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I have LED kits and instructions for just about every interior bulb on the C5, but what about the main gauge cluster (Speedometer, Tach, etc.) - are these not easily replaceable with the cluster removed?
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Originally Posted by Choreo
I have LED kits and instructions for just about every interior bulb on the C5, but what about the main gauge cluster (Speedometer, Tach, etc.) - are these not easily replaceable with the cluster removed?
Those guys are illuminated by two black light tubes, one on each side. There's a power supply piggy-backed onto the backside of the IPC assembly that drives them.
You can see them here on an IPC with the front trim/bezel panel removes. One on each side mounted vertically
Those guys are illuminated by two black light tubes, one on each side. There's a power supply piggy-backed onto the backside of the IPC assembly that drives them.
You can see them here on an IPC with the front trim/bezel panel removes. One on each side mounted vertically
Sorry to revive such an old thread, but did anyone ever come up with a solution to this?
I came up with a solution. I bought some T5 LED bulbs and extracted them from the T5 base. Then I removed the bulbs from the DIC side of the instrument cluster and removed the incandescent bulbs from their bases. Finally I carefully inserted the LED into the empty Corvette DIC base and wrapped them around the base like the leads on the incandescent bulbs. I screwed them into the DIC and they worked! (I did have to switch one of them around for polarity, though). The HUD LEDs were similar, but a little tougher. I had to Sand the sides of the LEDs to make them fit through the HUD IP openings. (Others have filed the openings in the DIC instead).
Here's a picture of the parts I used.
Here's the finished product. It was a lot of work, but I like the results, and didn't have to modify the Instrument Cluster to get the bulbs fo fit.
(This whole project started as a HUD repair, but since I had to take the IP out, I thought I'd replace a burned out light in the DIC. One thing led to another and this was the result.
IBTL!!
Last edited by helphos; Apr 18, 2020 at 11:14 PM.
Reason: IBTL
Helphos and I must have ESP. I changed mine on my Z to blue and with my coupe they are red. MANY of the T5 style bulb’s bases are not consistent. I have had some that fit ok, one that cracked the circuit board, but none that fit right. I did the sanding thing with my Z, but after spending lots of joyful time with LED’s I did exactly what Helphos did on my coupe. It’s much easier and reliable than forcing or modifying a poorly made T5 base into a board that has been very happy for close to 20 years with a nicely fitting one. All LED’s of this type are polarized so you will have to test. There’s a way to do it with a 9V battery.
DON’T touch the speedo display!
I came up with a solution. I bought some T5 LED bulbs and extracted them from the T5 base. Then I removed the bulbs from the DIC side of the instrument cluster and removed the incandescent bulbs from their bases. Finally I carefully inserted the LED into the empty Corvette DIC base and wrapped them around the base like the leads on the incandescent bulbs. I screwed them into the DIC and they worked! (I did have to switch one of them around for polarity, though). The HUD LEDs were similar, but a little tougher. I had to Sand the sides of the LEDs to make them fit through the HUD IP openings. (Others have filed the openings in the DIC instead).
Here's a picture of the parts I used.
Here's the finished product. It was a lot of work, but I like the results, and didn't have to modify the Instrument Cluster to get the bulbs fo fit.
(This whole project started as a HUD repair, but since I had to take the IP out, I thought I'd replace a burned out light in the DIC. One thing led to another and this was the result.
IBTL!!
Off the top of my head, it’s one or more of the following 3: Superbrightleds, Diode Dynamics, or Oznium.
They are ‘neo-wedge’ bulbs. There are other vendors but lots of times they only sell incandescent
Off the top of my head, it’s one or more of the following 3: Superbrightleds, Diode Dynamics, or Oznium.
They are ‘neo-wedge’ bulbs. There are other vendors but lots of times they only sell incandescent
I’m sure you can get them thru Amazon, but I deal directly with them. I’ve found them on ebay as well, but quality is very sketchy. The advantage of doing the full conversion like shown above is you can order only one size. Unfortunately the C5 uses 2 different sizes of BASE. I think t3 and T5. The original GM bases are better than any I’ve gotten aftermarket.
I got mine from a Chinese site. I bought them a couple of years ago at a price of roughly $4.00 for a pack of ten (before tariffs). After I did my instrument cluster, I thought it might be nice to do the window switches. (Fast forward 2 years) The price has gone up to about $2.50 per bulb! You can find them on the auction site at prices in that neighborhood. Whatever you do, don't get LED bulbs that have a square face. You want the round ones like the ones in my picture, so they'll fit through the opening in the circuit board (DIC and HUD). As small as the square faced bulbs look, they won't fit without modification to your circuit board. As I noted earlier, the HUD bulbs are the smallest. I put the LED bulb part in a drill and filed it down with a file to fit the HUD openings.
Chasboy- Thanks for providing a picture identifying the polarity of the various bulb locations! That would have saved me a little time when I was fitting my LED bulbs! I was thinking of going with red instead of amber, but my red bulbs were all square faced, and wouldn't fit!
Today's project is getting my fuel door to open and shut properly. By the time this pandemic is over, my Corvette will have gained thousands of dollars in market value!
You’re welcome, Helphos, FWIW, I had no problem with my bulbs that I’m guessing were square faced, because the holes were not a problem. Could be difference in manufacturing method.
Gauge Cluster LEDs?
