Swapping dials bulbs for LEDs

[philiano]

Has anyone done this? I'm finding the dials a bit dark for my liking.
I've seen blue LEDs that should fit, but I'm thinking that'd affect the final colour of the dials. I'd like to keep them green if I can.

[Funky Diver]

Done the blue LED swap and they do make everything blue... if you want to keep the green, just get some green LED's and stick 'em in

[Jay4424]

really easy.. once you've got the clocks out! ...it fiddely, to electrical connections and the speedo drive be fore you remove the clocks!

I'll find hte part number for RS for hte green ones if you like.. are you local (south derbyshire/sheff?)



Jay.

[Mr Funk]

Has anyone got an easy to understand how to for this? I'm dim and want to do it to the guages I've fitted

[philiano]

The bulbs will be going into a shiny new instrument box, as mine has had years of moisture seeping into it, and the clock has blown.
Is it just a case of finding replacement bulbs? I know they're 12v 1.2watt, and have seen some on ebay, white xenons.
Would they work?

[Funky Diver]

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/286-T5 ... 86LED.html

Unfortunately only white, red or blue.

[Jay4424]

Has anyone got an easy to understand how to for this? I'm dim and want to do it to the guages I've fitted

there was one on here... can't remember if it was this site or the old one now though.

[PeteGLi]

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/286-T5 ... 86LED.html

Unfortunately only white, red or blue.

Or green from here

http://www.consumabulbs.com/files/bdet.php?id=779

[philiano]

I've taken the old bulbs out, they've got small metal plates either side.
If I were to get LEDs, would it just be a case of attaching the new bulbs to the metal plates?

[DT1]

They just need to be in contact, just bend the wires on the LED's so that they touch the plates when you push them in.

It's a tight fit so they won't work loose.

Oh, and they are polarity sensitive, so if they don't work first time put them in the dash the other way round.

[philiano]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

thats what I had in mind

[PeteGLi]

Which bulbs do you want to replace?

The bulbs shown in the various links in this thread will not fit the main instrument console, but may fit some of the switches, cigarette lighter, ashtray and other gauges.

[DT1]

http://www.ultimatemods.co.uk/509t-led-bulb-t5.html

This what you want? Includes the holder so no fiddling about.

[PeteGLi]

http://www.ultimatemods.co.uk/509t-led-bulb-t5.html

This what you want? Includes the holder so no fiddling about.

I tried those, but they are not an exact match/fit for the VW bulbs in the instrument console. They kept falling out!
However, if you release the metal pins on both holders and slide the bulbs out, you can re-solder the led's to the VW metal pins, slide them back in to the VW bulb holder and then you have a perfect fit.

[philiano]

sweet
cheers guys. I think I'll give that a go. Its not a major important mod, but I thought that as I'm changing the dials, I may as well put decent lighting in it!