LEDs in Cluster on a budget?

[Ry-speeed 14]

I'm interested in upgrading my dull, near impossible to read cluster lights. I've read a few threads concerning the cheaper examples not being able to dim with the rheostat.

 

For anyone who has bought/installed LED's in the cluster, what's the best bang for the buck? Does anyone sell an inexpensive kit? Is it simply a matter of replacing the incandescent bulbs with LED's?

[miketyler 15]

I've replaced mine with the 5x LEDs from Hipo parts garage. My car was disassembled when I bought it so I have nothing to compare it to but the brightness is subtle and I would be surprised if these were much brighter than originals. I opted for their oem color (blue green) and left the light diffusers in. Some led kits recommend you remove them. These LEDs are dimmable if you leave one incandescent in the circuit somewhere like the ashtray.

[cphsonic 11]

Get rid of the horrible 6V voltage regulator first. Buy a kit or make your own, http://www.centroidproducts.com/mustang.htm but make it 6V, LM317 or such. Then buy any LED replacement bulbs that fit the old socket type. Don't know how they dim with the rheostat but I dont see why not?

[miketyler 15]

I thought the lights were receiving 12v. The dash lights receive regulated 6V?

[Arvidsson 22]

I put LEDs in just the speedo and fuel/temp gauge. Cheap single LED, white. This is the result. Although the dimming does not work.

[Arvidsson 22]

And a pic on speedo and fuel/temp.

[danno 128]

The dash lights do receive +12 volts when they are fully bright. The 6volt regulator has nothing to do with the dash lights, it is for the gauges.

 

If you want a real cheap, yet very effective way to get brighter dash lights, line the area around the lights with aluminum foil. This allows more of the light from the bulbs to be reflected onto the dash face. I did this on mine 20 years ago, before the days of LED's. It has worked fine ever since. I posted photos of it on this site years ago, I will look and see if I can find them again.

[Ry-speeed 14]

Get rid of the horrible 6V voltage regulator first. Buy a kit or make your own, http://www.centroidproducts.com/mustang.htm but make it 6V, LM317 or such. Then buy any LED replacement bulbs that fit the old socket type. Don't know how they dim with the rheostat but I dont see why not?

 

They seem to only mention using this mod wrt the fuel gauge sending unit.

Will it improve brightness of the cluster?

 

Can anyone else chime in about "amping up" power to gauge lighting?

 

Also, the lights used in the cluster are 194's right?

[Ry-speeed 14]

The dash lights do receive +12 volts when they are fully bright. The 6volt regulator has nothing to do with the dash lights, it is for the gauges.

 

If you want a real cheap, yet very effective way to get brighter dash lights, line the area around the lights with aluminum foil. This allows more of the light from the bulbs to be reflected onto the dash face. I did this on mine 20 years ago, before the days of LED's. It has worked fine ever since. I posted photos of it on this site years ago, I will look and see if I can find them again.

 

That sounds like a cheap alternative :punk:

 

I came across a thread where someone mentioned the aluminum foil trick.

[danno 128]

If you are interested in it, I can see if I can find the photos I took. I know I have them somewhere. It is a very cheap and very effective method.

 

I was also investigating a voltage increase circuit. Right now, when the car is running, there is probably 11 volts maximum on the lights, even though your battery is at 12 volts. It would be simple for me to do a voltage increase circuit, so the voltage on the dash lights is always 1 or 2 volts higher. A higher voltage means brighter bulbs. This is like the relay that people put on their headlights, it gives them more voltage and increases the brightness by a huge amount.

 

As I mentioned, the regulator has nothing to do with the instrument lights. It is for the fuel, temp and pressure gauges.

 

I looked and cannot find my original post on how to do the foil thing on the lights. I will look for the photos at home tonight. You have nothing to loose by trying it.

[bartzzimpson 18]

Given that it's not exactly easy or quick to get to the back of the cluster, I would strongly recommend LEDs which should last forever.

 

I went with part # U-L194LE from NPD. Only 99 cents each.

They are white and not dimmable.

The pure white light thru the blue diffusers changes the color from the factory green to a soft blue but I also changed to white gauge faces from whitegauges.net and the look is awesome. Very clean. Very easy to read at night.

 

They are not "burn your eyes out" bright so not being able to dim them is no big deal.

 

[danno 128]

here is a picture of the foil I used. LED's will last a long time, but these bulbs Ford used also last a long time. In the 30+ years I have owned my car, I cannot ever remember replacing them. Certainly not as often as headlights or taillights.

 

I wish I had a picture of how the instrumnets look in the dark, but I cannot find it. If you are on a budget, this is definately the way to go! At least give it a try. If you do, let me know and I can provide more pictures and talk more about it.