's angled for light, couldnt you simply run a higher intensity (single) LED instead?

So I guess it boils down to... how bright is too bright? What's the optimal intensity rating for the LED?

Thanks!

 

[StingrayTSi]

Does anyone know if this will work the same in the 1g. Its been awhile since i had all the gauges out, but If I remember correctly, in the 1g the bulbs dont use wires. Ive been thinking about doing this for months, but no one has given me a yeah or neah on weather or not they will work the same.

 

[Airpoppoff]

Originally posted by Brian
Hey, I took the bulb out and soldered the resistor to the positive side and then soldered the led to the resistor, I havent put them in yet, but does that sound right.

yes sounds good brian...


yes it will work in a 1g

 

[dsm5150]

Originally posted by jesterbot
My gauges arrive in a couple days and I'll be doing the same thing.

Quick question:

Why only 2600mcd? You can find LED's up to 10000mcd. If you are talking about having to run two LED's angled for light, couldnt you simply run a higher intensity (single) LED instead?

So I guess it boils down to... how bright is too bright? What's the optimal intensity rating for the LED?

Thanks!

would a 10000 work?and whats the reason for the resistor?

 

[TechT]

The resister is to make sure that the led sees the right voltage..Most of them are 5V or less not 12V.

 

[jesterbot]

Ok from trial and error, I've decided that most of these blue LEDs are not bright enough to light the gauges.

I've tried a setup of (3) 2600mcd Blue LEDs (Radio Shack) in each gauge. Not bright enough, and a bit too "dirty (green)" blue looking. However, these LEDs work really well for switch lighting if you have the AZ Reverse Indiglo gauges, because the color is almost a dead on match.

I've also tried (2) 3600mcd VARAD Hyper Blue LEDs in each, and again, not bright enough (although a very cool blue color).

Once my next order of LEDs arrives, I'm trying (3) 6000mcd Blue in each (from www.hosfelt.com).

I'll let you guys know how that goes. I'll also be doing a complete writeup on the dash LED conversion. It's way more detailed and complicated than some of these guys let on. I figure I'll save everyone else the frustration of having to trial and error it themselves (I bought a set of dash panels and switches from a junkyard to practice on).

 

[Airpoppoff]

mine are bright as hell, i dont know whats wrong with yours

 

[DSM_Kmart_Laser]

Don't waste ur money doin it w/ led's!!!! Me and my step bro just colored the bulbs w/ a good reliable marker! Worked great!

 

[shuwa29]

Originally posted by DSM_Kmart_Laser
Don't waste ur money doin it w/ led's!!!! Me and my step bro just colored the bulbs w/ a good reliable marker! Worked great!

yeah

later

 

[Razor_DSM]

what type bulbs are in the autometer 2 1/16 gauges? are they t10 type? i found led bulb replacements w/4 leds and will go right in, ther are t10 style

 

[dsm5150]

i just mated two 2600mcd w/ resistor to my led from 42 draftdesigns.com
this is on my vdo boost gauge.looks sweet.just the right color and can read them well.i will be trying the 6000mcd as well with a custom circuit board.(glad i payed attention to electronics teacher)very worth while mod.

 

[jesterbot]

I just did the 6000's... ordered 6 (3 for each gauge)... ONE was bright enough. The catch is, you need to have the LED positioned about an inch into the gauge, so wire it up to sit that far in (and angled toward the top). In this way, its REALLY bright, easily readable, and even lights up the cabin quite a bit!

Good luck!!!

 

[dsm5150]

how about a pic i just ordered the 6000.does it use them same 330 ohm resistor?

 

[jesterbot]

Originally posted by dsm5150
how about a pic i just ordered the 6000.does it use them same 330 ohm resistor?

I'll post pics in the next day or so. I am going to shave the head a little and remount them... right now I have a pretty intense hot spot that I could do without.

No, these run on 20mA, so you'll need a 470 ohm resistor. I just ordered a set of 4 (flameproof!) from hosfelt at the same time as the LEDs!

One thing, I think you will love the color of these LED's but if you have done any other blue conversion in your dash with the radio shack verisons, it will make those look kind of dirty/greenish. I may have to rewire all those now!!!

 

[dsm5150]

Originally posted by jesterbot


I'll post pics in the next day or so. I am going to shave the head a little and remount them... right now I have a pretty intense hot spot that I could do without.

No, these run on 20mA, so you'll need a 470 ohm resistor. I just ordered a set of 4 (flameproof!) from hosfelt at the same time as the LEDs!

One thing, I think you will love the color of these LED's but if you have done any other blue conversion in your dash with the radio shack verisons, it will make those look kind of dirty/greenish. I may have to rewire all those now!!!

shave the head?flame proof.im pretty good with electronics but i have NO idea what your talking about:laugh: give it to me stupid.also what hot spot?

 

[jesterbot]

Well normal resistors will work fine. All hosfelt sells in the size I needed were the flameproof variety (which makes me feel a little easier when solder so close to the head of the resistor, but not much else). Don't worry about that.

As to the shaving... if you shine a normal LED at a wall, you'll notice that you have a very sharp, small region that most of the light is concentrated in. If you move like an inch or two away from the surface (like it would be in the gauge), you notice that this spot is VERY small. What this does is create a "hot spot" in the light - an spot on the gauge ring that is VERY bright, surrounded by a more normal brightness - looks almost like a beam is shining right at that spot.

If you want to make it a more even glow, you can take the LED and shave it's head down using a dremel and a grinding bit. Just clamp the LED, then flatten the head a little and round it back off. That should spread the light considerably, because it can't focus to as narrow of a beam anymore.

Get used to this procedure if you want to rewire the rest of the dash, because you'll have to grind a lot of LEDs practically down to the wires!

 

[dsm5150]

ah,i see. what watt resistor 1/4,1/2,1?does it matter?cant wait to try these

 

[jesterbot]

Originally posted by dsm5150
ah,i see. what watt resistor 1/4,1/2,1?does it matter?cant wait to try these

1/4 watt is fine (and smaller which you will definitely appreciate!)

BTW: I would suggest using the existing black bulb mount (on the back of the gauge) to create an LED mount. I gutted the insides of each one (tore out the wire and copper leads), dremmeled them out to provide a lot of room inside, cut the back end short, and used the space inside to house the resistor. I am going to shave the heads on mine tonight or this weekend, so when I take them out I'll post some pics of what I've done, and maybe draw up a diagram of the inner workings. It ended up working GREAT. Thanks to the housing, even if the wire leads coming out the back of the housing get twisted or bent or mashed as you push the gauges in, none of the inner workings or the LED get moved, so your light isnt affected.

 

[dsm5150]

i did the same thing.i think mine came out easier cause they were made to.i should see mine in a couple of days.post some night pics if you can
send them to [email protected]