Replace Dash Lights with LED?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 1
From: SOUTH ELGIN IL
Replace Dash Lights with LED?
Hi All,
A suggestion was made to me in another thread about replacing my dash bulbs with LED while I have the dash out. This sounds like an attractive idea. Curious who has tried this and what their thoughts are?
I found these, prewired for under $1.50ea...
http://www.oznium.com/prewired-leds
A suggestion was made to me in another thread about replacing my dash bulbs with LED while I have the dash out. This sounds like an attractive idea. Curious who has tried this and what their thoughts are?
I found these, prewired for under $1.50ea...
http://www.oznium.com/prewired-leds
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 609
Likes: 8
From: Round Rock TX
funny I was told the same thing. Just have not gotten around to doing it yet. I have read other threads and the opinion is to use SMD LEDs. The produce more light and do a very good job with the dash gauges. The come in blue, white, and red. I was considering doing it blue just to be a little different.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 1
From: Winston-Salem NC
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 954
Likes: 40
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Just to be clear, your other thread was about the blue wire heating up , LEDs will not help with this problem.
Also one other note , I have read some LEDs will not allow you to use the rheostat function of your headlight switch.
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Also one other note , I have read some LEDs will not allow you to use the rheostat function of your headlight switch.
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Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
The LEDs in the INST lights could reduce the draw on the dk green wire circuit however.
The lt blue wire circuit is just for the headlamps , do you have anything other than the 4 HL bulbs on the circuit , like maybe some foglamps or are you running all 6 filaments on your headlights instead of the max of 4 filaments the factory intended ? ( I seem to remember you did some fancy wiring awhile back .)
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,404
Likes: 791
From: Redondo Beach, California
You can't effectively dim LEDS with a rheostat. The rheostat varies the voltage to the light bulbs. A variable voltage works for incandescents. For LEDS, you need to vary the current to effectively dim them...not the voltage. It's a little complicated to explain. It has to do with the LEDS being diodes operated in their saturated part of the I,V curve. Think I"ll stop here!!
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Shelby NC
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 1
From: SOUTH ELGIN IL
I ordered these because they are supposed to fit intot he 1895 dash sockets:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Roger, I just caught your post about all the wiring on my C3. I've done quite a bit (electric fans, amps, MSD, fixing my harness) but I haven't tapped intot he headlights for anything that I can recall. I'll go over everything this weekend to make sure. Great thought.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Roger, I just caught your post about all the wiring on my C3. I've done quite a bit (electric fans, amps, MSD, fixing my harness) but I haven't tapped intot he headlights for anything that I can recall. I'll go over everything this weekend to make sure. Great thought.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I ordered these because they are supposed to fit intot he 1895 dash sockets:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Roger, I just caught your post about all the wiring on my C3. I've done quite a bit (electric fans, amps, MSD, fixing my harness) but I haven't tapped intot he headlights for anything that I can recall. I'll go over everything this weekend to make sure. Great thought.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Roger, I just caught your post about all the wiring on my C3. I've done quite a bit (electric fans, amps, MSD, fixing my harness) but I haven't tapped intot he headlights for anything that I can recall. I'll go over everything this weekend to make sure. Great thought.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 914
Likes: 10
From: Brooklet Ga.
I am getting ready to replace my dash harness and am going with superbright leds I think they are BA9s which ones ddi you use the 90 degree or the wide angle ones
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 914
Likes: 10
From: Brooklet Ga.
How many did you use? I just got my harness today and unless I am mistaken it takes about 20 bulbs and at 8 bucks a pop for leds I am going back with stock bulbs.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 1
From: SOUTH ELGIN IL
Plugged in all my LED bulbs today and fixed the sockets in the console. I closed the grage door for a minute and they look great. Not quite as bright as I thought they would be though. Looking at them outside the dash they practically burn your eyes but inside the clusters they are very subdued.
When I get the dash back together I'll put up some pics.
When I get the dash back together I'll put up some pics.