LED Dash Cluster lights - What's the latest?

Discussion in 'Interior City' started by rkammer, Jan 15, 2023.

  1. rkammer

    rkammer Gold Level Contributor

    I'm about to replace my in-dash tach with a factory rallye clock and thought I'd replace the cluster lights with LEDs while I'm in there. So..............
    I've read many posts and threads going back 5-10 years with many opinions about which LEDs work best and what the issues might be. So, what's the latest and greatest on converting just the instrument cluster lighting to LEDs? Likes, dislikes, any issues? And, will the LEDs work with the factory dimmer switch?
     
  2. Ryans-GSX

    Ryans-GSX Have fun, life is short.

    I would like to know about them also. I put LED in the interior of my GS but not in the dash. I want to use as many LED lights as I can in the GSX because I like that bright light in the evening.
     
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  3. Utah455

    Utah455 Platinum Level Contributor

    https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?t...o-1972-skylark-gs.329221/page-14#post-3369779

    I just posted all the LED's I bought for mine a few years ago in the other thread. Slightly works with dimmer switch, it dims a little bit and then gets to a point where it shuts off, so maybe half way dimmable from what I remember.
     
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  4. rkammer

    rkammer Gold Level Contributor

    So, the 31 lumen bulbs at about 20% brighter than the originals were that much brighter?
    And, why did you purchase different bulbs for the clock? Shouldn't the two clock bulbs be the same as the others in the cluster? Here's what you listed:
    Clock = BA9S-W4-90-12VAC
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2023
  5. bostoncat68

    bostoncat68 Platinum Level Contributor

    Not much to discuss. The LEDs are pretty mature. To me the color intensity is most relevant. The higher the color rating the whiter….sort of bluer the color. Traditional bulbs are about 2700k, sort of amber white. New LEDs are often 5000 or 6000k. These can feel a little harsh to some folks. I would suggest trying to use a common brand and color spectrum across the car interior or you will notice the difference. Lots of great threads on this already
     
  6. Utah455

    Utah455 Platinum Level Contributor

    The service manual called out 1893 style for the clock, AC controls and glove box. While the dash lights were the 194 style.

    31 lumens is roughly 2.46 candle power, yeah 20% more. That was the lowest I found while I did my searching for LED's about 2 - 3 years ago. LED's on Amazon didn't really have good specifications and found Superbright to have all the info, plus one stop shopping.

    I tried to buy all of them around the same color temperature (say 5000-6000K to get into the white spectrum) so that they would all match color wise and then tried to shop for lumens so that the dash lights were too bright as others were saying. Now for the footwells, courtesy and outside lights, I went a little brighter on the lumens.

    Edit, and what I used was on l5 lumens for the clock (and not sure why my lens makes it look little purple) but I see they might have a brighter one 18 lumens in the same color temp range that wasn't there when I purchased before.

    Its a game to check lumens so their not too bright and color temps so they all look the same
    upload_2023-1-15_10-26-8.png
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2023
  7. rkammer

    rkammer Gold Level Contributor

    Just checked the Superbright site and they show a warm white bulb with 2700K and 34 lumen brightness. I wonder if that might soften up the lighting if the cool white 6400K is too bright for some taste. (like bostoncat68 mentioned above)
     
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  8. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    I always use the warm ones. Still looking for a warm festoon bulb for the sail panel lights though.
     
  9. Utah455

    Utah455 Platinum Level Contributor

    12lives likes this.
  10. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    The 194's I used dim. The problem is the crude dimmer we have in our headlight switch. The lights flicker. I also converted my 98 Riviera, and those same bulbs dim very nicely.
     
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  11. 12lives

    12lives Control the controllable, let the rest go

    Ordered the 4410-WW8 Nick, thanks - I'll post when I get them in.
     
    Utah455 likes this.

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