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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Instrument cluster bulbs
        
(Message started by: pools on Jul 9^th, 2009, 4:07pm)

Title: Instrument cluster bulbs
Post by pools on Jul 9^th, 2009, 4:07pm

Hi!

Does anybody know what kind of bulbs there is in the cluster? Two kinds it seems. I want to change to LED bulbs and need to order those so I can change them when I take it apart.

Thanks,
pools

Title: Re: Instrument cluster bulbs
Post by Simmo on Jul 9^th, 2009, 4:47pm

The details of what to do and the bulbs is shown Here (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/fasciabulbs.htm) ;)

Title: Re: Instrument cluster bulbs
Post by pinto on Jul 9^th, 2009, 11:23pm

LED bulbs are a baaaad idea - light given off is too directional and decent dash illumination relies on "puddle" lighting.

Fit slightly uprated bulbs - think the standards are 1.2W and a swap to 3w will make a huge difference - dont overdo it tho or else you'll end up melting the bulb shields and end up with white illumination instead of aquamarine :)

Title: Re: Instrument cluster bulbs
Post by wojtekor on Jul 9^th, 2009, 11:57pm

leds will do if only you remember to treat them good with sandpaper so the light isn't so directional...

Title: Re: Instrument cluster bulbs
Post by Snoopy on Jul 10^th, 2009, 7:27am

Have read of THIS (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/ledbulbs.htm) it might give you a better idea of what is involved in changing the Bulbs over to LED's

Title: Re: Instrument cluster bulbs
Post by tlundkvi on Jul 10^th, 2009, 8:53am

The problem is not the LEDs, it's the crap leds the retailers use to package in form factors suitable for cars. Origin and price is the same, it's no better. Unless they provide ratings in lumen or millicandela. If not, don't buy (would you buy a bulb without watt rating or a fuse without ampere rating?) I changed all but the instrument cluster bulbs to powerful 5-chip 140 degree beam leds and they are not directional at all. They cost a euro a piece but they work.

The biggest problem is the painted green film in the cluster. It is very thick and since led's produce only one color, they could be blocked by it. You could sand the green surface off, but the white parts that are seen are painted too so be very careful. You might destroy the instruments in the process.

All the buttons don't have a thick layer of film, so they are appropriately illuminated with normal leds.

Title: Re: Instrument cluster bulbs
Post by pools on Jul 13^th, 2009, 1:23pm

Thanks for the answers. But I need to know if it is B8.3d,
B8.4d, B8.5d or T5. www.bildioder.se

pools

Title: Re: Instrument cluster bulbs
Post by Tompion on Jul 14^th, 2009, 12:34am

I don’t know what sort of LED's you need, but they need to give good forward light & a good spread of light.
The forward light is needed to illuminate the hands via a series of prisms in front of the bulbs – the prisms are cast into the plastic that the dial is glued to.
The spread of light is for the general background illumination of the numbers etc.