Speedo Cluster Mod (Indiglo) - and some LED fun...

[Kenny]

For more details on white face gauge info see these threads:

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...ghlight=gauges
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...ghlight=gauges

Your typical reverse glow gauge faces:



It's a bit of a hack job since you have to blend in various parts to fit our cluster arrangement. But in the end I still like it over the stock goofy carbon fiber whatever look.

One of the biggest failings of these kits is that there is no colored lens behind the gear and turn signal pieces. I tried to make some out of colored plastic, but the lights where too bright and the lens was too weak. So I figured why not colored bulbs - thhhpt! - these bulbs are teeny - how about LEDs, ya LEDs should work.... after about 4 days of trial and error to get the correct brightness with various resistors I finally got it. Each different colored LED came in a different mcd (brightness) and amperage (10mA or 20mA). Oh what fun...

For anyone curious, a 50mcd/10mA bulb needed 510 Ohms to have a nice glow. a 3000mcd/20mA LED needed 7,800 Ohms to knock it down to a nice glow. I tried clear water LED and found them to be too laser beam like, the diffused bulbs when scuffed give off a nicer glow.

In the first image shown above, you can see the shaved down diffused LEDs in the gear positions. Below here you can see I switched up some colors fro fun:




I also tried to place some LEDs in the CRUISE positions, but this failed . It seems like similar to turn signals, there needs to be some measured draw in the bulb for them to function correctly... weird.


Here's a gear indicator bulb with a modded one with a clear water blue LED.
Even with the top dome scuffed off it's still a bright point, too bright. Diffused is the way to go.



I would very much like to continue on to swap out the green LEDs in the TOD display to blue, but man it's going to be a challenge to get the right specialty LEDs to make this work..




And finally for anyone who wants to take the speedo out here's a behind the scenes look. There are six disconnects you have to reach around to, note the yellow also has a release clip on the side. (I also took the green hats off the bulbs because I wanted to lose the green back-glow.)





The latest generation: (unfortunately another is in the works as the speedometer face got damaged when I cut the ODO holes in it.@#$%


Cheers all.

[Knigh7s]

The only thing holding me back from doing the indiglo gauges is the center circle that glows under the needle. If there is a way to disable them I would hop on that mod like nothing!
Also is there a reason why the Speedo is brighter thant the rest of the gauges?

As for my project I went ahead and started off on the master switches on the drivers door. I used a blue surface mount diode to replace the dull green one inside. Also if you notice the door lock and the window lock both have the ability to light up but no LED. I'm also working on adding those in. I'll set some pix up in a project log soon.


sorry for crappy picture. I took it off of my treo 680 in pitch dark. but it gets my point across =P

[Kenny]

The only thing holding me back from doing the indiglo gauges is the center circle that glows under the needle. If there is a way to disable them I would hop on that mod like nothing!
Also is there a reason why the Speedo is brighter thant the rest of the gauges?

The speedo is brighter because it's a new face. They dim a bit over time. They should be equal in a month or so. I have a dial on the converter to regulate the glow and have it set about half way. As they dim I'll turn it up. (note that at full power, the converter has a noticeable "whine". I put it far back in the dash so I don't hear it.

You could disable the center circle IF you are very patient and careful. You just purposely "damage" the gold part of the back of face like I did. Cut a neat circle around an area you want dead and either peel off the indiglo layer, or cut it off from the current.

[Ldub]

That looks x-tra sexy Kenny.

If ya come up with enough left over thingies & doo-dads to do another inst. cluster I know this guy who might be interested in this mod.

Maybe you could help me with the dash mod while I help you with that S/C you've been lusting after?

Just a light brain drizzle.

[Kenny]

That looks x-tra sexy Kenny.

If ya come up with enough left over thingies & doo-dads to do another inst. cluster I know this guy who might be interested in this mod.

Maybe you could help me with the dash mod while I help you with that S/C you've been lusting after?

Just a light brain drizzle.

Yer on dude! It's a deal.

[VCrossfan]

Very Nice Kenny ! !

[Knigh7s]

The speedo is brighter because it's a new face. They dim a bit over time. They should be equal in a month or so. I have a dial on the converter to regulate the glow and have it set about half way. As they dim I'll turn it up. (note that at full power, the converter has a noticeable "whine". I put it far back in the dash so I don't hear it.

You could disable the center circle IF you are very patient and careful. You just purposely "damage" the gold part of the back of face like I did. Cut a neat circle around an area you want dead and either peel off the indiglo layer, or cut it off from the current.

Oh, ok I see. I might give this mod a try then.