Dash Bulb replacement, or LED upgrade... - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

SkylineNXS · 04-26-2009, 12:42 AM

So Ive always wanted the dash lights on my blue truck to be blue, so i bought blue dash bulbs, but they made it look more like green blue and really weak anyway. So instead, i upgraded to LED's. The way i did it would require more familiarity with soldering and circuits, but it turned out super nice. True blue color and bright. If anyone is wanting a different color dash, i recommend doing this if possible. Sadly my camera takes super bad pics, especially at night, so i cant show u, but its awesome, ha ha...

BRAD

Manbearpig · 04-26-2009, 12:49 AM

I have some blue LED's from superbrightleds.com

I have the WLED-4 bulbs

They aren't as bright as the picture makes them out to be, but they look great and get the job done.

One of these days ill sand the back of the gauges down a little bit to allow more light through

SkylineNXS · 04-26-2009, 12:51 AM

Blast i shoulda just done that, lol, looks brighter than mine, and i have 32 LEDs in there. Lets see urs would have 20 right? 4 per bulb and 5 bulbs. Looks nice, i still have yet to get the temp control and tach blued out though. How much are those bulbs?

BRAD

Manbearpig · 04-26-2009, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkylineNXS

Blast i shoulda just done that, lol, looks brighter than mine, and i have 32 LEDs in there. Lets see urs would have 20 right? 4 per bulb and 5 bulbs. Looks nice, i still have yet to get the temp control and tach blued out though. How much are those bulbs?

BRAD

The HVAC bulb was the same as all the other ones and the tach has a **** load of colors to choose from built in.

Yours are probably brighter than mine, my camera just made mine look bright.

heavychevy79 · 04-26-2009, 01:21 AM

That's cool! I tried red bulbs before and it looked goofy.
I wonder if those LED strips at Harbor Freight would work good for that.

How did you do yours skyline?

trenchwarfare · 04-26-2009, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manbearpig

I have some blue LED's from superbrightleds.com

I have the WLED-4 bulbs

They aren't as bright as the picture makes them out to be, but they look great and get the job done.

One of these days ill sand the back of the gauges down a little bit to allow more light through

Could you give more details on the install? Maybe the name of the exact bulbs?

SkylineNXS · 04-26-2009, 01:37 AM

Its sad that i didnt take pics while i was doin it, i basically just took a bunch of 5 mm LEDs, made like 8 series circuits with a resistor in each, and then layed em out on the back of the cluster, like where the normal bulbs go, but inside obviously. Then u wire each series in parallel with all the others and hook it up to ground and the 12v and there u go.

I dont kno if the led strips would work well because there are a lot of partition kinda things in the cluster, so its hard to get anything straight in there. Before i did this, i had some glo-wire stuff in there which was ok, but not really very bright.

BRAD

trenchwarfare · 04-26-2009, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heavychevy79

That's cool! I tried red bulbs before and it looked goofy.
I wonder if those LED strips at Harbor Freight would work good for that.

How did you do yours skyline?

I worked at HF. Those are the worst bang for your buck. Look around any auto parts store or online for a much better deal.

heavychevy79 · 04-26-2009, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trenchwarfare

I worked at HF. Those are the worst bang for your buck. Look around any auto parts store or online for a much better deal.

Thanx for the heads up!
I've seen alot of LED nick nacks at pep boys and AZ but are way too high compaired to the cost of LEDs by themselves.
Is there a place I could buy single or strips of LEDs without having to buy mail order?

trenchwarfare · 04-26-2009, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heavychevy79

Thanx for the heads up!
I've seen alot of LED nick nacks at pep boys and AZ but are way too high compaired to the cost of LEDs by themselves.
Is there a place I could buy single or strips of LEDs without having to buy mail order?

I'd say a good auto parts store, a hobby shop, or some kind of electronics store. The easiest would be online, especially that site.

Manbearpig · 04-26-2009, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trenchwarfare

Could you give more details on the install? Maybe the name of the exact bulbs?

WLED-x4 LED Wedge bulbs

Direct swap for the stock 194 bulbs.

trenchwarfare · 04-26-2009, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manbearpig

WLED-x4 LED Wedge bulbs

Direct swap for the stock 194 bulbs.

Sweet. Just that easy? I guess i'll do that soon. I painted the insides silver which made the stock bulbs a hell of a lot brighter.

Manbearpig · 04-26-2009, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trenchwarfare

Sweet. Just that easy? I guess i'll do that soon. I painted the insides silver which made the stock bulbs a hell of a lot brighter.

Insides of what?

I need to do something like that.
Have any pics?

heavychevy79 · 04-26-2009, 03:30 AM

I always paint the reflective part of the marker lights silver if it is dull, but I never thought of painting behind the cluster, good idea.
I think Autozone sells those (194) LEDs, but I don't know if they are the fold out kind.

trenchwarfare · 04-26-2009, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manbearpig

Insides of what?

