Instrument Panel LEDs

[Fx4wannabe01]

this is very innovative.


you should consider getting a film from a craft store to put on the back of your new clear openings.... then you just need to super glue around the edges and you're good... and if you ever want to change the color it's real easy.

just an idea.

My idea spawned off of John Griggs (N3elz) Cardomain for changing gauge colors....

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/24

 

[85_redranger]

85 Dash lights to red

How many led's would i need and what would i have to do to make all the lights( including heater controls) a nice intense red an my 85 Ranger? Also if any one has pics with the red lights i'd love to see how it looks .
Thanks

 

[srteach]

Okay guys and gals, A little color theory / LED / Electrical information ....

Color theory:
Incandescent bulbs emit almost the full spectrum of light. This is done by burning a filament with (voltage * amperage = wattage), which produces a bright glow. That emitted glow includes all the colors of the rainbow, in different strengths. The reason you see green on the instrument cluster is because all the other colors are stopped by the green film. Green is let through.

LED bulbs work by excitation of a phosphor inside the cup in the solid dome, not by burning a filament. This phosphor emits light in a specific invisible wavelength. The (clear type) dome is made of a proprietary material which fluoresces and actually creates the emitted light in a different specific wavelength, which is visible. Different colors have different dome compositions. and dome shape can limit light spread from 3 to 360 degrees centered on the centerline of the dome. The green film is overpowered by the single wavelength emitted from the bulb, though they do get dimmed by the film, especially of the film is a contradictory color.

An LED is a Light Emitting Diode. It is polarity sensitive, and will not work if put in backwards. Turn them 180 degrees in the socket and they will work (if they're not damaged or bad). They typically run on 3.7 to 4.8 volts. A resistor is needed if not included with the bulb cluster. Auto LED bulbs usually have resistors built in, or are built for 12 volts.

While incandescent bulbs (194 size) can require approximately 1 watt of power or more each, LED bulbs are usually less than .2 watt each. The dimming issue is caused by the low wattage draw of the bulb circuit. There are dimable bulbs available. Low wattage can also cause thermal flashers not to flash correctly. Get auto LED bulbs or get digital flashers if this is a problem.

Because of the light pipes in the instrument cluster, 90 degrees spread is probably the best way to go for this usage.

 

[Killion22]

I bought just the regular LED bulbs and they worked out fine in my dash (1987)

How hard was it to take the guages out and switch it over?? Can you give me a play by play?? I'd like to do this to my 87 and get rid of that crappy green hazy crap that came stock!!

 

[85_redranger]

I just took the little bulb covers off and it doesn't look too shabby

 

[AllanD]

As I see it LED's are the greatest thing ever....

Not as a stylin' accessory.

But for replacing indicator lamp bulbs that are a complete
Royal F'ing PITA to change.

More for illumination bulbs than for indicator bulbs.
Indicator bulbs are far less failure prone.

AD

 

[daniel3507]

My idea spawned off of John Griggs (N3elz) Cardomain for changing gauge colors....

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/296394/24

I love the look of your gauges and steering wheel. What are those things lit up down there under your ac and heat controls?

 

[dj224ranger]

looks like a cb to me

 

[IRKillroy]

not that far down guy... the squareish thing and horizontal rectangle

 

[daniel3507]

not that far down guy... the squareish thing and horizontal rectangle

Bingo

 

[AllanD]

I see... a GPS (the grey/green rectangle) kinda in the middle.

the bright white rectangle I take to be the display of either
a 2meter or 2m/70cm transciever,

and to the right I see a CB tuned to channel 35

at the bottom displaying "28.513.51" is obviously an amateur transceiver
currently tuned to the General/Extra portion of the 10meter amateur band.

Being that N3ELZ is infact a HAM...

73, N2TBI/W3

AD

 

[IRKillroy]

yes, obviously an amateur transceiver..... god, you must get off on thinking you're smarter than other people...

thanks for the informative response though.

 

[daniel3507]

i was thinking that the middle thing was a gps. other than that and the cb, i had no idea what the other stuff was though

 

[Syko]

How hard was it to take the guages out and switch it over?? Can you give me a play by play?? I'd like to do this to my 87 and get rid of that crappy green hazy crap that came stock!!

I did a write up on how to switch over to blue LED's hope this helps.
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51655

Syko

 

[sting88]

i was thinking that the middle thing was a gps. other than that and the cb, i had no idea what the other stuff was though

Looks like a Sirius receiver to me.