1988 Vette coup...

Greetings all,

Does anyone know what size the instrument panel bulb sockets are?.....
The stock factory sockets are for 2 pin (bi-pin) halogen bulbs that I want to remove and replace...
It is my desire to replace the 882 bulbs with "wedge-style" sockets and XENON bulbs.....
I would hate to buy sockets that don't fit in some way to the circuit board or, bulbs that don't fit the sockets.....

Anyone?........Please advise and thanks...

 

........anyone?

 

I've been there, and I'll tell you this: Don't do it.
Several reasons.
1. Go with the LED bulbs that you can buy from Batee.com. The ones I got from Batee were the wrong size for my sockets, and I had to solder them in place. But it's totally worth it. Because they're LEDs and not Xenon, they use far less electricity for the same amount of light. They're plenty bright enough to see even on a bright day. 2. Xenon uses high wattage and that's bad for your display. There's a multi-conductor pin connector set between the boards of your display, and all the amperage from those bulbs goes through the one negative pin, which, in my case, overheated and lost spring pressure to make contact. This resulted in lights going dim, and even not coming on. I had to solder a jumper wire across the pin set.for that one pin. One symptom of this is the display going dead, while your turn signals are on full bright, as the power goes through the turn signals and through the bulb filaments to ground.
3. All that wattage generates heat. Heat is the enemy of electronics. Other items within the display will pay the price. My display's power supply went for a crap and had to be replaced. My odometer motor also died. You want LESS heat, not more.
Go with the LED's. You'll be far happier, and your display will be as well.

 

I've been there, and I'll tell you this: Don't do it.
GOING TO DO IT WITH XENON ONLY

Several reasons.
1. Go with the LED bulbs that you can buy from Batee.com. The ones I got from Batee were the wrong size for my sockets, and I had to solder them in place. But it's totally worth it.
I WILL NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THAT COMPANY NO MATER WHAT.

Because they're LEDs and not Xenon, they use far less electricity for the same amount of light. They're plenty bright enough to see even on a bright day. 2. Xenon uses high wattage and that's bad for your display. There's a multi-conductor pin connector set between the boards of your display, and all the amperage from those bulbs goes through the one negative pin, which, in my case, overheated and lost spring pressure to make contact. This resulted in lights going dim, and even not coming on. I had to solder a jumper wire across the pin set.for that one pin. One symptom of this is the display going dead, while your turn signals are on full bright, as the power goes through the turn signals and through the bulb filaments to ground.
XENON USES LESS POWER THEN THE STOCK BULBS....RUN MUCH COOLER THAT FACTORY AND, HAVE USED THEM FOR 10+ YEARS...I HAVE XENON IN THERE NOW......

3. All that wattage generates heat.
I ALREADY KNEW THAT...SEE ABOVE COMMENTS.

Heat is the enemy of electronics.
I HAVE A DEGREE IN ELECTRONICS/ELECTRICITY AND WAS AN ELECTRICIAN BY TRADE.

Other items within the display will pay the price. My display's power supply went for a crap and had to be replaced. My odometer motor also died. You want LESS heat, not more.
Go with the LED's. You'll be far happier, and your display will be as well.
AS STATED, WILL STICK WITH XENON AS I HAVE FOR YEARS...AS MY THREAD STATED, I AM UNCERTAIN THAT ALL THE SOCKETS ARE THE SAME AND, HAVE TO GO WITH WEDGE-STYLE XENON BULBS BECAUSE THE BI-PIN ARE SCARCE OR TOO EXPENSIVE....THANKS FOR THE REPLY.

 

I believe there are only 2 diameters used for GM PC bayonet sockets, 3/8 diameter and 1/2" that are probably .63 at the tangs. Your cluster or the spare you were given I'd think should be available to measure so measure and post back what the 4 882 or 7073 (89 only, but it's actually what you're wanting I believe).

 

THANKS FOR THE REPLY

I believe there are only 2 diameters used for GM PC bayonet sockets, 3/8 diameter and 1/2" that are probably .63 at the tangs.
I HAVE MY ORIG UNIT STILL DISMANTLED ON MY TABLE...I MAY PULL OUT A FEW SOCKETS AND SEE WHAT SIZE - MAY SEE IF THE HELMS INDICATES THAT...

Your cluster or the spare you were given I'd think should be available to measure so measure and post back what the 4 882 or 7073 (89 only, but it's actually what you're wanting I believe).
882 ARE THE FACTORY HALOGEN---I DON'T KNOW NUMBER OF THE "SMALLER" BULBS...IN THOSE SOCKETS I HAVE XENON...WHAT I WAS SENT WERE THE WRONG BI-PIN BULBS AS THEY WERE TOO LONG AND, I HAD TO REMOVE THE SILVER CAPS...I DIDN'T MIND AS IT SIMPLY WOULD ADD VENTILATION TO THE "INNARDS"...

MOST OF THE EBAY SELLERS HAVE NO IDEA AS TO WHAT THEY ARE SELLING NOR WILL NOT OR, CANNOT CROSS-REFERENCE THE BULBS...

 

Helms/FSM won't address socket dimensions, and I mentioned the 7073 only because '89 clusters actually used that bulb/socket Xenon for backlight. There are vendors out there that actually do understand the product they're offering but yes there are many that don't.

 

Finally, my head stopped spinning for a bit over this %^#%&* bulb issue!

5 watts is 5 watts, right?.....

Taking a;
5 watt incandescent bulb,
and 5 watt XENON bulb,
and, taking a 5watt LED bulb...
........................................ .....which would be brighter?

Would the gas or vacuum (absence of air) be the largest determining factor?

I decided to go with the "wedge-styled" bulb sockets but, still trying to determine what to ask for (for 1988)...

 

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The 89's used XENON?.......
Wedge style bulb / socket?...
Number?...Wattage?

OPINION -
Would that very same socket screw into an "88" board?

 

T3 1/4 Wedge Base 12v 5watt

Regarding a listing for bulbs as above, what is meant by 1/4''?...Sounds simple I guess but, is that the diameter of the hole/opening in the circuit board/.....I looked at my board a few minutes ago and took a vague measurement and it appears to be 1/2'' opening on the board with the directional and high beam opening about 3/8ths...

**EDIT...FIGURED OUT SOME OF THIS LATE EVENING***just need to find 5w XENON bulbs and 1/2'' sockets that work/fit...

 

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I made several inquiries to companies and ebay'ers...Still not certain....
I took a general measurement of both size sockets and the larger (882) HOLES in the circuit board which appears to be 1/2'' with the directionals and high-beam indicators being what appears to be 3/8ths....

Your writings appear to correct....

So, would /could a "1/4 Wedge Base 12V 5W Bulb fit/be used in your sockets?....I

If I can locate your sockets and locate bulbs that fit same AND fit into the circuit board, I would be "good to go".....

Looking to get SEPARATE bubs and sockets...

 

Found proper wedge styled sockets and 5w wedge XENON bulbs and installed into cluster.....

Re-filmed panel with a tiny bubble under the film that I could not get out no matter what I did---barely noticeable....

Too cold out in past 3 days into low 30's so, will be a bit before "dry-fitting" into dash to be sure all is working...