Where do I get brighter instrument bulbs?

[Ho Hum 74]

Mentioned in a tech article from this site is the fact that you can put higher wattage bulbs in your instrument cluster.

Where can I get these bulbs?

Thanks
Tristan

[fintstone]

You can replace them with new bulbs with cleaner glass, but that is all unless you have the instruments modified.

[john walker's workshop]

i've drilled an extra hole and added an extra bulb. problem is, you don't know what the drill bit is going to bite into, unless the gauge is apart and you can plan the exact placement of the bulb. i did this on some red faced gauges that were very hard to see at night, otherwise i wouldn't have tried it. well, maybe i would have.

[kellzey]

I am having LED bulbs (with integrated resistor made to operate off 12V to 15V). It will have a special lense that emits the light sideways (instead of focusing forward).

I am having 3 prototype bulbs made with the correct base to fit in the VDO housings. If all goes well, I will have them available for sale. Special colors will also be offered.

[jester911]

kellzey, keep us informed on this. If you come up with these you will find most everyone here will be interested.

Assuming of course you won't charge us an arm and a leg

[sayah]

Ever wonder what manufactures of ALL cars could have been thinking when they made people PAY for that rheostat to DIM your instrument light bulbs.

[howiee]

LED's sound great. I'm in if they work. What colors are you looking into?

[vesnyder]

Keep us posted. Should be a good market for the LED alternatives!

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by kellzey
I am having LED bulbs (with integrated resistor made to operate off 12V to 15V). .

so then there will not be a dimmer control ?

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

North Hollywood Speedo is about to offer an LED system, when they get the bugs worked out--or maybe it was a supplier problem, it wasn't clear when they responded to a recent query of mine.

Stephan

[nostatic]

what is it with bright instrument lights? I have mine turned almost completely off. All I need to see is the rough position of orange needle..I know what the numbers are. If they are bright, they distract me.

Are you guys trying to read a novel or something? Double as a runway light at LAX? Performing RiverDance, the seated version, inside your car?

Yes, I'm glad there is a rheostat so I can *dim* my bulbs. Hmm...there's a joke in there somewhere...

[Jim Richards]

I'll refrain from jumping on the opening you've created, nostatic. But since I've been licensed to drive cars (more years than I care to think), I've always maxed out the intensity of the instruments. Never interfered with my night vision, and it's very clear what's going on with the car's systems when I glance at the instruments. If I dimmed the instrument lights, I'd need to take more time to scan them. Dangerous.

[nostatic]

but what is there to look at? I know what gear I'm in, and I know what speeds correlate to what rpms, so as long as I can occasionally see the tach, what else do I need? The oil guages are a "once in a while" check just to make sure something catastrophic is happening.

[Ho Hum 74]

nostatic,

So why did you open this post? Bored? Or are you just waiting for your SC to wind up?

[kellzey]

With the LEDS it will most likely be on or off. Let's say, for example, they end up being twice as bright. If you want do dim them to 1/2 of max intensity, then keep the stock bulbs!

I think most of us don't like the yellowish cast of the incandescent bulbs, more so than the brightness. The LEDS will provide for a white light.

[bell]

Originally posted by Ho Hum 74
nostatic,

So why did you open this post? Bored? Or are you just waiting for your SC to wind up?

man.........I don't even mess with todd, may the force be with you
the LED lighting solution is a nice one

[nostatic]

Originally posted by bell
man.........I don't even mess with todd, may the force be with you

Well, I'm no zanick, but I aspire to his greatness...

now if I could find some instrument lights that were 1 psi...

[techweenie]

I was at North Hollywood Speedometer about 10 days ago and they demoed the LED system. Nice, but $250 if you're already having all the gauges worked on (like a face color change), otherwise it's more. Ouch. That dim yellowish light suddenly looked a lot better!

[Randy Webb]

I'm with nostatic -- why do you guys have to read the little gradations?

I often turn the light all the way off on dark roads. And keep it down low most of the rest of the time.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by Randy Webb
-- why do you guys have to read the little gradations?

I

it's not the graduations.

it's the needle