LED Cluster Pics - Page 8

bridgesbunch · #**106** 03-24-2012, 03:51 PM

Hey looks good. I was taking mine apart today and realized I bought the WRONG LED's!

So I had to run to Auto Zone and buy a regular 194 bulb and ship the wrong bulbs back to superbright LED's.

Anyway, if doing the cluster lights get the RIGHT ones here:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...FWLED-xHP5.htm

The first ones I bought were way to small and would not fit. I was thinking with doing all green but the bright white looks cool to me so that is what I just ordered.

Later,

Mike

mcd58 · #**107** 03-25-2012, 04:27 PM

your cluster wont be whatever color the bulb is unless you disassemble it and take of the factory color filtering.

wtrskiadic · #**108** 03-25-2012, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGiddy

didnt even realize this thread was still going lol
http://www.rosco.com/us/filters/cinegel.cfm <--scroll to the bottom of the page to see the tungsten conversion filters. Im basically using the last (darkest) one on that list. Check ebay too and bhphotovideo.com.
i made 2 cutouts for all the gauges and stacked them. To get the deep blue like you see in Jettas you have to do at least 2 layers of dark blue. OH YEAH, you kinda have no choice but to use white SMD 360 plugins at a minimum. Incandescent bulbs aren't bright enough to shine convincingly through all that dark film. In fact, doing this and soldering white LED strips in the cluster and laying a diffuser down with the gels would probably result in the best looking blue Ranger cluster ever done. (hint hint buggman)

thanks man!! means alot.

which defuser did u use

JGiddy · #**109** 03-27-2012, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wtrskiadic

which defuser did u use

I had a lighting diffuser kit that came with a bunch of 10x10" sheets, and some of them had heavier/more diffusion than the others. I used one that had the heaviest diffusion. The more the diffusion the smoother the look.

DrIftKi7Vg · #**110** 03-27-2012, 11:51 AM

What's this lighting diffuser kit you speak of? Got a link to where to get one or for more info on it?

JGiddy · #**111** 03-27-2012, 12:55 PM

They can be found wherever photography/film supplies are sold. My kit had different ones, they were all white, but some were smooth/frosted and some were made of this woven fabric type of material. The smooth frosted sheets are the ones you want for a cluster. There are so many different types of diffuser sheets out there.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Diffusion.html

Its the same concept as what the clouds do to the sun....removes shadows / softens the light. It helps conceal all the sanding marks from when you remove the green tint (im anal so i notice that stuff), and in theory it should also help reduce hot/cold spots. The factory green tint has its own diffusion.

U gotta watch out though, because too much diffusion really knocks down the brightness. Depending on what lighting you use and the type of sheets you have, YMMV on how many sheets to lay down behind your gauges. The white 360 degree SMD LED plugins I'm using are plenty bright so a layer of diffusion looks good with it. But with stock incandescent bulbs the diffusion might make the gauges too dark (I never tried it with the stock bulbs so IDK exactly what would happen.).
Thats why I was saying an all-out colored gauge cluster with soldered LED strips would be amazing with diffusion.

This is one of those things where if you're modding your cluster a different color, youd wanna get a diffuser kit and try out a few different things to see what looks/works best for you and your particular application.

I need to find those pics of what my blue cluster looked like before I added the diffusion. It made quite a difference really

wtrskiadic · #**112** 03-27-2012, 10:40 PM

Thanks for sharing dude u really didn't have to

grzmnky · #**113** 03-31-2012, 04:01 PM

i installed my silver explorer cluster and the led lights from superbrightleds.com and it came out great. no dark spots just bright all over. ill post pics once its dark

bridgesbunch · #**114** 04-03-2012, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shizzle8787

Just put new leds from buggman in,have to say it looks freaken awesome in person!

Just did my dash too, will try and post some pics when I can but it is just the basic white LED's from Superbrightleds.com. I ended up ordering the wrong size and had to send my package back. no big deal, they gave me my $$ back and I ordered the correct for the 194 replacement bulbs.

However, not sure what size goes behind the AC unit knobs. Any idea or does anyone have a direct link to superbrightLEDs of that size that I can order? Thanks,
Mike

----------

OK, will try mine here taken with a crappy cell phone camera.

shizzle8787 · #**115** 04-03-2012, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bridgesbunch

Just did my dash too, will try and post some pics when I can but it is just the basic white LED's from Superbrightleds.com. I ended up ordering the wrong size and had to send my package back. no big deal, they gave me my $$ back and I ordered the correct for the 194 replacement bulbs.

However, not sure what size goes behind the AC unit knobs. Any idea or does anyone have a direct link to superbrightLEDs of that size that I can order? Thanks,
Mike

----------

OK, will try mine here taken with a crappy cell phone camera.

My ac panel bulbs were the same as the dash lights

Sent from my ADR6350 using FRF App

bridgesbunch · #**116** 04-03-2012, 03:30 PM

I have a 2000 Ranger. When I looked at the bulbs in the AC last night they are much, much smaller than the 194 and I didn't see a number on the bulb when I pulled it out. it is very small. Would (the twist is more of a tan color than the black, larger twists that hold the 194). I think this is what I might need.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...s%2F74_t15.htm

Also, as a side note I stuck an LED 194 in the dome light and it worked just fine. I went ahead and order the 921 and use it in the dome but I actually think the 194 was a bit brighter.

Anyway, if anyone can verify the size of the AC bulbs I would appreciate it.

By the way a buddy at work said he was more impressed that my Ranger had a full tank of gas and only 86000 miles than he was by the LEDs

shizzle8787 · #**117** 04-03-2012, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bridgesbunch

I have a 2000 Ranger. When I looked at the bulbs in the AC last night they are much, much smaller than the 194 and I didn't see a number on the bulb when I pulled it out. it is very small. Would (the twist is more of a tan color than the black, larger twists that hold the 194). I think this is what I might need.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...s%2F74_t15.htm

Also, as a side note I stuck an LED 194 in the dome light and it worked just fine. I went ahead and order the 921 and use it in the dome but I actually think the 194 was a bit brighter.

Anyway, if anyone can verify the size of the AC bulbs I would appreciate it.

By the way a buddy at work said he was more impressed that my Ranger had a full tank of gas and only 86000 miles than he was by the LEDs

Read this http://www.ranger forums .com/showthread.php?t=117814
I think it should help.

Sent from my ADR6350 using FRF App

JTbeast · #**118** 04-03-2012, 08:04 PM

I wish I had the courage to take my cluster out to do this. you guys have some awesome looking work.

Scooterjr · #**119** 04-03-2012, 10:06 PM

Its super simple. I thought I'd mess up too, but just take your time and it will be fine.

bridgesbunch · #**120** 04-04-2012, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shizzle8787

Read this http://www.ranger forums .com/showthread.php?t=117814
I think it should help.

Sent from my ADR6350 using FRF App

Link is dead, any other tips on those little bulbs?

And for people who are afraid to take it all apart and swap out with LED's, take it from me -- you can do it. I barely know how to change the oil and I was able to do it. Just make sure you have a 7mm wratchet,7mm screwdriver and "star" pattern screwdriver and you'll be fine. And follow the photos for taking it all out which are on this forum in the "how to" section.

Before ordering your bulbs make sure it is the right ones. This is what you need to replace your 194's

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...FWLED-xHP5.htm

They are 5.95 each but cheaper than Advance or Auto Zone, they only had red and amber and were 10.99 each. If you don't want to do any modifying, stick with the WHITE LED's as color will make no difference (I ordered one green LED to try it out and the WHITE actually showed up better).