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01-20-2016, 08:59 PM | #1 |
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LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
I'm wanting to light up my instrument cluster a bit better. Has anyone replaced their stock instrument cluster light bulbs with LEDs? If so, do you have any part numbers for the direct replacement bulbs? Thanks.
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01-20-2016, 10:33 PM | #2 |
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Location: Heart of Tennessee
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
I put green led's in my Blazer. I think I just typed in 194 bulb led.
I did my ac heater control bulbs led as well. It's kind cool, and pretty cheap. |
01-21-2016, 12:05 AM | #3 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
Yup, 194s.
I'm using them for my side markers |
07-11-2016, 03:10 PM | #4 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
Can we get a little more in depth than just a 194? Are there go to brands, colors etc? Who has some pics that they can share. There is a surprisingly little amount of info on this forum, I have been searching. Also, what about just using the higher watt version of a 194? I believe it is an 18xx or something. Let's get this set once and for all and then make a sticky out of it!
I'm not looking for anything crazy, just to be able to reasonably readmy gauges at night. Thanks!
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07-12-2016, 02:11 PM | #5 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
I recently changed mine to LED's. I used these off of Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Worked fine, a big improvement for visibility. They dim a bit with the dimmer control, but not a huge range. There may be better options out there for dimming, not sure. The high beam indicator and turn signals I just left in regular incandescent bulbs, the LED's didn't add any benefit in those locations. |
07-12-2016, 02:35 PM | #6 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
How is the color? Would like something with a greenish tint.
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1968 C-10 Suburban - Original 396/TH400 2002 Transam WS6 - M6 - Black/Black - Evil Garage Queen 2000 Silverado - DD - Small lift+Body lift+35" Duratracs+4.88's + Eaton TruTrac - Monster Truck 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Sport - Wife's DD and the only classy car we have. |
07-12-2016, 02:48 PM | #7 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
These are very white. I would think you'd be able to find simliar green ones online.
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07-12-2016, 03:15 PM | #8 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
Go to superbrightleds.com They have 10 different kinds of the 194 bulbs.
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07-12-2016, 04:29 PM | #9 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
Yeah, 6 bucks a piece though. Ouch, gotta pass on that.
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1968 C-10 Suburban - Original 396/TH400 2002 Transam WS6 - M6 - Black/Black - Evil Garage Queen 2000 Silverado - DD - Small lift+Body lift+35" Duratracs+4.88's + Eaton TruTrac - Monster Truck 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Sport - Wife's DD and the only classy car we have. |
07-13-2016, 03:08 AM | #10 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
On my old cluster setup I used red LEDs but I also disassembled the cluster and painted the inside gloss white to cover the mint green factory color.
I used ebay LEDs that had multiple diodes pointing in different directions to disperse the light in all directions.... |
07-13-2016, 05:58 AM | #11 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
If you do this mod will the lights dim with the rheostat?
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07-13-2016, 06:17 AM | #12 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
No. It's either on or off with the LEDs.
You can add a PWM (Pulse Width Modulator) to dim the LEDs but opted not to. |
07-13-2016, 09:32 AM | #13 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
ochre1971 said that his dimmed somewhat. My understanding is that they need to be equipped with some type of diode - some are and some aren't. Could be wrong. A lot of the adds are straight from China and mention that they have a diode vs cheaper ones that do not.
I ordered two sets.... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Green and yellow. I'll let you know how things turn out.
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1968 C-10 Suburban - Original 396/TH400 2002 Transam WS6 - M6 - Black/Black - Evil Garage Queen 2000 Silverado - DD - Small lift+Body lift+35" Duratracs+4.88's + Eaton TruTrac - Monster Truck 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Sport - Wife's DD and the only classy car we have. |
07-13-2016, 10:03 AM | #14 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
To add to mcmlxix's comment about the PWM, this seems to be what you need in order to make them "fully" dimmable. It's a stand alone dimmer specifically for this application, so you'd have to mount it somewhere accessible.
https://www.amazon.com/Auto-Meter-91.../dp/B000N8GIYG |
07-13-2016, 06:22 PM | #15 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
Why not just put 168 bulbs in? They are 3 watt and the 194's are 2 watt. This is what I did and my cluster is bright enough.
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07-14-2016, 04:10 PM | #16 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
Thanks - that may end up happening. I was hoping that we would get some good, specific info on dash lighting. All I could find was a guy used leds from somehwere, another from another place he cant rememeber, some used bigger bulbs. We need a FAQ about this.
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1968 C-10 Suburban - Original 396/TH400 2002 Transam WS6 - M6 - Black/Black - Evil Garage Queen 2000 Silverado - DD - Small lift+Body lift+35" Duratracs+4.88's + Eaton TruTrac - Monster Truck 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Sport - Wife's DD and the only classy car we have. |
07-14-2016, 06:23 PM | #17 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
They're dash light bulbs! There's 2 kinds, incandescents 168 and 194 or LED. LED's can't dim without a special LED dimmer. They come in different colors. A vendor was given- Super brightness.com and the rest can be had at Amazon or your local auto parts store. What more do you need to know?
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07-15-2016, 11:26 AM | #18 |
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Re: LED Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM..... which ones - specifically - people have had good luck with.
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1968 C-10 Suburban - Original 396/TH400 2002 Transam WS6 - M6 - Black/Black - Evil Garage Queen 2000 Silverado - DD - Small lift+Body lift+35" Duratracs+4.88's + Eaton TruTrac - Monster Truck 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon Sport - Wife's DD and the only classy car we have. |
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