SMD LEDs for the Binnacle/Dash Lights

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07-31-2011, 11:31 PM
DeLorean03

SMD LEDs for the Binnacle/Dash Lights

Hey everyone:

As most veterans here know, I have done some very extensive LED trial and errors with all sorts of lights. Well, long story short, when LEDs were pretty new (2004ish), I installed them in my dash. Worked great, but the technology was still pretty new, and the LEDs burned out a lot. I went back to incads for a while, but I got irritated being in traffic and my dash lights being so dull that the street lamps provided me more light than the incads. So, as of today, I installed these guys:

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?at...2&d=1312168404

These are called SMD LED lights. Each lil' square is an LED - 12 of them on each bulb - making a total of 60 LED squares in the dash (5 bulbs = 4 dash and 1 tripmeter --> 5 x 12 =60).

Here is what they look like when on:

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?at...3&d=1312168405

I chose to go this route as the LEDs we have been using for a while all are clustered and point forward - some of the SMDs here these point DOWN - pointing light directly down to the gauges.

Enough chatty talk - I know what you guys want. Here you go - this is what my dash looks like in almost total darkness with no flash. I am telling you, these pictures look AWFUL compared to seeing them in real life. The amount of light these lights give off is simply stunning:

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?at...8&d=1312168279

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?at...9&d=1312168291

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?at...0&d=1312168298

There's so much light - there's actually light shining through the hole at the bottom where the speedometer and the tachometer meet:

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?at...1&d=1312168302

And I'll tell you, these pictures do NOT do the job justice. I could tell these were on in pure daylight. I mean they weren't giving the sun a run for its money, but I could tell they were on in daylight. At nighttime, it looked like my dash was hitting 88mph =p. I am beyond pleased with this, and I don't think I'll go any other setup after this. Very, very, very pleased.

They are $3.75 for a pair plus $2.00 shipping from http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/194-1...#ht_3402wt_783 on eBay. Ordered mine on Monday; they came in Firday or Saturday - same week.

They do have a certain polarity, so it can be a bit "hit and miss" when you install them. I did come up with a quick and simple way to install them nearly first time and they were all correct polarity. I will type it up if anyone's considering buying these and wants to save themselves A LOT of trial and error/headache. And just so you know, these bulbs do not fit in the door light bulb sockets. They have the clearance to put the door light lens back in place, but they are NOT the correct size bulb to hit in the socket. Just wanted to let everyone know before they go trying to install them in the door lights to get a "fully lit square" instead of just "dots in the middle." Beat you to it (: ....

For those of you who need a "how to" in getting to the binnacle lights, TTait did a very good writeup that can be found here: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?98...highlight=leds

Anyhoo - enjoy!
08-01-2011, 04:32 AM
WelmoedJ

Very sorry to bother you, but.....
Where are the pics you seem to refer to in your message?
08-01-2011, 05:34 AM
ramblinmike

Quote:

Originally Posted by WelmoedJ

Very sorry to bother you, but.....
Where are the pics you seem to refer to in your message?

Are you logged in? The pictures are embedded in the text.
08-01-2011, 06:14 AM
WelmoedJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramblinmike

Are you logged in? The pictures are embedded in the text.

Yes, I was logged in at the time I couldn't see the pics.
(I know I have to be logged in to see the pics.)
However now I can.
Not sure what caused this, however it's solved :)
08-01-2011, 12:22 PM
jawn101

Yo J:

How do the indicator lights look with these new backlights burning? Do they get washed out by the sheer POWER? :)
08-01-2011, 12:28 PM
Farrar

Thanks for this; I was intending to do the mod but didn't want to throw money away on LED bulbs that didn't fit or do the job properly -- you've just made it easier for the rest of us! Cheers!

Farrar
08-01-2011, 12:54 PM
DeLorean03

Hey guys (:

To Jawn: Honestly, they are kinda "lost in the white light." I'll admit - the indicator lights are totally visible, but they don't "stand out" as much as they used to. The amount of light these things give up is just insane. It really is almost "too much." I know thee pictures don't really show it, but man, I am sure glad I went this route.

To Farrar: You're welcome, sir. I know a decent number of owners have gone the 6 cluster LED route, which I will admit, works well. I just wanted to see what these SMD lights were capable of, and they don't disappoint. Well worth it - especially being about the same price as the 6 cluster LEDs.

As stated earlier, these lights do have a certain polarity, which could make installation of these a real chore. To solve that problem, here's what I did:

I took the red door light lens out and removed the LED installed in there. While these lights will not fit the door light socket, the bulb wire terminals will touch the contact points, allowing the SMD light to at least come on. Once it came on, I removed the bulb and put a "+" on the bulb body. The bulb body, when put in contact with the bulb socket in the door faced two directions - the ground and the sky. I put a "+" on the side of the bulb facing the sky. I did this with all 5 of the SMD lights.

Ok, go through the process of removing the binnacle. Set the binnacle on a flat surface with the bulb sockets facing you. Do it in such a manner that the door ajar light is still on your left, even though you're facing the inside of the binnacle with the paper-thin circuit board facing you. So basically you're viewing your binnacle with the lights in their normal orientation, but you're facing the lights from behind instead of from the front like you would normally be doing if the binnacle was installed in your car. I know I've rehashed the same thing a couple times, but that step is vital to making installation nearly hassle-free.

Now, here's the crucial step: install the two dash lights CLOSEST to the door ajar light and the trip meter light to where the "+" you put on the bulbs is FACING you (pointing up to the sky, facing you, however you want to say it). The remaining two dash lights: install with the "+" facing away from you (or facing the surface the binnacle is resting on as you do the installation). Hook up BOTH ribbon connectors as they are both required for testing all the lights. Press the headlight switch and look into the binnacle - you should hopefully be able to tell that they are all on. If you can't tell, uninstall one at a time while the headlight switch is engaged, and hopefully you can see the light get brighter or darker. If you can tell they are all on, put your car back together and enjoy!

