Brighter Dash Lights for 126s and 123s

[Tom Evans]

Does anyone know of a brighter equivalent for the 194 lamps used in the dash of the 126 and 123 models? Is there anything with a really bright white LED instead of the realtively dim incandescent bulbs?

[JackG]

I'm interested too

[winmutt]

Without using LEDs alot of members have said that painting the down path of the dash lights white OR using duct work tape (not dull grey but shiny stuff) does wonders.

[H-townbenzoboy]

It's not the bulb wattage causing problems, but rather the discoloration and dirt on the reflectors and prisms. You need to clean the prisms, and paint the reflectors white. Add new bulbs, and you ought to be able to see the numbers at night.

[retx]

i havent done mine yet. i need to. and i plan on using testors model paint. they have a opalescence reflective white.

[SD Blue]

Originally Posted by H-townbenzoboy

It's not the bulb wattage causing problems, but rather the discoloration and dirt on the reflectors and prisms. You need to clean the prisms, and paint the reflectors white. Add new bulbs, and you ought to be able to see the numbers at night.

And I would highly recommend against using higher wattage bulbs! The PO did this and melted the reflectors in the instrument panel. Guess what......burnt reflectors put out even less light.

[DrewGerhan]

I tried to do he white reflective paint in my car, but the prisms were to far gone (melted by PO) to evern do anything. In the end I have 4 super white LEDs in the cluster and would never go back to stock.

[Hit Man X]

Do NOT use brighter bulbs!

New bulbs alone will surprise you. Paint the needles, etc.

[barry123400]

Light emmiting diodes LEDs put out basically no heat. They are the only sensibkle solution other than trying to restore the old system. There was someone in the last week on site that explained how he did it with leds. The problem with leds has been the light does not diffuse well. On the otherhand there are many improved variations hitting the market perhaps. One gentleman had his leds burn out. That was because his bias resistor was too low in value. Get the bias resistor right and you will probably burn out before the Leds do. With leds the rehostat or dash dimmer control may not be quite as effective as you are dealing with so small a current. I wish someone who has switched over to leds would comment. I think I will try them myself.

[DrewGerhan]

If people are interested I can get my dad to write down the schematics from my LED cluster. I'm not the electrical engineer of the family.

[barry123400]

Good ideal to post your particular schematic. I imagine your father used one bias resistor for all the bulbs and did incorporate the dimmer. If you can describe how the light spreads across the gauge faces in comparison that would be good as well. Especially in comparison to the old bulbs. The early users of the leds had some problem with light spread.

[toomany MBZ]

http://**************.com has something for this, have not tried. Catalog can be difficult to navigate. If you have problems, PM me.

[Tom Evans]

Originally Posted by YoungBenz

If people are interested I can get my dad to write down the schematics from my LED cluster. I'm not the electrical engineer of the family.

Also, please list the source of the super white LEDs along with the schematic.

[DrewGerhan]

Originally Posted by Tom Evans

Also, please list the source of the super white LEDs along with the schematic.

My dad is out on business until Wednesday/Thursdayish so I can get the scematics then but I do know that everything was bought at RadioShack for about $20 with the LEDs being $3-4 each.

[cessna5354]

I recently repaired the odometer, and while there removed the instrument lite potentiometer. Cleaned the coil, and used a fine emory cloth on the wiper. The orig. lites are much brighter now.
I will ask a Bus Garage owner about the LED conversions as they are offered extensively as conversions on buses and trucks.

Will advise.