| Author | Message | ||
     Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 141 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello one and all ... I'm sure this has been asked before, but I can't find it. My 1984 Spirit suffers from incredibly dim dash panel lighting - I have to strain to see them even on a dark night with the control turned all the way up. So, can this be improved - brighter bulbs or something? What should I be looking for, please? Rod Waite '84 Spirit | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1786 Registered: 4-2003 |
Roderick, The Shadows had a similar problem as the bulbs were a dismal 2 watt rating - a part solution was to replace them with 5 watt bulbs which gave some improved but still insufficient [IMHO] illumination. With the increasing availability of LED bulbs in a wide range of configurations, it should be possible to obtain stronger LED equivalents which should provide adequate illumination. The main problem is having to remove the dashboard to access the bulbs to replace them. The bulbs are a glass wedge push-in base type and a supplier such as those below should be able to advise on currently available alternatives to the OEM bulbs: http://www.bulbtown.com/ http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/LED-Wedge-Bulbs/ Hope this helps....... | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1730 Registered: 6-2009 |
David, A number of the lamps in my Shadow II are E5 midget screw base. I while back I sent Geoff (or I think I sent Geoff) a link to ledlight.com to source these. They also have a good selection of other automotive LED bulbs including those suitable for use in newer cars that use CAN Bus OBD-II to monitor the state of various lamps. Brian | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1787 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Brian, If I remember right, one of the miniature ES screw bulbs was above the switch box and I cannot recall where the other one was located. This applies to the Shadow I and the Shadow II. The Bulbtown link includes their catalogue of CAN Bus OBD-II compatible bulbs. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1003 Registered: 5-2012 |
Brian You did indeed send me the ledlight link. Great company - thanks again for the link. Rod I had a very similar problem with the dash lights on my 74 SY1 (SRX18501). I converted to LED lights and it transformed the dash lighting. All gauges and switches are now perfectly illuminated. The SY1 uses two types of bulb. One is a T10 wedge: https://www.ledlight.com/t10-wedge-8-1210-smt-forward-firing-leds.aspx and the other is the E5 miniature: https://www.ledlight.com/e5-midget-round-1-led-multiple-voltage.aspx If you check out the bulbs in your 84 Spirit against the Ledlight website, I am sure you will be able to find a match. It is quite possible the same type of bulbs are used. All the bulbs I bought were white light. The T10 wedges replace the bulbs for the gauges. The gauges on the SY1 have a blue filter, so white light LEDs were ok to use. The dash switches are illuminated by the E5 miniatures. The original bulbs had little blue condoms on them, but since two were missing I opted to paint the LEDs with the US equivalent of Humbrol enamel paint, used by model makers. I later fitted an engine coolant temperature gauge, so painted a T10 wedge to match the illumination color of the other gauges. If you opt to go the LED route, remember they are polarity sensitive. This is not a problem with the T10 wedges as they can simply be reversed in the holder. The E5 miniatures were more problematic as they screw into bulb holders. I found two of the bulb holders were wired the "wrong" way round but fortunately I had the top roll off at the time and was able to simply reverse the connectors behind the dash. The whole job is very straight forward and well worth doing, in my opinion. The other point to remember is there is no half illumination for LEDs - they are either on or off, so the panel switch becomes redundant. Here are some pics: The first shows the T10 wedges I used. The one on the right of the pic has been painted for the temperature gauge I fitted  This pic shows the original miniature light bulb with the LED equivalent, which I have painted blue.  Cheers Geoff |
