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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72FordGTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Dash Lights
    Posted: 24-April-2013 at 9:17AM
I have my instrument cluster out of the dash now, and was thinking of replacing the dash bulbs while it's out. Has anyone ever swaped the stock 194 bulbs for brighter 168's? I know they are brighter but have a slightly shorter life. I'd like something a bit brighter than stock. I am also not sure if the stock wiring or printed circuit can handle the extra wattage?

I found this online for comparison:

Trade No.   Volts   Watts    Amps     Avg. CP    Life
161          14.0        2.66    0.19       1           4000
158          14.0        3.36    0.24       2           3000
194          14.0        3.78    0.27       2           2500
192          14.0        4.62    0.33       3           2000
168          14.0        4.90    0.35       3           1500

Thanks

Edited by 72FordGTS - 24-April-2013 at 10:38AM
Vince

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-April-2013 at 9:41AM
I'd just go LED.. 5x warm white 194x would do a great deal for illumination 
Paul
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72FordGTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-April-2013 at 10:40AM
Won't there be issues with dimming the lights with LED's? And aren't they too directional causing "spotty" lighting?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-April-2013 at 10:45AM
...... Short answer. 

No. 

As long as one or two lights are still incadescent, you'll be fine (light over radio/wiper switch, leave that one alone.

5x = 5 way = 5 LEDs per bulb. I did my Cougar and F100 with them. My truck is actually too bright.





Edited by Psquare75 - 24-April-2013 at 10:45AM
Paul
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote occupant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-April-2013 at 10:46AM
The 5-LED ones are great for the smaller gauges. For the speedo/tach (or for my base gauges) the 9-LED ones would be perfect. Here's a shot of a 70s Camaro gauge cluster lit by 5s on the small gauges and 9s on the large ones.



Another thing to remember is that off-white plastic housing that reflects the light from the bulbs is seriously not good enough. Here's a before and after of 73-87 C/K truck gauges. Before is stock 194 with all bulbs working. After is the same 194 bulbs, but the cluster housing painted bumper chrome silver from an aerosol can.




So what happens when you do BOTH things and upgrade the aerosol paint to reflective tape?




Here's the how-to thread, it's for a late 80s Dodge pickup but it's all the same...

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/showthread.php?t=209884

He also went one step further and re-soldered all the connections on the circuit board, I don't think we can do that with the circuit tracings we have, but we certainly can clean up the tracings!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psquare75 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24-April-2013 at 11:20AM
They make 9 ways? wow.

Paul
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote occupant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25-April-2013 at 4:11AM
They are tall, may not fit in all places. Just like the 5-way SMD's but two stacks of them.

http://search.ebay.com/261206315422

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Regul8r Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25-April-2013 at 6:31AM
excellent info!
Going to Chrome paint the inside of the tail lights and looking at LEDs for them to brighten up as well!
 


Edited by Regul8r - 25-April-2013 at 6:32AM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GTW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25-April-2013 at 8:08AM
You guys are making me want to switch to LED's, but I am keeping my standard cluster so I can keep my factory odometer.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 72FordGTS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25-April-2013 at 9:18AM
Thanks for the information regarding the LED's guys. Where do you buy these? Anyone have a pic of a Torino dash with them? It sounds like an interesting option as long as I don't lose the ability to dim the lights.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote carguy47 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-April-2013 at 1:49PM
I used the LEDS off eBay. Worked great and the light increase is amazing as the pics show. Very inexpensive.
You have to build em to drive em!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote carguy47 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30-April-2013 at 1:55PM
You can keep the original cluster, all you need to do is change the bulb. Plug and play!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gpd294 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-November-2013 at 5:10AM
Now that it's getting darker earlier I noticed the wagon's dash lights are pretty dim. I just ordered these LED's, which should fix that problem!
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GranTorinoSport Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-November-2013 at 8:47AM
I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback when you get them installed.

The other advantage to the LED's is less heat... Those back parts of the cluster get brittle really easily and finding a good one is tough.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-November-2013 at 3:56PM
i used red led bulbs in my torino dash (i removed the blue globe diffusers inside) looks great, i tried to get a pic but my camera phone didn't come out too good , sorry, i have also used green leds in my kenworth gauges and it looks awesome. that brand makes them in white, amber, red, green, blue, purple, for 194 bulbs.
 i can dim them without a problem, they don't give off heat like incandesent bulbs do, and they only draw a fraction of amps compared to regular incandesent bulbs.
 i too am thinking about using leds for my tail lights later.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gpd294 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-November-2013 at 2:48AM
I'll definitely try and get some before and after shots for comparison. I'm starting out with just the white dash background lights and side marker lights. Depending on how dim the turn signal indicators look I may upgrade to the green LEDS as well. We'll see, but I'll keep yall posted.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RAPTOR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-November-2013 at 7:13AM
I Just went threw this with  LEDS off ebay on my 72 torino . They were nice and bright but the blinkers would not blink . So i just purchased new 194 all around and works great again . 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gpd294 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-November-2013 at 8:26AM
Originally posted by GranTorinoSport GranTorinoSport wrote:

I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback when you get them installed.

The other advantage to the LED's is less heat... Those back parts of the cluster get brittle really easily and finding a good one is tough.
 
Well I installed the 4 BACKGROUND ONLY LEDS and they do look brighter. The only thing is like others have mentioned I can't dim them. They go from BRIGHT to OFF only. I wasn't able to get good photos due to my camera phone would not pick up the BEFORE photos and the AFTER  photos don't look that bright, but they really are. 
 
I'd recommend them! Thumbs Up
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kychevyguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-April-2014 at 3:34PM
You guys are making me want to do this to my F100 dashlights now.
 
Are the still dimable if I leave at least one incandescent?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dave302 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13-April-2014 at 4:12PM
Originally posted by 72FordGTS 72FordGTS wrote:

Won't there be issues with dimming the lights with LED's? And aren't they too directional causing spotty lighting?
Originally posted by Psquare75 Psquare75 wrote:

...... Short answer. 

No. 

As long as one or two lights are still incadescent, you'll be fine (light over radio/wiper switch, leave that one alone.

5x = 5 way = 5 LEDs per bulb. I did my Cougar and F100 with them. My truck is actually too bright.



 
So according to this, you should leave at least one or two of the original type 194 wedge type light bulbs (not the LED's), installed and connected to the light sockets above the radio and wiper switch.
 
The rest of the light bulbs can all be LED's, and you should be Okay.
 


Edited by dave302 - 13-April-2014 at 4:17PM
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rick727c Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-May-2014 at 1:51AM
I need some information on how to disconnect the speedometer cable without damaging anything from the back of the gauge cluster to change my gauge bulbs also ? Does it unscrew ? which way ?...or ?

Thank you
Rickey
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