Dark Instrument lights...

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forspeed

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Feb 4, 2011
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Location
bavaria-germany
My Car
72 mach1 Qcode fourspeed
71 convertible Mcode T5 exp.
What's the trick to brighten up the lightning of the instruments (all of them,tach to oilpressure). Years ago ,there was a article in a Mustang Monthly-mag. Unfortunately, i missed that but i'm sure there is help in this one-of-a-kind-forum . :)

I barely can read my instruments driving through the city at night. I can

regulate the lightswitch just from dark to even darker..........

uv

 
I hate to post and not provide an answer but I do know there is an answer. It is a common problem and I've seen the answer on the vmf forum. If I can locate that thread I'll provide the link.

 
I think this is a problem with the lightswitch. When you dont can brighten up the light by turnig the switch , there is a potentiometer problem or the voltage is to low/bad ground conection (contact corrosion...). When i were you,i put the switch out and clean them (use contact spray). And check the voltege on the switch. Only my thought??

 
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Uv

I changed my dash lights over to LED bulbs and it made a huge difference, I also took my diffusers out.....I got the blue ones for my car but if I was going to do it again I would get the white ones and use the stock diffusers.

Ken

 
What's the trick to brighten up the lightning of the instruments (all of them,tach to oilpressure). Years ago ,there was a article in a Mustang Monthly-mag. Unfortunately, i missed that but i'm sure there is help in this one-of-a-kind-forum . :)

I barely can read my instruments driving through the city at night. I can

regulate the lightswitch just from dark to even darker..........

uv
UV, I installed the HiPo 5X dash lights in my 73 vert last year, I think I ordered it off of ebay at the time. Cost was around $50. Unbelievable improvement. With this kit you can keep the stock difusers on the cluster without a problem, with some of the cheaper kits the diffusers must come off.

Marty

 
Thanx ,you guys are the best !

I tried everything with the lightswitch, cleaned it & checked the contacts also tried two other switches i have...the same result.They all work they should & i think it doesn't came brighter from factory.

The LED conversion sounds like THE idea ! So do i get it right-i don't have to alter any wiring, just pull the old ones and insert the LED's ????

When i use the white ones it will still look stock only readable ?

uv

 
Thanx ,you guys are the best !

I tried everything with the lightswitch, cleaned it & checked the contacts also tried two other switches i have...the same result.They all work they should & i think it doesn't came brighter from factory.

The LED conversion sounds like THE idea ! So do i get it right-i don't have to alter any wiring, just pull the old ones and insert the LED's ????

When i use the white ones it will still look stock only readable ?

uv
uv, if I remember right the kit came with 5x bright white LED and red LED bulbs for my cluster. My set had the red for the warning lights (non-TACH car). The bulbs simply replace the current bulb already in the socket. The only catch is the (+) and (-) sides of the bulb/socket must be placed on the printed circuit (back of cluster) as per the instruction sheet. (I guess the current flow must be right for the LEDs to work):rolleyes:. With the 5x brighter kit the wiring and blue difusers remain origional thus giving the factory "blue" look to the lighting. Hardest part is taking the left dash apart to pull the cluster. I've also replaced the door courtecy land map lights with LED bulbs. Makes a big difference and they don't get hot. Here is the web site for the company that made my kit. www.HiPoParts.com. Good luck

 
I always wanted to get the LED lights for the dash...

but all the gauges eventually got replaced with autometer stuff, which are plenty bright.

I'd like to see some before and after pics of the LED's though.

 
What's the trick to brighten up the lightning of the instruments (all of them,tach to oilpressure). Years ago ,there was a article in a Mustang Monthly-mag. Unfortunately, i missed that but i'm sure there is help in this one-of-a-kind-forum . :)

I barely can read my instruments driving through the city at night. I can

regulate the lightswitch just from dark to even darker..........

uv
UV, I installed the HiPo 5X dash lights in my 73 vert last year, I think I ordered it off of ebay at the time. Cost was around $50. Unbelievable improvement. With this kit you can keep the stock difusers on the cluster without a problem, with some of the cheaper kits the diffusers must come off.

Marty
I also just installed the LEDs.I bought the complete kit from "Mustang Project" I could never make the shift indicater light work so I reinstalled the factory.I replaced my under dash lights also.It really makes the white interior bright at night ! I don't think I would use the LED's for the turn indicators as was pointed out in another thread.Way to bright!

PC250009.JPG

 
I bought the kit from Mustang project and haven't had any issues.....The blue lights that I have are almost identical to one of the factory settings that my 08 Bullitt has...I like it. I also use the LEDs for the turn signals and can't complain about it.

Ken

 
Thanx ,you guys are the best !

I tried everything with the lightswitch, cleaned it & checked the contacts also tried two other switches i have...the same result.They all work they should & i think it doesn't came brighter from factory.

The LED conversion sounds like THE idea ! So do i get it right-i don't have to alter any wiring, just pull the old ones and insert the LED's ????

