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Garage => Interiors & Exteriors => Topic started by: 78w116300sd on 19 February 2014, 05:01 PM

Title: LED bulbs in cluster install
Post by: 78w116300sd on 19 February 2014, 05:01 PM
I always wanted to install LED's in my cluster just to see how it would look. I used pure white (color) leds. There are some advantages but one draw back I noticed was spotting. I shall keep them for now.
(http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn209/mike_bmw88/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-02-19_11-18-30_294_zpsavmrtumg.jpg) (http://s305.photobucket.com/user/mike_bmw88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-02-19_11-18-30_294_zpsavmrtumg.jpg.html)
(http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn209/mike_bmw88/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-02-19_12-47-12_460_zpsbzzjqqxs.jpg) (http://s305.photobucket.com/user/mike_bmw88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-02-19_12-47-12_460_zpsbzzjqqxs.jpg.html)
(http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn209/mike_bmw88/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-02-19_13-32-00_749_zpsoaoydxpz.jpg) (http://s305.photobucket.com/user/mike_bmw88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-02-19_13-32-00_749_zpsoaoydxpz.jpg.html)
(http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn209/mike_bmw88/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-02-19_13-34-28_950_zpswkw38gmw.jpg) (http://s305.photobucket.com/user/mike_bmw88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-02-19_13-34-28_950_zpswkw38gmw.jpg.html)
Title: Re: LED bulbs in cluster install
Post by: JGP on 26 February 2014, 04:46 PM
I wondered what this would look like too. Seems like the LEDs don't give quite as even light to the cluster as the standard globes. Are those LEDs the only option around? Maybe a different LED would give a more even glow?
Title: Re: LED bulbs in cluster install
Post by: 78w116300sd on 26 February 2014, 05:33 PM
The key is to bring the light source as much as possible to the front of the cluster light windows. The problem is, even if you find a small enough LED to fit the opening, the light has to dispersed 360° around the bulb. LEDs tend to shoot a straight beam of light. If you look close at my leds they have 5 small units built into 1 bulb. I can try and make it perfect one day with much research and development.
Title: Re: LED bulbs in cluster install
Post by: koan on 27 February 2014, 03:38 AM
I put a LED in the blank PRNDL hole in the dash for an alarm system. Diffused it with piece a thin clear plastic, the sort that comes on shirt boxes and the like, diffused by rubbing it with 320 emery paper.

I wonder if you could do something similar with the instrument cluster LEDs to get an even distribution of light.

How do the LEDs work with the dimmer?

Title: Re: LED bulbs in cluster install
Post by: 78w116300sd on 27 February 2014, 08:50 PM
Believe it or not but the brand of leds that I used do dim just like factory bulbs. But other leds might not dim properly.