What is the best way to increase brightness in gauges?

[scarceller]

Those gauges where taken apart (most likely Hollywood Spedo Co.) and fitted with LED strips. Price for that job is in the $400 range. Just placing LED replacement style bulbs does not work well, I and others have already tried this. When this thread was started I think the idea was how to brighten the gauges without opening them.

Bottom line is if you want your gauges like the ones in the picture contact N. Hollywood Spedo. But I warn you those gauges may very well be distracting at night and I'm not sure if they are dimmable.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by jinos

Sorry, it's this one above.

[patkeefe]

Bump for help for Early_S_Man. I figured anyone who has posted in here will get an email response via subscription, and many do not know of Warren's plight...

[sempaipaul]

Hey guys, well I am looing at refreshing my yellow dash up a bit. I do not have 400 to drop on a "legit" dash mod so I found this:

http://www.porscheleds.com/911ledg.html

Are these all the bulbs that I would need to do the gauges on my 87 carrera drop top? also is there anywhere else that I can get them?

Thanks,
Paul

stype1990@aol.com

[calling911]

I dont get this thread. Part of owning an older Porsche is all of its character which includes the warm dim glow in the instrument panel.

You guys need to go out to your garages, take a deep breath and hug your Porsche.. not just for a few seconds.. a nice long hug.

Let me know how that goes.

[scarceller]

Originally Posted by sempaipaul

Hey guys, well I am looing at refreshing my yellow dash up a bit. I do not have 400 to drop on a "legit" dash mod so I found this:

http://www.porscheleds.com/911ledg.html

Are these all the bulbs that I would need to do the gauges on my 87 carrera drop top? also is there anywhere else that I can get them?

Thanks,
Paul

stype1990@aol.com

Don't bother with these LEDs they will NOT work, trust me.
If you really want super bright white light LED setup contact NH Speedometer in CA. They can modify your gauges with LED strips inside the bezel of the gauge.

The best results I obtained was from bigger brighter standard bulbs. But before you do anything simply replace the old stock bulbs with new ones and clean all the contacts.

[marks914]

Originally Posted by jinos

Sorry, it's this one above.

Yes,
to get this type of glow you need to go with the led strips. We do those all the time. If they are too bright for you,we can provide an inline resistor to dim them down. They are $35.00 per gauge with other work, otherwise just to install the LEDs its $55.00 per gauge.
Mark

[verdeboyo]

Qlander
I always thought white clocks in an old 911 was a big 'NO' but now after seeing your clocks I feel myself drawn towards the light 'at the end of the dash'
I will go for LED bulbs myself, so Im gonna be searching on the web for a dealer over here in UK.

Nice work

[Mysterytrain]

Mark, I would like to see the white LED strips with a blackface gauge??

[marks914]

Sorry, I don't have any pics of the white. On that set we also used a luminescent pearl for the white lettering.

Mark

[ruf-porsche]

Maybe this, but don't look in the rearview mirror or you be blinded.

[Rick964]

Just put them in last night. A very nice "modernization" but definitely does not make it any brighter than the original lights. I do like the whiter light though so they are staying.

[marks914]

I had a bunch of requests asking for white lights in a stock can. Here are a couple pics of similar gauges, one wih LED lights and one without. I had some time this afternoon, so I mocked this up real quick.
On the LED gauge we:
paint the inside of the can to disperse light better
Add the LED strip (15 LEDs)
wire through the back and install a terminal that connects to your stock harness.
We can also provide a resistor kit to dim the lamps if they are too bright.

No tricks here, I just turned off the lights and took the pic with my digital camera, no long exposures.

Mark

[marks914]

Here they are with the lights off

[scarceller]

Mark,

What is the power required for running these LEDs? And do you need to modify the power source so that they are no longer powered via the dimmer in the headlight switch?

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by scarceller

The best results I obtained was from bigger brighter standard bulbs. .

did you have to drill larger holes for them to fit ?

[teamfee3]

Originally Posted by scarceller

Mark,

What is the power required for running these LEDs? And do you need to modify the power source so that they are no longer powered via the dimmer in the headlight switch?

The LEDs just plug in but the light is still uneven on mine so I like the idea of painting the inside of the can. Putting in the LEDs is about as simple as it gets.

[marks914]

The LEDs are 12V, so no change of power source is needed.
They are not the plug-in bulb type. We use a strip of flexible LEDs and install them in the can. We then put a spade terminal receptacle on the back so you can plug them back into your stock wiring harness, no mods required.

Mark

[Mysterytrain]

Mark that looks great...I feel an upgrade coming!

[scarceller]

Originally Posted by RoninLB

did you have to drill larger holes for them to fit ?

No holes drilled, I have a doc covering this project here:
http://members.cox.net/widebody
Then at bottom of page get the dash mod doc, it has all the details.

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by scarceller

No holes drilled, I have a doc covering this project here:

Wow... I'm impressed



I guess the 5w bulbs won't fit into stock bulb sockets?

How does the 3/8" copper tube fit into the gauge's long female metal tube stock bulb holder?

I guess the 993 dimmer knob will fit all the ready made dimmers?


I've been waiting for 10 years to figure this out.

thx big time


ps: of the ready made dimmers do you feel that the $90 marine dimmer is the most reliable? It's the one listed under the one you "I really like this control "