I need to do something like that.
Have any pics?

The black plastic piece under the clear lens. Paint the back part silver. Mine was a light blue. Painting the plastic shroud that holds the gauges helps too.

Manbearpig · 04-26-2009, 03:48 AM

Ah nice!

Guess I have another project to do tomorrow!

04-26-2009, 12:42 AM	#1
SkylineNXS Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 658	Dash Bulb replacement, or LED upgrade... So Ive always wanted the dash lights on my blue truck to be blue, so i bought blue dash bulbs, but they made it look more like green blue and really weak anyway. So instead, i upgraded to LED's. The way i did it would require more familiarity with soldering and circuits, but it turned out super nice. True blue color and bright. If anyone is wanting a different color dash, i recommend doing this if possible. Sadly my camera takes super bad pics, especially at night, so i cant show u, but its awesome, ha ha... BRAD __________________ 2000 GMC Sierra EXT Cab Short 4x4, finally mine... 1966 C10 SWB Fleet, 250 I6, three on the tree.... Previously Owned.... 1987 Chevy R10 "Silverado" (at least the badges were) Short Step 350 700r4.... 1972 Chevy LWB Fleet 350/350 EXTENDED CAB ALL THE WAY! .._..~...-...._...____ .._..-...______\|_\|__\____ ..-..~.\|_(O)__\|_\|__\|_(O)]

04-26-2009, 12:49 AM	#2
Manbearpig Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midland, Tx Posts: 418	Re: Dash Bulb replacement, or LED upgrade... I have some blue LED's from superbrightleds.com I have the WLED-4 bulbs They aren't as bright as the picture makes them out to be, but they look great and get the job done. One of these days ill sand the back of the gauges down a little bit to allow more light through __________________ 1972 GMC C10 Last edited by Manbearpig; 04-26-2009 at 12:50 AM.

04-26-2009, 12:51 AM	#3
SkylineNXS Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 658	Re: Dash Bulb replacement, or LED upgrade... Blast i shoulda just done that, lol, looks brighter than mine, and i have 32 LEDs in there. Lets see urs would have 20 right? 4 per bulb and 5 bulbs. Looks nice, i still have yet to get the temp control and tach blued out though. How much are those bulbs? BRAD __________________ 2000 GMC Sierra EXT Cab Short 4x4, finally mine... 1966 C10 SWB Fleet, 250 I6, three on the tree.... Previously Owned.... 1987 Chevy R10 "Silverado" (at least the badges were) Short Step 350 700r4.... 1972 Chevy LWB Fleet 350/350 EXTENDED CAB ALL THE WAY! .._..~...-...._...____ .._..-...______\|_\|__\____ ..-..~.\|_(O)__\|_\|__\|_(O)]

04-26-2009, 01:21 AM	#5
heavychevy79 Cheyenne Super Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Dallas Texas Posts: 545	Re: Dash Bulb replacement, or LED upgrade... That's cool! I tried red bulbs before and it looked goofy. I wonder if those LED strips at Harbor Freight would work good for that. How did you do yours skyline?

04-26-2009, 01:37 AM	#7
SkylineNXS Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 658	Re: Dash Bulb replacement, or LED upgrade... Its sad that i didnt take pics while i was doin it, i basically just took a bunch of 5 mm LEDs, made like 8 series circuits with a resistor in each, and then layed em out on the back of the cluster, like where the normal bulbs go, but inside obviously. Then u wire each series in parallel with all the others and hook it up to ground and the 12v and there u go. I dont kno if the led strips would work well because there are a lot of partition kinda things in the cluster, so its hard to get anything straight in there. Before i did this, i had some glo-wire stuff in there which was ok, but not really very bright. BRAD __________________ 2000 GMC Sierra EXT Cab Short 4x4, finally mine... 1966 C10 SWB Fleet, 250 I6, three on the tree.... Previously Owned.... 1987 Chevy R10 "Silverado" (at least the badges were) Short Step 350 700r4.... 1972 Chevy LWB Fleet 350/350 EXTENDED CAB ALL THE WAY! .._..~...-...._...____ .._..-...______\|_\|__\____ ..-..~.\|_(O)__\|_\|__\|_(O)]

04-26-2009, 03:30 AM	#14
heavychevy79 Cheyenne Super Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Dallas Texas Posts: 545	Re: Dash Bulb replacement, or LED upgrade... I always paint the reflective part of the marker lights silver if it is dull, but I never thought of painting behind the cluster, good idea. I think Autozone sells those (194) LEDs, but I don't know if they are the fold out kind.

04-26-2009, 03:48 AM	#16
Manbearpig Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midland, Tx Posts: 418	Re: Dash Bulb replacement, or LED upgrade... Ah nice! Guess I have another project to do tomorrow! __________________ 1972 GMC C10



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