how to change ignition light colors - Page 7

svxash · #91 02-25-2009, 08:24 PM

Here are some pics of my latest attempt at blue gauges. I used lighting gels and cut out patterns to fit behind the gauge faces. I then used white LED's to illuminate them because they are brighter than the incandescent bulbs. I've seen some articles where people have scraped off the green backing of the gauge faces but the LED's are bright enough to still allow the blue to come through. This also allowed me to have the red part of my gauges remain red and also the needles to remain red.

Johnybeas · #92 02-25-2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svxash

Here are some pics of my latest attempt at blue gauges. I used lighting gels and cut out patterns to fit behind the gauge faces. I then used white LED's to illuminate them because they are brighter than the incandescent bulbs. I've seen some articles where people have scraped off the green backing of the gauge faces but the LED's are bright enough to still allow the blue to come through. This also allowed me to have the red part of my gauges remain red and also the needles to remain red.

looks really good!
It looks like there are a few dark spots, such as 80 and your red line. I wonder if the sanding would fix that or if the stage gels just aren't sitting completely flat.

I love it, can you also take pictures of where you mounted the LED's and how that ended up? How difficult was it to switch the lights??

I'm excited, what did you use to cut the gels? a razor blade knife? or just scissors??? how hard were they to cut?

Johnybeas · #93 02-25-2009, 09:35 PM

Also for those of us who have 5 or 6 speeds I was thinking of doing custom lettering where the D 1 2 3 4 etc were and putting perhaps subaru or alcyone, with the model train letters. Let me know what you guys think.

svxash · #94 02-26-2009, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnybeas

looks really good!
It looks like there are a few dark spots, such as 80 and your red line. I wonder if the sanding would fix that or if the stage gels just aren't sitting completely flat.

I love it, can you also take pictures of where you mounted the LED's and how that ended up? How difficult was it to switch the lights??

I'm excited, what did you use to cut the gels? a razor blade knife? or just scissors??? how hard were they to cut?

I just used the stock bulb locations and scissors to cut the gels. I'm going to try some different LED's to see if gets rid of the dark spots.

Mike621 · #95 02-26-2009, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnybeas

Also for those of us who have 5 or 6 speeds I was thinking of doing custom lettering where the D 1 2 3 4 etc were and putting perhaps subaru or alcyone, with the model train letters. Let me know what you guys think.

I taped the insert so that there would not be a PRND21 or a blank lit area. At night, there is no illumination in that spot now, and it makes the cluster look like it was from a car without the option for auto.

Crazy_pilot · #96 02-26-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnybeas

Also for those of us who have 5 or 6 speeds I was thinking of doing custom lettering where the D 1 2 3 4 etc were and putting perhaps subaru or alcyone, with the model train letters. Let me know what you guys think.

Another idea I have for next year when I'm back at school is to use the CNC equipment to cut a custom aluminum gauge bezel that doesn't have the opening for the gear display. I might even cut "Alcyone" into it or something.

Johnybeas · #97 02-26-2009, 02:21 PM

Mine right now I just sanded the different letters off so it doesn't show them. I think it'd be cool though to have it say Alcyone. I'm going to try it when I do my gauges this summer with all my other projects.

redlightningsvx · #98 02-26-2009, 03:58 PM

Svxash, The blues look good but, sanding them will make them brighter. The red on the tach is painted on the front of the gauge so it will be ok to sand behind it just don't put the blue stuff behind it. Also for the dark spots their is NO way to get rid of them because the way the lighting is in the cluster it doesn't reflect light better in some places. Also svxash, what did you use for bulbs in the green holders that light up the temp and fuel? stock lights?

nsm484 · #99 03-01-2009, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redlightningsvx

Also for the dark spots their is NO way to get rid of them because the way the lighting is in the cluster it doesn't reflect light better in some places.

have you tried, or thought about Wider angle LED's so the light isnt so focused, but more spread out? I've seen alot of LED shops online that I browse that have LED's with Wider Angle beams... Maybe it will help?

Just a thought, I've never been in my Cluster, so I have no idea how it looks in there.... yet...

