HOWTO - Add LED Lights
#16
A stock bulb is a Eiko 211-2
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Jim
#17
#18
Ok so I bought a flasher that has that little ground wire on it hooked it up and nothing. I made sure that I had a good ground I went back to the place where i bought it from they gave me another one thinking it may have been a faulty flasher nope still nothing. Any ideas? I only have LED rear tail light bulbs. The regular flasher works but flashes fast like if a light was out because of the led bulbs.
#19
#23
#25
#26
update on mine. I installed all led lights threw out the truck. my reverse light don't work, and my rear parking lights don't come on but the fronts do. when I hit the brakes when a directional is on, my directions both go on,and when my headlights go on, my brake lights turn off. not sure what the issue is, but im going back to factory bulbs and fuses for the time being
#27
Thought I would throw this out for the folks that are only going partial on LED's...like myself.
If you are only running some LED lights (front marker/signals on my '68), you can use a standard Heavy Duty flasher unit, and the lights work fine. I have not done a full conversion on anything yet, but I do not know why t would not work there as well.
I use a TRIODON Heavy Duty Electronic flasher on the 68...it was my primary towing rig for along time, and I needed it for towing trailers. I swapped out the factory front marker/turn signals for sealed LED units in 2011 and have never had a moment of problem with the flasher.
Just my $0.02 worth.
If you are only running some LED lights (front marker/signals on my '68), you can use a standard Heavy Duty flasher unit, and the lights work fine. I have not done a full conversion on anything yet, but I do not know why t would not work there as well.
I use a TRIODON Heavy Duty Electronic flasher on the 68...it was my primary towing rig for along time, and I needed it for towing trailers. I swapped out the factory front marker/turn signals for sealed LED units in 2011 and have never had a moment of problem with the flasher.
Just my $0.02 worth.
#28
Sorry to revive an old thread, but it has been helpful. I have a new instrument cluster to install. In my old one, the panel lights work but all of the top row of lights are out. I'd like to order the bulbs now and install them with my new cluster, but I need to get the colors and intensity correct. I'm going to list what I see as the colors for the top row, and ask if someone who has working lights can double check me, as I am peering at the panel in place.
Left to right I have: 1) Shift light, Yellow. 2) left turn, Green. 3) Seatbelts, Red. 4) Brights, blue. 5) Brake, red. 6) Right turn, green. 7) 4x4, yellow.
The only one I'm really guessing at is the high beam light. I couldn't see it very clearly.
So, I know to buy the proper color lamps, but what about intensity? I see great variations in prices based on lumens. Has anyone done this? What is reasonably bright but not too bright?
I think all of the cluster lights are blue, but I wonder as well what intensity I should get. How many lamps are in the AC/ Heat control unit? I don't have that out yet either, but I'd like to order for all at once.
I know this is a long list of questions, but if anyone has actually done this they could save me a bunch of time and effort, and the answers would add a bit to this great thread.
Thanks, Dan
Left to right I have: 1) Shift light, Yellow. 2) left turn, Green. 3) Seatbelts, Red. 4) Brights, blue. 5) Brake, red. 6) Right turn, green. 7) 4x4, yellow.
The only one I'm really guessing at is the high beam light. I couldn't see it very clearly.
So, I know to buy the proper color lamps, but what about intensity? I see great variations in prices based on lumens. Has anyone done this? What is reasonably bright but not too bright?
I think all of the cluster lights are blue, but I wonder as well what intensity I should get. How many lamps are in the AC/ Heat control unit? I don't have that out yet either, but I'd like to order for all at once.
I know this is a long list of questions, but if anyone has actually done this they could save me a bunch of time and effort, and the answers would add a bit to this great thread.
Thanks, Dan
#29
Dan, you are correct about the top row indicator light colors. The high-beam indicator is indeed blue, and it's very bright. You called the Shift and 4x4 indicators yellow, that is pretty close, some might say orange. Same difference.
I didn't bother checking lumens when choosing these bulbs, there is a limit to how bright a bulb this small can be, and any of them are more than adequate for these indicators. The kind you need are the 194 or "T-10" style wedge-shaped bulbs. Here are the ones I used for my indicators: Super Bright Leds WLED-xHP5. They have every color you need: amber (yellow), green, red, and blue. These have 5 discrete LEDs on each bulb, which is probably overkill for this application.
In fact, the high beam indicator was really too bright for me. Night is the only time I'll have the high beams on and that blue light was blinding. So for that one I used this guy instead: Super Bright Leds WLED-x-x in blue. This one only has a single discrete LED on the bulb. Even so it was still too bright so I put a piece or two of printer paper behind the bezel and in front of the bulb. Now it's just right, I can leave the indicator on all night and drive without being distracted.