When i use the white ones it will still look stock only readable ?

uv
uv, if I remember right the kit came with 5x bright white LED and red LED bulbs for my cluster. My set had the red for the warning lights (non-TACH car). The bulbs simply replace the current bulb already in the socket. The only catch is the (+) and (-) sides of the bulb/socket must be placed on the printed circuit (back of cluster) as per the instruction sheet. (I guess the current flow must be right for the LEDs to work):rolleyes:. With the 5x brighter kit the wiring and blue difusers remain origional thus giving the factory "blue" look to the lighting. Hardest part is taking the left dash apart to pull the cluster. I've also replaced the door courtecy land map lights with LED bulbs. Makes a big difference and they don't get hot. Here is the web site for the company that made my kit. www.HiPoParts.com. Good luck
I am also planning on installing the LED lights when I take my dash apart to fix my clock. I am still trying to figure out what color bulbs to get in order to keep the stock green look.

1. Install green 5X LED's and remove the diffusers?

2. Install white 5X LED's and keep the diffusers?

Does anyone have pictures before/after LED light installs?

 
LEDs are the way to go.

And, as you are taking everything apart, you may wanna paint the inside of the instrument cluster in satin (flat) white. The plastic turns yellow with age and does not reflect the light as well as it is supposed to.

Be sure to use satin white as bright white paint somehow does not reflect light as well as satin white, for what ever reason.

While you're at it: The black rings that you find around the faces of all three gauges should have their backs painted white too.

The reason is, they wrap around the side of the faces and absorb some of the light that comes from behind the gauges.

That way you are not only using brighter light sources but you get maximum gain from them.

This is what the white LEDs look like with the old stock blue reflector caps :

DSC_0055.JPG

By the way, on the picture you can clearly see the reflection from the white backs of the rings on the faces of the gauges. That really makes a huge difference!

The green tint we're all used to see is due to the interaction of the yellowish light emitted by the standard bulbs and the blue filters.

These are the normal LEDs from Mustang Project.

Although these are a great improvement, I would use the extra bright ones, if I was to do it again.

That way I could dim the lights a little and have a little "extra" if need be.

I still have the regulator turned all the way up.

As somebody posted above, they are a standard replacement. All you need to make sure, is that they have to be inserted the right way. Otherwise they will not work. I took the trial and error way and it worked fine.

Anyway, they are so bright that you can clearly see the blue light even in a lit up underground parking, which is a great improvement!

 
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Wow , information at its best ! :)

I really appreciate all of your help & suggestions,

& now i have to get LED asap !!!

Thanx for the nice pic Mike , it definitly shows a huge improvement .

Did you repaint the pointers with that special colour or are they still original ?

uv

 
Did you repaint the pointers with that special colour or are they still original ?

uv
The pointers are the original color. I wanted to use orange Revell Model Paint but first I couldn't find a small brush and when I finally went and bought one, I opened the can and the paint was completely dry. So I decided to skip it. :p

Those things usually happen when I try to do something. I'm getting used to it.:D

 
LEDs are the way to go.

And, as you are taking everything apart, you may wanna paint the inside of the instrument cluster in matte (flat) white. The plastic turns yellow with age and does not reflect the light as well as it is supposed to.

Be sure to use matte white as bright white paint somehow does not reflect light as well as matte white, for what ever reason.

While you're at it: The black rings that you find around the faces of all three gauges should have their backs painted white too.

The reason is, they wrap around the side of the faces and absorb some of the light that comes from behind the gauges.

That way you are not only using brighter light sources but you get maximum gain from them.

This is what the white LEDs look like with the old stock blue reflector caps :

Thanks for the picture. What a difference!

By the way, on the picture you can clearly see the reflection from the white backs of the rings on the faces of the gauges. That really makes a huge difference!

The green tint we're all used to see is due to the interaction of the yellowish light emitted by the standard bulbs and the blue filters.

These are the normal LEDs from Mustang Project.

Although these are a great improvement, I would use the extra bright ones though, if I was to do it again.

That way I could dim the lights a little and have a little "extra" if need be.

I still have the regulator turned all the way up.

As somebody posted above, they are a standard replacement. All you need to make sure, is that they have to be inserted the right way. Otherwise they will not work. I took the trial and error way and it worked fine.

Anyway, they are so bright that you can clearly see the blue light even in a lit up underground parking, which is a great improvement!

 
Did you repaint the pointers with that special colour or are they still original ?

uv
The pointers are the original color. I wanted to use orange Revell Model Paint but first I couldn't find a small brush and when I finally went and bought one, I opened the can and the paint was completely dry. So I decided to skip it. :p

Those things usually happen when I try to do something. I'm getting used to it.:D
Mustang project also sells the pint for your guage needles.I did mine.

 
Mustang project also sells the pint for your guage needles.I did mine.

Yeah, I know. I shoulda gotten that stuff too, but I was being cheap (again) and I knew that I had that orange paint left. (Wasn't expecting it to have dried though). :D

 
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