LED Dashlights Mod

I replaced the incandescent bulbs for the turn signals & LCD screen in my dash with LEDs (amber for turn signal, blue for LCD) this week. Looks great! 3 of the 5 instrument bulbs were burned out so I can now see how fast I'm going at night~



I'm thinking about trying UV (black) light LEDs to see if it gives the instruments any additional "pop"..

 

How easy was it and do you have to take the front fairing off? Can you supply the make and # of the bulds and where you bought them?

 

Yes, you have to take the fairing off. There are 5 bolts & at least 2 of the plastic tabs (mine was missing some) that have to come off. You'll also have to loosen, but not remove, three 10 mm nuts that hold the instrument panel on. You only have to do this to get at one of the bulbs; the rest you can access with a pair of bent needle nose pliers (or really tiny fingers). It's a PIECE OF CAKE. The most time consuming part is getting the bolts out. You don't even have to unplug the light connections, but it makes it easier if you do & get the fairing all the way off & out of your way.

Wish I'd taken pics now...

Here's the link to the bulbs you'll want: 194 LED Bulb - 5 LED Wide Angle Wedge Base | Wedge Bulbs | Specialty & Automotive | Universal LED Bulb Finder | Super Bright LEDs

You can get SUPER bright turn signal & brake light LEDs, too; but they are pricey as hell. The best brake light bulb is $25.....

If you go with the turn signal LEDs, you'll need to get the flasher relay as well or else you get a fast flash (like a bulb is out). Standard relay's don't recognize the LED as they draw SO little power.

 

Very cool Thanks Rabbitman

 

Forgot to say you'll also have to remove the mirrors & the little philips screws just inside the windscreen.

You're welcome~

 

...and to add, test each light before putting everything back in place because LEDs work only when the bulb is fitted the right way (+ and -) when normal bulbs work either way.

 

That depends on whether they are polarized or not. Some LEDs can be inserted either way.

But, good observation!

 

bump for additional info

Turn signal bulbs (in the cluster) are 194's, as is everything else in the cluster except the bottom indicator bulbs which are 24's.

 

Um im going to point this out, Light Emitting Diode. Key work diode, these are polarized devices. The light array (fancy words meaning more than one diode in the assembly) Requires a small diode bridge to be made reversible in the socket. This adds about 45 cents to the cost of the whole bulb. Most companies will save the cost and require you to flip them around to figure it out.

Automotive relays require the resistance of the incandescent bulbs to set the delay on the relay. Side effect is a burnt out bulb makes it flash faster. Now enter the led with almost no resistance. We now have to use a proper timer to set the flash rate. Single led uses 5 to 20mA at rated voltage. Some as low as 1.1volts others as high as 35volts. There are many sites to tell you how to use leds properly.

 

That sounds really cool and scientific (meaning over my head). I bought LED dash bulbs from the same place, SuperBrite LEDS, and just plugged them all in.
I don't expect I was lucky enough to get all 5 of them the correct way without looking, and then 9 more on my Superhawk.
So maybe they buy bulbs with that diode bridge at this company.
I used the same bulb across the dash (#194 cool white 90 degree beam), and did the swap on my Superhawk as well.

I love it!! Before the swap I couldn't read my VFR dash at night because it was so dim.

 

Your have either amazing luck or these guys get the good ones. Id lean on them getting the good ones too.

Diodes are actually fairly simple to use and think about. Treat them like a check valve in plumbing or in a vacuum line. Current only flows one way. That being said you can over voltage them in the wrong direction and they will conduct but that also means replacing them.

I looked at leds for my dash, I have a circuit that allows me to use multicolore leds and change my color at whim but I havent taken the time to build it. Means a lot of work setting up the cluster to accept it. One thing I want dimmer though is the high beam indicator. Too f*@!#$& bright!

 

I just ordered 2 sets of LEDs; one in Natural White & one in UV. We'll see how the UV work.....

 

The UV bulbs were a no go. Hardly visible even in darkness. The 5 LED bulbs are AWESOME:

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