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So.
They do not work - with the odd (?) exception of the 2 used in the Signal Indicators sockets: the signal bulbs work fine when using the turn signal.
Google tells me that perhaps they need to be oriented a certain way. These are bayonet-mount like the stock-style sockets (ie it is not just a naked bulb, it is a complete plug-in socketed assembly). I am gong to pull the cluster (ugh) today and see if there is some indication I may have missed about orientation. The bayonet socket can only insert 2 ways. Otherwise the old ones go back in I guess...
*sigh*
Unlike incandescent bulbs,led bulbs are particular to orientation of voltage and ground and will not work if installed without +side on voltage side of circuit and negative on ground side of circuit.
Is it possible the dash illumination leds were all oriented same way on install?
Before pulling cluster again,by any chance dash light dimmer is turned down?
You can test them before installing and marking + and negative side of each by using jumper wires hooked to battery to see which terminal is which.
You can test cluster before reinstalling by identifying which pin is voltage feed to dash illumination bulbs and which is ground pin for dash printed circuit.
I thought that too...that nobody else had my kind of luck. Possible something else at play there.
Changing bulbs to LEDs in dash of truck i’m restoring to brighten up instrument display and i will test the cluster before reinstalling as it’s more involved than 1st gen cluster to r&r. I HATE doing things twice.
Thanks -SE
So if I hear you correctly, not only do I need to orient the LED BULB correctly in the SOCKET, but also then the socket into the circuit board? oy. I do not recall the incandcent bulb/socket comb being fussy about orientation. But certainly the bulb itself seems to be, within the socket. According to other sources too..
I am trying to imagine what VooDoo allowed me to get the 2 signal LEDs correct?!
Yes - checked the Rheostat! (but clever point). Guessing the budget LEDs I got will NOT dim. Have since found another brand which is both brighter AND dimmable, so its starting to look like 3rd time will be a charm. jeez. At least the replacement speedo head (my original reason for the cluster-pull) works...
Thanks -SE
So if I hear you correctly, not only do I need to orient the LED BULB correctly in the SOCKET, but also then the socket into the circuit board? oy. I do not recall the incandcent bulb/socket comb being fussy about orientation. But certainly the bulb itself seems to be, within the socket. According to other sources too..
I am trying to imagine what VooDoo allowed me to get the 2 signal LEDs correct?!
Yes - checked the Rheostat! (but clever point). Guessing the budget LEDs I got will NOT dim. Have since found another brand which is both brighter AND dimmable, so its starting to look like 3rd time will be a charm. jeez. At least the replacement speedo head (my original reason for the cluster-pull) works...
Stu A
80GS
AZ
Put the LED into the lamp holder,which way makes no difference,to check the polarity of LED use jumper wires to 12 volt source and see which way the LED illuminates-it will illuminate in only one direction. Incandescent bulb will illuminate in any position installed.
Put a small piece of tape on determined + side of lamp holder once you determine which one is.Trace printed circuit on back of cluster to pins on board connector to determine which is ground and which is voltage supply from headlight switch. Install LED/lamps oriented with this in mind.
With LEDs installed,you can power up the light circuit with jumper wires and 12 volt source to verify all are operational.
Uncertain as to how turn signal LEDs both worked,haven't put any brain power into that.
Re the rheostat,i reserve the right to do dumb shi*,assume others can too,lol. The LEDs i recently purchased from Amazon are dimmable,one of the features i wanted.
Oh-KAY.
Am back in the LED-Dash Business!
Pulled the cluster, removed the offending bulbs, REVERSED them in their sockets: we have Photons!
!@#$%! -this should be noted here (!) as being an issue ALWAYS with these types of bulbs. THEY-ONLY-WORK-ONE-WAY.
And, no, there is no apparent marking on them to know which that way is...!
These are not the (*ahem*) brightest bulbs in the world, but at least marginally brighter than the incandescents I replaced. These are not dimmable...
If I am ever looney enough to do this again, I would instead buy THESE bulbs:
The plusses of these:
-15 LEDs embedded on ea bulb, instead of the 6 on mine. So these will be BRIGHT!
-they are arranged AROUND their mount for a wider light pattern. Presume better spread for instruments, since the illumination is distributed by reflection. Current versions LEDs face UP, away from the socket in just one direction
-DIMMABLE - so not too bright (if you want)
-avai in colors (current ones are white, tho they do shine thru the green-tinted filters in the cluster). I would buy the GREEN ones
The Minus:
-$7 a pop so you are looking at $50-ish to do the cluster, if recall the correct number of bulbs...8. The current set was Amazon: $10 for the batch. Get what you pay for
*whew* - now to get the damn car re-assembled for the road trip to 7Stock!
Thanks everyone.
Stu A
80GS
(Illuminated with early 21st Century technology...)
AZ
I used amber LEDs Yorkim 194 bulbs. Surprised that the took to the stock dimmer just fine. The idiot lights do not seem to take to the LEDs I bought so there is that. Nor have I been able to replace the bulb in the AC indicator. I think the diode part of being an LED make that impossible.
Missed this thread until now. You all learned a valuable lesson on LEDs, they are polarized to only work in one orientation for + and - leads. You have to just poke and hope and turn em over. Unless you get ones like the 1157s I got that had reverse polarity and would never work in our cars. Had to return em and get some more expensive ones for the front and rear blinkers if I remember right.
