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View Full Version : LEDs in Volt/Oil Guage ?



Rockettman
05-29-2014, 04:44 AM
Ok...did I get the wrong ones?

Yesterday I bought two 194-LEDs to put in the Autometer guages.
Easy swap.
But...the ones I bought (the ones the store had), were the same as the pic below but in green.

Problem is this; although the "ring" around the guage lights nice and green; from the front face, I get a very bright green illumination top-dead-center and the sides of the face really don't light up. They stay kind of dark actually.

Has no one else found this? Did I buy the worng ones?
(based on what I saw, I went back to the orignal bulbs...but I like the LEDs :(). I thought maybe a piece of electrical tape over the 4 lights might equal-out the light? I don't know.

whitey
05-29-2014, 04:52 AM
Those work, however, you want ones where the light is spread out with leds on the sides too. The one you have has front facing leds. The one im talking about has one led facing forward, and 4 other leds mounted perpendicular to the front facing one. Like this :
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00755JMYS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1401364475&sr=8-1 they are cheaper online, as you can see.

fastblackmerc
05-29-2014, 05:00 AM
Ok...did I get the wrong ones?

Yesterday I bought two 194-LEDs to put in the Autometer guages.
Easy swap.
But...the ones I bought (the ones the store had), were the same as the pic below but in green.

Problem is this; although the "ring" around the guage lights nice and green; from the front face, I get a very bright green illumination top-dead-center and the sides of the face really don't light up. They stay kind of dark actually.

Has no one else found this? Did I buy the worng ones?
(based on what I saw, I went back to the orignal bulbs...but I like the LEDs :(). I thought maybe a piece of electrical tape over the 4 lights might equal-out the light? I don't know.

I have LEDs if you need them.

The gauges will look like this:

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/fastblackmerc/MM%20Mods/Gauges/DSCN1141.jpg (http://s167.photobucket.com/user/fastblackmerc/media/MM%20Mods/Gauges/DSCN1141.jpg.html)

These are the real / aftermarket gauges.

Rockettman
05-29-2014, 05:22 AM
I do appreciate the offer Jim; but shipping them to Toronto will just make the price too high for bulbs. (Unless I'm wrong on that).
I just want to be able to grab some here.
"Whitey" has suggested a different kind then I bought...is that close to what you'd have?
(Your pic shows exactly what I was looking for - looks wise)

whitey
05-29-2014, 05:39 AM
Im not exactly sure of the bulbs fbm uses, but i have white bulbs in my car like i showed, and it does exactly(only in white ) what fbm bulbs do. The key is to have light spread to the sides via leds facing that direction. 5050(5.0mm X 5.0mm) smd leds have the most light output in this type of bulb. Be careful what you buy, as some sellers try to get you to buy 194 bulbs with higher led count, but smaller individual leds, which are inferior.

fastblackmerc
05-29-2014, 05:41 AM
I do appreciate the offer Jim; but shipping them to Toronto will just make the price too high for bulbs. (Unless I'm wrong on that).
I just want to be able to grab some here.
"Whitey" has suggested a different kind then I bought...is that close to what you'd have?
(Your pic shows exactly what I was looking for - looks wise)
Will send you a PM.