The background illumination on the instrument cluster are the same 194/T-10 style wedge bulbs and yes, the stock color is blue but you can feel free to change it. I made mine green.
The AC/heater control illumination takes a single bulb but it is a different style than the above. It is the barrel style or "BA9S". Here's the one I used: Super Bright Leds BA9s-x-x-xVAC. There is a second one of these barrel lights over on the dash to illuminate your wiper/headlight *****! I think for that one you should choose whatever color you are using for your dash illumination (ie, blue). But the heater/AC bezel takes a white bulb.
And depending on your trim package, you may find a third one of these barrel bulbs installed in your ash tray.
I hope this helps. For these small lights I really don't think the brand or "lumens rating" matters all that much, so I would feel free to buy whatever you find so long as it's the correct plug style. The links above are just what I got but that doesn't mean they're the best.
I didn't bother checking lumens when choosing these bulbs, there is a limit to how bright a bulb this small can be, and any of them are more than adequate for these indicators. The kind you need are the 194 or "T-10" style wedge-shaped bulbs. Here are the ones I used for my indicators: Super Bright Leds WLED-xHP5. They have every color you need: amber (yellow), green, red, and blue. These have 5 discrete LEDs on each bulb, which is probably overkill for this application.
In fact, the high beam indicator was really too bright for me. Night is the only time I'll have the high beams on and that blue light was blinding. So for that one I used this guy instead: Super Bright Leds WLED-x-x in blue. This one only has a single discrete LED on the bulb. Even so it was still too bright so I put a piece or two of printer paper behind the bezel and in front of the bulb. Now it's just right, I can leave the indicator on all night and drive without being distracted.
The background illumination on the instrument cluster are the same 194/T-10 style wedge bulbs and yes, the stock color is blue but you can feel free to change it. I made mine green.
The AC/heater control illumination takes a single bulb but it is a different style than the above. It is the barrel style or "BA9S". Here's the one I used: Super Bright Leds BA9s-x-x-xVAC. There is a second one of these barrel lights over on the dash to illuminate your wiper/headlight *****! I think for that one you should choose whatever color you are using for your dash illumination (ie, blue). But the heater/AC bezel takes a white bulb.
And depending on your trim package, you may find a third one of these barrel bulbs installed in your ash tray.
I hope this helps. For these small lights I really don't think the brand or "lumens rating" matters all that much, so I would feel free to buy whatever you find so long as it's the correct plug style. The links above are just what I got but that doesn't mean they're the best.
#30
Thanks Luke!
I had already ordered and installed the lamps when I saw your response. I used the standard WLED - xx lamps, which are about $3 each, depending on color. I bought a few extras, and I am happy with the result. I stayed with a stock lamp for over the wiper switch, because I was not sure if all of the little covers would fit over the led lamp. I haven't tried to remove the heater cluster yet, because it looks like a PIA to do only to replace a bulb that actually works.
I did this for two reasons - first, the entire row of lamps above the dash was out, and I figured I would start with the bulbs. Sure enough, the signal indicators and bright indicator work now. I think the belt and brake light probably have bad switches. The shift light is an option I don't even have, and I haven't even tried my 4wd yet as I fix up this old thing. Overall I'm pleased. The second reason was that I was swapping the cluster for a tach cluster, and I wanted to replace everything once and be done. Unfortunately the tach isn't working yet, but there is a lot of good info on the forum that I am using to track the issue.
Again, thanks for the response.
Dan
I had already ordered and installed the lamps when I saw your response. I used the standard WLED - xx lamps, which are about $3 each, depending on color. I bought a few extras, and I am happy with the result. I stayed with a stock lamp for over the wiper switch, because I was not sure if all of the little covers would fit over the led lamp. I haven't tried to remove the heater cluster yet, because it looks like a PIA to do only to replace a bulb that actually works.
I did this for two reasons - first, the entire row of lamps above the dash was out, and I figured I would start with the bulbs. Sure enough, the signal indicators and bright indicator work now. I think the belt and brake light probably have bad switches. The shift light is an option I don't even have, and I haven't even tried my 4wd yet as I fix up this old thing. Overall I'm pleased. The second reason was that I was swapping the cluster for a tach cluster, and I wanted to replace everything once and be done. Unfortunately the tach isn't working yet, but there is a lot of good info on the forum that I am using to track the issue.
Again, thanks for the response.
Dan