I know it's not the most "fool proof" method, but it worked for me, and hopefully it'll be the same for you too. This is how I did it with the lights I ordered, and it worked. If something was not clear, please say something, and I'll try to clarify. Take care everyone!
08-01-2011, 03:27 PM
jawn101

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeLorean03

Hey guys (:

To Jawn: Honestly, they are kinda "lost in the white light." I'll admit - the indicator lights are totally visible, but they don't "stand out" as much as they used to. The amount of light these things give up is just insane. It really is almost "too much." I know thee pictures don't really show it, but man, I am sure glad I went this route.

To Farrar: You're welcome, sir. I know a decent number of owners have gone the 6 cluster LED route, which I will admit, works well. I just wanted to see what these SMD lights were capable of, and they don't disappoint. Well worth it - especially being about the same price as the 6 cluster LEDs.

As stated earlier, these lights do have a certain polarity, which could make installation of these a real chore. To solve that problem, here's what I did:

I took the red door light lens out and removed the LED installed in there. While these lights will not fit the door light socket, the bulb wire terminals will touch the contact points, allowing the SMD light to at least come on. Once it came on, I removed the bulb and put a "+" on the bulb body. The bulb body, when put in contact with the bulb socket in the door faced two directions - the ground and the sky. I put a "+" on the side of the bulb facing the sky. I did this with all 5 of the SMD lights.

Ok, go through the process of removing the binnacle. Set the binnacle on a flat surface with the bulb sockets facing you. Do it in such a manner that the door ajar light is still on your left, even though you're facing the inside of the binnacle with the paper-thin circuit board facing you. So basically you're viewing your binnacle with the lights in their normal orientation, but you're facing the lights from behind instead of from the front like you would normally be doing if the binnacle was installed in your car. I know I've rehashed the same thing a couple times, but that step is vital to making installation nearly hassle-free.

Now, here's the crucial step: install the two dash lights CLOSEST to the door ajar light and the trip meter light to where the "+" you put on the bulbs is FACING you (pointing up to the sky, facing you, however you want to say it). The remaining two dash lights: install with the "+" facing away from you (or facing the surface the binnacle is resting on as you do the installation). Hook up BOTH ribbon connectors as they are both required for testing all the lights. Press the headlight switch and look into the binnacle - you should hopefully be able to tell that they are all on. If you can't tell, uninstall one at a time while the headlight switch is engaged, and hopefully you can see the light get brighter or darker. If you can tell they are all on, put your car back together and enjoy!

I know it's not the most "fool proof" method, but it worked for me, and hopefully it'll be the same for you too. This is how I did it with the lights I ordered, and it worked. If something was not clear, please say something, and I'll try to clarify. Take care everyone!

This is a *great* writeup but I think we could use some pics of what you mean by your orientation of the binnacle. Do you mean it's sitting on it's top (the part that, when installed, would be visible from outside through the windshield) with the circuit board facing you? This would mean the gauges are upside down if viewed from behind, right?
08-01-2011, 04:52 PM
DeLorean03

Quote:

Originally Posted by jawn101

This is a *great* writeup but I think we could use some pics of what you mean by your orientation of the binnacle. Do you mean it's sitting on it's top (the part that, when installed, would be visible from outside through the windshield) with the circuit board facing you? This would mean the gauges are upside down if viewed from behind, right?

That is exactly correct. Take the binnacle out of the car. Set it down on a flat surface to where the gauges are facing the surface the entire binnacle is resting on - so the gauges are on a flat surface and the paper circuit-board and bulb socket knobs are facing you.. Then rotate the whole thing clockwise or counter clockwise 180 degrees - the gauges should still be facing the flat surface that the binnacle is resting on and now everything should be upside down, and the door ajar light should now be on the left (lights are in their "same place" just everything is upside down).

I really do wish I had pictures but I was experimenting as I went, and I'm not taking al that junk apart again =p. Unless I have to .... :'(
08-01-2011, 05:02 PM
jawn101

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeLorean03

That is exactly correct. Take the binnacle out of the car. Set it down on a flat surface to where the gauges are facing the surface the entire binnacle is resting on. Then flip it upside down - the gauges will be upside down, and the door ajar light should be on the left (lights are in their "same place" just everything is upside down).

I really do wish I had pictures but I was experimenting as I went, and I'm not taking al that junk apart again =p. Unless I have to .... :'(

Got it. I may try this in the not too distant future, so I'll take pictures and if I'm the first to do so, will post them here. I just ordered a whole set of LEDs, to the tune of:

3x WLED-G-120 (binnacle: turn signals and headlamp indicator)
1x WLED-B-120 (binnacle: brights indicator)
5x WLED-R-120 (binnacle: door ajar, seatbelt, oil pressure, lambda, brake indicators)
1x WLED-A-120 (binnacle: fuel indicator)
5x WLED-W-120 (binnacle: backlighting)
6x BA7S-W (HVAC panel - got a few extra just in case)
1x 74-B (headlamp switch)
1x 74-R (hazard switch)
1x 74-G (cigar lighter)
4x BA9SF-W-12V (exterior parking lamps)

My thinking is I'll try these WLED-W-120's in the dash lighting and if they suck, it was only 7 bucks and I'll get these flashy SMD bulbs you got. My personal concern is that I don't want the dash to be mega-bright as I have bad night vision as it is, and without the ability to dim it I might get myself into trouble :)

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