what dash bulbs?

[jamienshelly]

Hi all, I am going to be modernising my dash with new switches etc and wanted to change the dash/gauge lighting to led. I know some of you have done this and my question is what bulbs are fitted please.
I know I should take the dash top off and look for myself, so I am sorry for being lazy
many thanks in advance
Jamie

[Bassfiend229hp]

jamienshelly said:

Hi all, I am going to be modernising my dash with new switches etc and wanted to change the dash/gauge lighting to led. I know some of you have done this and my question is what bulbs are fitted please.
I know I should take the dash top off and look for myself, so I am sorry for being lazy
many thanks in advance
Jamie

Did it myself mate and I think I posted up links here to the bulbs that I used ... I went through lots of different bulbs though as LED ones are very directional and so there are a lot that don't work very well for gauge illumination, there's also not a lot of room to get the bulb in through the holder so a lot are too bloody big as well! (I also couldn't find one for the clock as that's a tiny bulb but I junked my clock for an AFR gauge anyway.

I can try to pop you up some eBay links here if you want?

Phil

[jamienshelly]

Cheers Phil, Hope that you are doing well and not ignoring the all important medical advice .
I was thinking about white as it looks a lot sharper than the yellow'ish of a normal bulb, or maybe blue like yourself (I think).
Any info would be helpful and if I have to make an led to fit the clock then so be it.
Sis says Hi and get well soon.
cheers mate
Jamie

[Bassfiend229hp]

Mine are white ...

Give Sis a big hug from me and when I get a few minutes I'll try to find those bulbs for you.

Phil

[jamienshelly]

Top man

[chris1972]

Can you not get extra bright standard bulbs? I have my dash off at the moment!

Edited by chris1972 on Friday 16th August 11:00

[s p a c e m a n]

I just bunged a white pre wired led into the hole for my clock, if no one comes up with the other bulbs I'll post what I bought later. I bought about 10 of each because it worked out cheaper, plus you can use them for sidelight bulbs and the side repeaters

These are the ones I bought, they have a very light blueish tint to them if I am overly critical though.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-WHITE-BA9S-233-T4W-LE...


http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-WHITE-T10-501-W5W-LED...

Edited by s p a c e m a n on Friday 16th August 11:06

[jamienshelly]

s p a c e m a n said:

I just bunged a white pre wired led into the hole for my clock, if no one comes up with the other bulbs I'll post what I bought later. I bought about 10 of each because it worked out cheaper, plus you can use them for sidelight bulbs and the side repeaters

That sounds like you have 501 capless bulbs, I have a feeling that earlier cars have different ones, Mine is a 94 with the black bezel gauges.
Jamie

[chris1972]

s p a c e m a n said:

I just bunged a white pre wired led into the hole for my clock, if no one comes up with the other bulbs I'll post what I bought later. I bought about 10 of each because it worked out cheaper, plus you can use them for sidelight bulbs and the side repeaters

These are the ones I bought, they have a very light blueish tint to them if I am overly critical though.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-WHITE-BA9S-233-T4W-LE...


http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-WHITE-T10-501-W5W-LED...

Edited by s p a c e m a n on Friday 16th August 11:06

Which ones for the interior lights?

[s p a c e m a n]

Ah boo, mines a 95 and the speedo was 501 but all the others I think were ba9s. Interior light, the one above your head? Cant do that with led because of the polarity

[Bassfiend229hp]

jamienshelly said:

s p a c e m a n said:

I just bunged a white pre wired led into the hole for my clock, if no one comes up with the other bulbs I'll post what I bought later. I bought about 10 of each because it worked out cheaper, plus you can use them for sidelight bulbs and the side repeaters

That sounds like you have 501 capless bulbs, I have a feeling that earlier cars have different ones, Mine is a 94 with the black bezel gauges.
Jamie

That's the gauges that I have - if I had my arse in gear and my new dash finished you could have just had all mine...

I'll dig out the links for the ones I've used later.

[Bassfiend229hp]

s p a c e m a n said:

I just bunged a white pre wired led into the hole for my clock, if no one comes up with the other bulbs I'll post what I bought later. I bought about 10 of each because it worked out cheaper, plus you can use them for sidelight bulbs and the side repeaters

These are the ones I bought, they have a very light blueish tint to them if I am overly critical though.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-WHITE-BA9S-233-T4W-LE...


http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-WHITE-T10-501-W5W-LED...

Edited by s p a c e m a n on Friday 16th August 11:06

Ooooo! Those first ones I tried and rejected as they didn't give a decent spread of illumination around the gauge ... they ended up with like a puddle of light where the bulb was and it looked very obvious they were illuminated from a point source.

I'll try to upload the pics when Thumbsnap is back online...

[Bassfiend229hp]

[Bassfiend229hp]

[Bassfiend229hp]

[Bassfiend229hp]

The pics are from my iPhone and aren't very good at all as the iPhone camera is pants in the dark ... the illumination is not at all glaring (it is pretty bright but not overly so) and you can see the difference between the gauges and the old clock!

[jamienshelly]

That looks great Phil, I have been looking on the bay and found some multi LED type but the lens end wider than the bayonet, will that be a problem fitting them?.
And did you have any 501 type bulbs in the speedo or rev counter?
Cheers Jamie

[chris1972]

Which ones for my white gauges Phil/ Jamie? Any ideas? A good opportunity whilst I have the dash off.

[Bassfiend229hp]

jamienshelly said:

That looks great Phil, I have been looking on the bay and found some multi LED type but the lens end wider than the bayonet, will that be a problem fitting them?.

Yeah - they're unlikely to fit...

jamienshelly said:

And did you have any 501 type bulbs in the speedo or rev counter?

No - they were all bayonets...

Phil

[Bassfiend229hp]

These for the minor gauges...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BA9S-5-SMD-5050-LED-Pure...

...and these for the speedo and tacho...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BA9S-13-SMD-Pure-White-C...

Phil