bulbs. revisited.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Jacksonville, NC
bulbs. revisited.
So I went and read the entire thread that was posted a few weeks ago about the bulbs in the instrument cluster. Having been experiencing dim instrument lights, I poked out my light filters, installed 194B's (blue bulbs), and painted all my gauge needles with a fluorescent red paint pen, and put it all back together.
Interestingly enough, the lights in the instrument cluster are now even more dim than they were with white bulbs and filters, and the needles are now harder to see, even though they were painted with a fluorescent color. Is there something I'm missing? Or do I just need to install LED bulbs?
I really hope I'm just missing something, because I really don't feel like putting up more than I have to for LED bulbs.
Thanks, guys!
Interestingly enough, the lights in the instrument cluster are now even more dim than they were with white bulbs and filters, and the needles are now harder to see, even though they were painted with a fluorescent color. Is there something I'm missing? Or do I just need to install LED bulbs?
I really hope I'm just missing something, because I really don't feel like putting up more than I have to for LED bulbs.
Thanks, guys!
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2010
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well what i did was poked out the filter and put the white bulbs and it was pretty good. you could see everything you needed to see. but then i bough some red LED's and it seems to have dimmed out some becaues of the fact they are red but they are still good. i didn't do anything to my needles though, just left them alone. try Super Bright LEDs ? LED Lights, Bulbs, and Accessories they ship them fast and they have cool colors to chose form. hope that helps man
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Suffolk, VA USA
I've found just recently when replacing one of my 194bs that the coatings on the bulbs are not always equal. The bulb I replaced, although on, is noticably dimmer than the others. You might want to try a different brand.
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From: Virginia
If you put blue bulbs in the cluster, then paint the needles red, they are not going to show up well, because the light is mostly blue. Put red bulbs in, and the red needles should show up better, since they have more red light to reflect.
If you painted your needles blue, with the blue light you have now they would show up better. Or if you painted them white, the blue light would reflect off the needles more.
If you painted your needles blue, with the blue light you have now they would show up better. Or if you painted them white, the blue light would reflect off the needles more.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Lost
I was gonna ask about that, but you bet me to the punch.....
Of course, it's also possible the dimmer circuit in the switch is going bad.
Of course, it's also possible the dimmer circuit in the switch is going bad.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Jacksonville, NC
Haha, I thought about that, and then scratched my head when I found the brightness was all the way up.
I mean, the bulbs are so dim that I can hardly see the numbers. Is there some test that i could do to be able to tell if the dimmer circuit is bad without using a voltmeter?
I mean, the bulbs are so dim that I can hardly see the numbers. Is there some test that i could do to be able to tell if the dimmer circuit is bad without using a voltmeter?
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
the bulbs and then turn the **** and see what the measurements are.
I had installed those blue 194 bulbs without filters once and I seem to recall it
looking pretty good (and I may revert back to that one day) but I wanted to try
the silver gauge with red backlighting so that's where I went (and am still
there).
You might be surprised how many times the easy & obvious things get
overlooked....
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Northern California
I would check the rhetrostat in the headlamp switch. It looks like a spring that goes around the round ceramic insulator. If it's dirty, rusted, the contacts worn etc, replace it. 
Also check the contacts of the bulb holders and the instrument cluster printed circut connections.
Also check the contacts of the bulb holders and the instrument cluster printed circut connections.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2010
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i have a couple questions about that, how do you check the headlamp switch to make sure its not warn out or needs to be replaced? and also how do you go about replaceing the switch? and is that ceramic insulator you are speaking of the wheel that turns wtith the spring that controls the brightness of the lights?
Junior User
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I did this to my truck earlier today. I took the light filters off and put red bulbs in and it seemed just as dim as when the filters were on so I put the white bulbs back in. I also took a dremel and cut the lip off the outside edge of the gauge to allow more light in andit makes it alot brighter.
Im wondering if it would be possible to wire in one of those thin led light strips and place it along the bottom inside the cluster. Im sure that would provide plenty of light to see the gauges with and you can get them in different colors.
Im wondering if it would be possible to wire in one of those thin led light strips and place it along the bottom inside the cluster. Im sure that would provide plenty of light to see the gauges with and you can get them in different colors.
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From: Virginia
Just be careful about installing bulbs that are not recessed in the cluster. If they stick out too far, they will show up in front of you on the windshield as a reflection at night, sort of like a heads-up display works. It's very distracting and annoying and can be in your line of site.
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Just be careful about installing bulbs that are not recessed in the cluster. If they stick out too far, they will show up in front of you on the windshield as a reflection at night, sort of like a heads-up display works. It's very distracting and annoying and can be in your line of site.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Jacksonville, NC
Just be careful about installing bulbs that are not recessed in the cluster. If they stick out too far, they will show up in front of you on the windshield as a reflection at night, sort of like a heads-up display works. It's very distracting and annoying and can be in your line of site.