instrument cluster lights - LED replacements?

[Moybin]

Thought that someone had replaced the tiny incandescent bulbs in the instrument cluster with LEDs, but multiple searches found nothing. Have the Digikey catalog, and the Digikey numbers for replacing the parking bulb.

Would like to consider replacing at least the 4 "white" bulbs that illuminate the speedo and tach gage faces. Currently have one burned out on the speedo, so if I'm going to do 1, I might as well do them all.

Cannot find a part number for the OEM bulb; they don't show up in the service manual.

Has anyone done this mod? Where did you get the LED units? Did you go with an a yellow/amber LED or a white LED?

[Joe]

These guys seem to have a lot of LED replacements for standard 12v Incandescents

http://www.superbrightleds.com/led_prods.htm

[Moybin]

Thanks Joe:

I still haven't been able to identify the bulb number of the OEM units. That's one stumbling block right now.

[JonyRR]

I wouldn't mind subbing some red ones, or just going LED (the light's a bit bluer for the 'white' ones)....just measure the one you pulled, moybin, and then look at superbrightleds.com...

[Moybin]

Yeah, I don't have a bulb in hand right now. I've measured them before and was still confused as to which bulb they really were. Not something that the average autoparts store carries. Guess I'll have to pull the tupperware yet again and take a bulb to NAPA to see what they think it is. Then superbrightleds.com might work out. Right now I'm shooting in the dark, in more ways than one.

[bradzdotcom]

in the meantime:
buy a gps.
that speedo needle, like a good woman, claims that you're much bigger than you really are.

you DON'T have nine inches.
and you're NOT going 85 mph.

...brad

[Moybin]

bradz:

Wonderful analogy (notice how that starts with anal)!

I've diddled with the jumpers on the speedo unit and have determined that the odometer is very accurate while the speedo is reading low. Changing the jumpers on the speedo circuit board also changes the odometer calibration, so it's a bit of a judgement call which to dick with. For now I'm back to the OEM jumper arrangement.

[pwillikers]

I just replaced my gauge bulbs. I found exact replacements at AutoZone. Lemme look in the garage... Nope I remember now that replaced them all so I wouldn't have to open it up again. None left over. I thought about doing the led replacements but AutoZone was so easy. Very interested in the results if you do it.

I've never liked the look of the s gauges at night (and not much during the day for that matter). I wonder how many of us it would take in a group buy for the Glow-Gauges guys http://stores.ebay.com/Glow-Gauges to make a set of gauge faces for the s?

[RBMann]

Capt. Stempy had his gauge faces redone by Superdials.

http://www.superdials.com/

Here is a photo.

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/captainstempynet/clocks.jpg

I keep meaning to check with them to see if they would do another set like his but with 10% correction to the speedo. That would make me happy.

RB

P.S. i just sent them an e-mail.

[JonyRR]

someone told me last night about the chopper guys using GPS wireless speedometers..I'm going to look into that (I use my GPS as much for accurate speed as I do location on a motorcycle).

[J. Dial]

I replaced all my bulbs as one was burned out in the speedo. kinda makes sense to replace all when ya have it apart. Napa fixed me right up when I took a used one in.

[SergioK]

I was thinking of this the other day when the little green fuel reserve light was not but barely noticeable in the sunlight (not even direct sunlight at that!)

[RoundelRider]

Those Superdials are suhweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[onekiwi]

here is the part # for the instrument bulbs they are a little hard to find in the parts fiche
62 14 2 306 127

[Moybin]

onekiwi

Thanks much. Now if I could just figure out the Industry number for the bulbs I'd be doing great.

[bradzdotcom]

just to auger this one in further:

i use a voltage monitor that has a little tri-color (red/yellow/green) led.
these guys will also sell you individual led's, in lots o'colors and dual/tri combos.

http://www.customdynamics.com/LED_battery_gauge.htm


when the little green led comes on, it totaly dwarfs the illumination that comes from everything else in the cockpit.
it's a good five/six times brighter than even the neutral or high-beam bulbs.

...brad

[JonyRR]

OK, since I still have brunhilda scattered across the shop floor waiting for my fuel rail and clutch alignment tool, I'll yard out an instrument bulb and match it at superbrightleds.com....I powdercoated the subframe and center/sidestand eastwood 'cast aluminum' color and it looks reallllyyyy good (I added a welded-on bracket for my ohlins preload adjuster knob..no bolt-on parts for me, no sir...)

[Sparkstack]

Originally posted by Moybin
onekiwi

Thanks much. Now if I could just figure out the Industry number for the bulbs I'd be doing great.

Odd one this.. From the manual:




Which talks of two different types of bulbs. ETK only shows one bulb in the cluster though:




A search on google for T6.5 12V 1.7W doesn't reveal much, but a T6.5 12V 2W is shown here:

http://www.bri-lux.com/auto-1.htm

Apparently a T6.5 bulb looks like this:


but the bulb in the ETK looks more like a wedge bulb, either a T5


Or a T10:




I would suspect it's a T5, as it's a similar sixe to theT6.5 mentioned in the Manual...

If you have the old bulbs in your hand, you may be able to cross reference it on this page:

http://www.lampbulbs.com.tw/products/autolamp.htm



Hope this all helps,

Paul.

[Moybin]

parkstack

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the information! I've had the bulbs out, even took measurements, then lost the info. The T5 bulb pattern looks much closer to the instrument bulbs, not the T6.5 or the T10. The bulbs are definitely wedge-base style and TINY.

[nreed]

Moybin,

Did you find a solution for LED replacements? I ran across this site:

http://www.concept1.ca/engine%20gauges.htm

See at the the bottom of the page.

Norm