If I do this, I will keep everything green, however, I want to make it a more vibrant green then the Dull Automotive Green that we have now

cozykat · #**100** 03-02-2009, 10:37 PM

if I stop being lazy, I will post some pictures I took of some leds i installed in my dash,etc. They were in the stock bulb housing so I didn't need to splice or solder anything in. I also used some super bright leds to get even coverage along the cruise/security/fog buttons without having to sand anything.

nsm484 · #**101** 03-02-2009, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cozykat

if I stop being lazy, I will post some pictures I took of some leds i installed in my dash,etc. They were in the stock bulb housing so I didn't need to splice or solder anything in. I also used some super bright leds to get even coverage along the cruise/security/fog buttons without having to sand anything.

This Response is useless without pictures

cozykat · #**102** 03-03-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cozykat

if I stop being lazy, I will post some pictures I took of some leds i installed in my dash,etc. They were in the stock bulb housing so I didn't need to splice or solder anything in. I also used some super bright leds to get even coverage along the cruise/security/fog buttons without having to sand anything.

here are some pics: http://s302.photobucket.com/albums/n...at/SVX/lights/

these show the lighting with some high intensity LEDs. They were okay but the lighting was not as even as I wanted. So you will see pictures of me switching to the wide-angle LEDs for 4 of the dash lights (which apparently I haven't taken pictures of.

so those pics are still to come). I still have the hvac to do. I don't think I will be doing much to the speedo because I like it green in there - I might make them LEDs for even coverage but we'll see.

There are a lot of pictures because I am going to create my own 'how-to' since I went a different route than others.

EDIT: Added completed pictures: http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/DSC00352.jpg

redlightningsvx · #**103** 03-03-2009, 05:13 PM

I have the same LED's as svxash installed above but in red and they still have the drak spots. You cannot remove them because the "spots" are from the way the cluster is made. If you look very closely at the stock gauges you will see the "spots" in it to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nsm484

have you tried, or thought about Wider angle LED's so the light isnt so focused, but more spread out? I've seen alot of LED shops online that I browse that have LED's with Wider Angle beams... Maybe it will help?

Just a thought, I've never been in my Cluster, so I have no idea how it looks in there.... yet...

Cozykat, Definatly making progress. One thing I think people get by reading my colorchange of the cruise/fog, etc. buttons is they think I sand the backs of them. That is totally opposite, I just poured some glass paint on the inside of the buttons to cover the lettering and leave the stock bulbs in there. By pouring the paint on the inside and using the stock bulbs I have an even color distrubution on the button. Just my enemy is the damn climate control.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cozykat

if I stop being lazy, I will post some pictures I took of some leds i installed in my dash,etc. They were in the stock bulb housing so I didn't need to splice or solder anything in. I also used some super bright leds to get even coverage along the cruise/security/fog buttons without having to sand anything.

nsm484 · #**104** 03-03-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redlightningsvx

I have the same LED's as svxash installed above but in red and they still have the drak spots. You cannot remove them because the "spots" are from the way the cluster is made. If you look very closely at the stock gauges you will see the "spots" in it to.

Once I am able to get awhold of another SVX, I will take my cluster out of my current SVX and play around, and see what I can do... maybe i can figure out a simple way to make the light even? It will be a great project nevertheless

Johnybeas · #**105** 03-03-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cozykat

here are some pics: http://s302.photobucket.com/albums/n...at/SVX/lights/

these show the lighting with some high intensity LEDs. They were okay but the lighting was not as even as I wanted. So you will see pictures of me switching to the wide-angle LEDs for 4 of the dash lights (which apparently I haven't taken pictures of.

so those pics are still to come). I still have the hvac to do. I don't think I will be doing much to the speedo because I like it green in there - I might make them LEDs for even coverage but we'll see.

There are a lot of pictures because I am going to create my own 'how-to' since I went a different route than others.

EDIT: Added completed pictures: http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/DSC00352.jpg

Kozy how did you get the led's in the stock housing? is there an issue about power? would this work for any color led?