Stu, I would love to see pictures of the SA dash with led bulbs!! The dash lights are very dim originally and I would love to see how these work in the SA.
The dash lights in my 944 were also very dim and I replaced them with led bulbs from www.superbrightleds.com. I love the new look and the dash is so much easier to read.
Stu, I would love to see pictures of the SA dash with led bulbs!! The dash lights are very dim originally and I would love to see how these work in the SA.
The dash lights in my 944 were also very dim and I replaced them with led bulbs from www.superbrightleds.com. I love the new look and the dash is so much easier to read.
Dave - if there was much improvement to all my Blood&Tears, I would post pix, but the truth is the 'improvement' is marginal. Only a longer image exposure would make it "look" brighter. I used the wrong bulbs: directional ones with the LEDs mounted on the face, not around the perimeter like your Porsche install. The bulbs I LATER discovered and Linked are like yours, but with even MORE LEDs.
Its these "perimeter" layout bulbs that we will need to use to get any real benefit. dammit.
My only consolation to all the damn work was I needed to replace the speedo head regardless. At least my speedo needle isn't hopping all over the dial at speed. The LEDs were a moment of Opportunity that I missed...
;P
My only consolation to all the damn work was I needed to replace the speedo head regardless. At least my speedo needle isn't hopping all over the dial at speed. The LEDs were a moment of Opportunity that I missed...
;P
Stu A
80GS
AZ
I agree, it's not worth all of the effort unless you already are removing the instrument cluster for other reasons. If so, go for it and get the reliability of the LEDS, they can be nice but working tungsten filaments are lovely.
Last edited by Toruki; 11-07-19 at 09:26 AM.
Reason: broke the quote
Dave - if there was much improvement to all my Blood&Tears, I would post pix, but the truth is the 'improvement' is marginal. Only a longer image exposure would make it "look" brighter. I used the wrong bulbs: directional ones with the LEDs mounted on the face, not around the perimeter like your Porsche install. The bulbs I LATER discovered and Linked are like yours, but with even MORE LEDs.
Its these "perimeter" layout bulbs that we will need to use to get any real benefit. dammit.
My only consolation to all the damn work was I needed to replace the speedo head regardless. At least my speedo needle isn't hopping all over the dial at speed. The LEDs were a moment of Opportunity that I missed...
;P
Stu A
80GS
AZ
Sorry to hear this Stu. I need to post up pics of mine off and then on. Its incredibly brighter. Before I did this I couldn't hardly read the speedo much less the trip odometer at night, now its nice and bright. The dimmer has some effect but not much before they cutoff completely.
Stu, I would love to see pictures of the SA dash with led bulbs!! The dash lights are very dim originally and I would love to see how these work in the SA.
I try to update some pics later today or tonight. The SA really benefits from this in my case.
I lied!
Marginal (closed-but-lit garage) ambient light made these LEDs look pretty dim -
But:
2 hour night trip to PHX (7Stock Baby!) was a pleasant Revelation! They ARE brighter - about right actually - to my elder eye-*****. Great, whiter-than-stock (still green-tinged as per spec, but not to excess) colors really make the gauges and markings jump out. Does highlight just how dim the ol' heater and radio illumination really is...
So no loss with useless dimmer control. Apologies for Doom-n-Gloom. Notable, welcome improvement folks, and well worth the ag.
Presuming you don't get flummoxed by the Polarity issues.
Also thru LED replacement bulbs into my H-4 Hellas - another Revelation for a new Thread...
Stu A
80GS
21st-Century Lit in AZ
Last edited by 7aull; 11-07-19 at 09:55 PM.
Reason: added comment
. I got the white ones for my SA and they were a definite improvement. There's one socket where the bulb has to be shorter but that was fixed easily by simply cutting off part of the bulb terminals. They look great, the dimmer still works enough to be useful, and they're really helpful on the SA cluster since there are no face lights and the needles are lit from the side instead.
So there's another option in case someone is looking for a tested pair. I'll put some pictures up tonight when it's dark.
Edit: Sorry, just noticed the link is dead. I'll find the product page again later when I have a moment.
Last edited by Benjamin4456; 11-08-19 at 09:39 AM.
So I didn't end up having time to take photos last night, but I did some looking and found the above ones from back when I did the install. They aren't the greatest shots (I'll try to get some better ones in the near future) but the first shows the color vs the stock bulb in the heating controls, and the second more accurately represents the brightness. Note that the weird 'glow' is not present in reality, the camera just picks it for some reason. I really like how you can see the needles all the time with these bulbs. With the stock ones, low ambient light made the needles invisible and it was only in pitch dark when the stock lights actually helped. If I take some more photos I'll try and get a brightness comparison between bright and dimmed.
Edit: Well it seems I can't post the link without some weird redirect stuff happening so... Here's the product name: AUXITO 194 LED Light Bulb 6000K White 168 2825 W5W T10 Wedge 24-SMD 3014 Chipsets LED Replacement Bulbs Error Free for Car Dome Map Door Courtesy License Plate Lights, Pack of 10. Yeah, it's a bit long. Throw that into google and it should come up.
Took a couple better photos last night: one is dimmed all the way and the other is full bright. I also discovered that they cut off just before the brightness **** is fully turned, so you retain most of the adjustability. At minimum brightness they are most definitely tolerable, although I have no trouble leaving them up all the way for the most part.
11-04-19, 12:48 AM
