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2G Gauge cluster LED project

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I'm thinking that I may try this with red LED's, but would like to keep the color seperation at redline. I suppose this won't be as important once I get a shift light. I'm trying to think what would match with my Autometer CF gauges. As many of you probably know, the Autometer gauges (most of them at least) use back lighting to illuminate the entire gauge, not just the numbers. If i wanted to, I could replace the Autometer bulb with a colored LED that would match my instrument cluster. White very well may work if I go this route.

Sorry, I'm thinking out load... any suggestions?

Question turbosax, did you just use a paint brush to apply the paint on the needles? That's how i did mine originally a few years back. I just masked the sides and applied a thin layer of paint on the bottom side of the needle. Or, did your fabric paint come in a spray?
 
Even tho my jeep has OEM glow gauges, I dislike them. I would change the color as long as they aren't EL... My jeep has green EL Glow gauges, oem from the factory.
 
so do I... I mean it looks nice on my jeep, all luxurious... but f-that!

Hey guys, any pictures at all of installing the lights in the switches, and the HVAC Controller? I have been unsuccessful opening the HVAC Controller
 
InfiniteGSX said:
so do I... I mean it looks nice on my jeep, all luxurious... but f-that!

Hey guys, any pictures at all of installing the lights in the switches, and the HVAC Controller? I have been unsuccessful opening the HVAC Controller
Click to expand...

I just took the fog light/cruise cluster apart but haven't started putting lights in yet. I haven't touched the HVAC yet.
 
I've taken all the switches apart. but just wanna know how you guys are installing the bulbs. I did install a bulb inside the AC Button once... but it stopped working cause how crappy I did it.

I wanna do all of this with blue LED's....

Blue has been proven to be a safer color for night time driving.
 
Well hell.. I'm sold. Red it is then. I'm sure if I stick a few red LED's in where my Autometer bulb goes, it'll light it up WAY better then if I was to use that red condom thingy they give you.

Hey, when you sanded down your OEM tach, did you sand down the "redline" portion as well? From the pics it looks like the whole backside is covered in that amber/orangish colored material. Is it possible to sand the "redline" portion clear, or is that coloring on the topside??
 
snowborder714 said:
It has, but it's also been proven to make the driver more tired. Red is a better color to have when driving at night as it's easy on the eyes and keeps the driver more alert.
Click to expand...

Haha, trust me, these white lights will keep you plenty awake if you put them on the highest setting! Wouldn't be so easy on the eyes though ;)
 
95CarbonEclipse said:
Well hell.. I'm sold. Red it is then. I'm sure if I stick a few red LED's in where my Autometer bulb goes, it'll light it up WAY better then if I was to use that red condom thingy they give you.

Hey, when you sanded down your OEM tach, did you sand down the "redline" portion as well? From the pics it looks like the whole backside is covered in that amber/orangish colored material. Is it possible to sand the "redline" portion clear, or is that coloring on the topside??
Click to expand...

You can not sand down the red portion, it is part of the gauge.
 
snowborder714 said:
It has, but it's also been proven to make the driver more tired. Red is a better color to have when driving at night as it's easy on the eyes and keeps the driver more alert.
Click to expand...

No its not, Blue is the color that has been proven to be safer for night time driving. Easier on the eyes and keeps the driver alert. Its even on the news. After soo much studying. I think it was even posted on DSMTuners.

Dull colors, drivers react to less. Plus, its not the brightness of the lights. I see white as a sleepy color. My parents lexus has white led's in the gauge cluster... and even with them at the brightest setting, they are bright... I still feel sleepy... But I've never fallen asleep at the wheel... I dont see how people can.
 
Ok, I can't find the damn article anymore. I don't know how to properly search for it.

Ok, I'm not soo sure anymore. I have searched for everything and can't find it. It was an article somewhere stating about blue gauge lighting helps with long night driving. Keeping the driver awake longer than other colors. and bla bla bla... but I can't find it no more.
 
what the hell, I've been trying to search for it and you just find it

I found the stuff about Infrared headlights would be best for driving at night for some weird reason...
 
grrrrr. I let someone I thought was my friend borrow my alpine deck... I have a picture around here somewhere of all my blue interior stuff lit up together...
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Click on the image for the original size... even tho its not much bigger...

The Shift knob, I had to add some paper or something, don't remember what I added, to make the light more even and dimer, it was really bright!
 
I finished lighting up the fog light switch. It's not as bright as I hoped but my brother doesn't have fog lights on his car anymore so no big deal.

I put 4 smt's on a square piece of styrene and taped the square inside the back of the housing. I still have to wire up the lights to where the stock light was. Since I don't have the car here though, I can't check the polarity of the wires to know which should be positive and which should be negative. Can anyone help me out with this by checking their car?
 

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crimsondragon said:
Say...that thread looks familiar...

I just got my 38' set of blue lights today so tomorrow I'll be raiding radio shack of solder, soldering tool, and other entities. Wish me luck. It'll be a long day tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Good luck!!!
 
I wired up lights into the mirror controls just now. The L, R, and dot in the middle are really bright and they don't match the fog light button, which is pretty dull. Also, there is no way to make the arrows white so they look a little funny because they're yellow. Oh well. I'm going to try to think of another idea for the fog light button to make it brighter. azdave, if you come around here, please leave some words of wisdom for us :)
 

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