also, if i was to want red lighting on the HVAC controls, how do you retain the blue color on the A/C temp control if you use red LED's?

 

This is what i have been waiting for also...someone that has tryed to intesify the amber colour with LED. Same Q i have had for a long time, do you buy amber LED or white and let the film behind the gauges change the colour.

 

You buy AMBER LED if the bulb is orange orginally.

 

Bulbs are CLEAR originally. The orange film behind the gauges is what gives the amber glow!

 

unfortunately if you want to go w/ another color besides white LED's your blue HVAC will have a tint to it. I've never seen exactly how it looks like, but if you're curious about it, radioshack has really simple LED's that you can hook up to a 9v battery. Put this behind the HVAC, see how it looks, and go from there.

 

How many bulbs are in the HVAC and where are they located? If their is an a bulb right behind the A/C control then maybe putting a white LED behind their would be the best idea and just use red LED's for the rest.

Also, after looking at the cluster more I was wondering...are their separate bulbs for the turn signal indicators? Are their separate bulbs for the warning lights? Are their separate bulbs for the A/C button?

 

can I get an answer...bump

 

ok so for to make it easy on me. what should i get just to make it a tad brighter, not a whole lot just like even 10% brigher

 

There are 4 lights in the HVAC controls. 1 of them is right behind the temp control, and that one can be white, you can make the other ones red and still have it look fine without any miscolorings. There are separate bulbs for the turn signals and warning lights that you don't need to tamper with.

There are regular bulbs that aftermarket companies sell that are not HID. I think I saw somewhere that PIAA makes some for example.

 

you should get white LED's. You retain dimming capability, they are alot brighter than stock, if you want to make your lights only 10% brighter then you can just adjust with dimming switch.

But I still haven't gotten clarification on colors, what sizes, and how many LED's required to change the gauge lights, warning lights (fuel, oil pressure, and water temp), and turn signal.

I want to change all my lighting to LED. I think that the dummy lights (high beam, rear defroster, check engine, etc) can remain as regular incandescent bulbs because if they are LED's they will be way to bright.

So, total so far of color and size to do this:
Cluster:
HVAC: 4 x 74x-HP3....1 White (for temp control), 3 Red

What about the the A/C on/off, A/C Circulation on/off, and Dimming controller lights? Do those take individual bulbs? If so what size?

Sorry I'm being so **** but I want to know everything I need to know before taking the cluster and HVAC off. I don't have alot of spare time to go back and forth trying to find out what bulbs and what not I need to do this.

 

5 LED's to change the gauge lights. I dont remember off the top of my head but you need 4 of the circuit board ones. and one size 74. You will be done with the gauge cluster after that.

For the HVAC controls, it takes 4 #74 LED's. one is directly behind the Blue temp setting so make sure you get white for that. the other 3 can be any color you want and it should look fine.

The AC circulation and dimmer lights are built into the button mechanisms and I didnt want to break anything so I didnt bother taking it apart.

 

so four 194 size circuit board LED's and one #74 size circuit board LED for the cluster?

What about the turn signals, low fuel warning, water temp warning, and oil pressure warning? Those are #74 I would think. Should you get 1 Amber and 2 Red LED's for these or do they have a film in front so you can use white LEDs?

It sucks that you can't do the A/C lights. I might try to work some magic with them when I pull my stuff apart

 

You can leave the turn signals, fuel water and oil warnings alone. Thats just unnecessary work. Those lights are pretty bright already. To answer your question though, I don't know what bulbs there are.

 

can you answer the first question about the cluster though. I know you said 5 lights but I wanna make sure that 4 of them are 194's.

I guess I'll just get the necessary bulbs for the HVAC and Cluster then if I find other bulbs I want to change out I can always do that later.

Another question...to make my HVAC all red, do I need to remove the film or can I just use Red LED's?

 

there is an amber film but i would imagine red LED's would blend well and it would show up red. I have not done it myself so my best advice is to go to radioshack and get a basic red LED and shine it behind the AC panel when you have it off. Or just hook up the 74's and see before you bolt everything back together so you know if you have to apply the acetone to get the film off or not.

I checked my receipt from superbrightleds.com and it didn't say if they were 194 but this will help you.

Quantity: 4
Product: WLED-xHP6 Wedge Base Bulb $ 4.95 (each)
Options: Cool White WLED-CWHP6

its the actual name of the bulb.

 

ok those are the ones that replace the 194's. But the ones you listed say that they only give off a lighting angle of 35 degrees. Is this correct or did they make a mistake on their web page?

Edit: Well okay they did make a mistake. If you look at the specs page it says they give off a lighting angle of 360 degrees

 

Hope this helps you, htis is my email to AutoIlluminatinon.com about making the orange brighter.

This is my email to autoillumination and his answer........
- Hide quoted text -




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <superlumination@***.net>
Date: Thu, Dec 11, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Subject: Re: gauge bulbs
To: Shawn Tusim <intoxicatingdetails@gmail.com>


Hi Shawn

In the #74 bulbs, I would use the tripower leds.

There are a couple of reasons for this recommendation.

One is that they do spread the light out better than a single more focused led

The other reason is that our current stock of them leans orangey in color. I actually call it mango. I really like the color and it sounds like it may be just what you are looking for. The picture on the website is of earlier stock, the new ones lean more orange than these:

http://superlumination.com/images/au..._3led_a_wm.jpg

http://autolumination.com/74.htm

With the 74s, you want to keep your gauges dimmed to 80% brightness to ensure a longer life.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks!

Tracy




---- Shawn Tusim <intoxicatingdetails@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi
>
> I was wondering if you can help me out on gauge specific LED. I am looking
> to brighten up my older gauges but in research have found that LED create
> "hot spots". I read through your site but can not seem to come to a
> conclusion on what bulb to buy. In your descriptions you say pretty much the
> same for each type of bulb so its not easy to figure out what one is the
> best for even light distribution. I need a #74....so what one will give me
> the BEST even light without the hot spots??
>
> Also with my gauges, they have a amber (orange) glow. this is due to a film
> on the back of the gauges. If i just want to make the orange "brighter"
> should i go with a white LEDs or amber coloured ones? I wasnt sure if the
> hyper white colour would wash out the orange, or if the amber bulb might
> change the colour.
>
> thank you
>
> --
> Shawn Tusim
> Intoxicating Details Auto Spa
> http://www.IntoxicatingDetails.ca
> Info@IntoxicatingDetails.ca
> 905.512.1252


--
Thank You

Chris Bacon

 

why not use the 5x Matrix II LED's?

 

I've had some trouble with autoilluminations leds. I've had a couple of sets just burn out on me.

 

one last question, i want to order these before i get my cluster back, but i forgot how many lights will i need?

 

so I am about to order my lights but am still in a bind on what color would look best. So what do ya'll guys think.
Amber
White
Red

I like the white but I just don't know if it goes too good with our cars.

 

I just took apart my gauge cluster so i could install my christmas gift from my gf which was a new bezel so I got chrome rings now! I took the time to inspect all the bulbs that go into lighting up the cluster.

To make it perfectly clear
Speedometer, Tachometer, Water Temp, Gas, and Oil need: 4x 194's and 1x 74
Odometer LCD needs: 1x 74
Gas warning, Oil warning, and Temp warning need: 3x 74's (one for each)
Dummy lights need: 8x 74's (any color)

That is all that is lit up in the cluster. But on the instrument display altogether their are more. Including...
Turn Signals need: 2x 74's (one for each indicator)
Headlamp On/Off switch needs: 1x 74 (this one is smaller than the others, it is the same size bulb as the one to illuminate the ignition key on the interior and I've read that requires a 74 size LED)
Cigarette Lighter Ring needs: 1x 74

You do not need to replace all these. But I am wanting to replace them so I do not ever have to worry about lights going out again. However, some of these lights are bright enough and replacing the incandescent bulb with an LED would just make things too bright. Those lights would be the Dummy lights, and warning lights. I'm just going to replace those with new long life or even whiter bulbs.

I've decided I'm going to go the white route on my gauges. Everything else though is going to be red.

To include more madness to this bulb to LED frenzy. I'm going to change my glovebox light to a white LED.

I'll post an update of my interior once these bulbs get in and everything is changed out.

 

I got an update.

For those of you that don't want to go the LED route either because of the hot spots or because you just want to stay amber I found some bright white incandescent bulbs that are sold in singles.

http://autolumination.com/194.htm

Either the Silver Stealth's for 2.99 or the Super White Xenon's for 1.49

They also sell the smaller size bulbs for the cluster and other interior lighting in the same style.

Also they sell the grain size bulb needed for the key hole light.

I think they are about the same brightness but the silver stealths would be more crisp.

I'm going to order about 6 of these to try out for my dome light, glovebox, and gauge cluster. If I don't like them in my cluster then I will just use them for the turn signal lights.

 

turns out. these bulbs from autolumination suck. they give off a very strong blue/purple hue unlike my PIAA's.