new dash lighting!!! thanks RUSS!! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Peyton300TD · #1 10-30-2003, 12:13 AM

a brilliant member of our forum who is quite modest about his expertise, helped improve my dash instrument cluster lighting last spring. --- Russo 85300tD---

i promised i'd send a picture of what it looked like to him soon afterwards. unfortunately i that girl hit my head on and then i left the country for work for 3 months. RUSS, sorry it took so long. really i am. but here it is. I LOVE IT!!!

it came out dark because i made sure not to use the flash. it looks a lot brighter in real life. one very cool thing about using Blue LED's is that it dissolves the yellow kph meter making the look much simpler at night!

thanks again Russ, really, you were great!

speedy300Dturbo · #2 10-30-2003, 01:35 AM

Did you change the bulbs to blue LED bulbs? There's so many different types out there, and it's tough to say which ones work well or not. Some have three or four LED's in the bulb. I tried some white LED's in my gauge cluster before, but the light didn't diffuse properly throughout the cluster. I replaced the bulbs with new OEM and was very satisfied with the results.

Russo 85300tD · #3 10-30-2003, 08:19 AM

The incandescent lamps were replaced with 10,000 mcd blue LEDS. One LED per bulb. Each LED has about 28 Milliamps of forward current. If I remember correctly we used a 330 ohm resistor to set the current. After installing the blue LEDs in Peyton last spring, I switched the dim yellow lamps out in my 300D dash. I had to go with two 6500 mcd blue LEDS per bulb, since the 10,000 mcd ones were no longer available. The key to making this work is finding VERY BRIGHT LEDS. Most standard LEDS are rated at light outputs of < 1000 mcd.
I have also replaced the incandescent bulbs in the ACC push buttons with LEDS. A white 7000 mcd LED is behind the temperature wheel, bright green 9000 mcd LEDS illuminate the ACC push buttons, and a bright red 8000 mcd LED lights the fan control button.
If there is interest by others in the group in doing this I will post detailed instructions on how to calculate the resistor values needed for dropping the +12 VDC from the vehicle electrical system to the value needed for each color LED. BTW the installation can be done with out cutting any of the wiring in the car and is completely reversible.

Thnks Russ

luckys420 · #4 10-30-2003, 09:28 AM

I would like instuction, I can hardly see how fast i am going, or if myu engine is over heating.
thanks
william

bodyart27 · #5 10-30-2003, 10:15 AM

I did the dash light upgrade that is advertised on **************.com - it is night and day (pun intended).

In retrospect, i should have replaced the bulb in the "octopus" and center dash so that more of my dash lights with be that bright. Combine that with the Hella front headlights, and night time driving is a real pleasure again.

I also tried the dome light upgrade from **************.com. I switched back to the stock bulb. That one was TOO bright in my opinion.

jfikentscher · #6 10-30-2003, 12:00 PM

If there is interest by others in the group in doing this I will post detailed instructions

That would be great!! I need to do a 1987 and a 1982 300D.

Thanks,

Joe

lrg · #7 10-30-2003, 12:05 PM

How do the LEDs handle the dimmer? Or do they need to be on full all the time. This would make a diffenece as to choosing what bulbs to use.

#8 10-30-2003, 12:07 PM

Did blue turn out to be the best color? What about Red, Green, White, or yellow?

Peyton300TD · #9 10-30-2003, 01:38 PM

The dimmer works with the LED's just like the old incandescent bulbs. no difference.

i like blue the best. gives it a modern look and gives you that strong white reflection from the painted speedometer.

#10 10-30-2003, 03:46 PM

You can forego adding resistory by purchasing 12VDC rated LED's. They have the resistors already in them. I purchased these when I did the exact same mod to my Saturn VUE.

#11 10-31-2003, 03:55 AM

hi peyton can you tell us the step by step procedure on how did you do this, its really nice i like it...

Peyton300TD · #12 10-31-2003, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mike_td
hi peyton can you tell us the step by step procedure on how did you do this, its really nice i like it...

glad you like it! the only thing that i can help you with is telling you how to remove the instrument cluster. Russ did all the electrical stuff. see his post on this thread.

Judge · #13 10-31-2003, 10:49 PM

While modern colors would be nicer, it was really, really easy to change the bulbs. Amazingly easy to push the instrument cluster out after unscrewing the bottom panel. There are three bulbs, and if you know where they are you don't even have to disconnect any of the other wires going to the instrument cluster. The bulbs are housed in a brown plastic housing looking like the top of a water bottle only being more about the size of a penny in diameter. The top two are almosted pointed to by some attaching points at the top of the cluster. Using a screw driver to help turn the dime size plastic pieces they come out. The last one is at the bottom left, and the fingers reach right in to be able to twist open that light housing.

Each light bulb was $0.75 and was very much a commidity at the local part's store. They press into the dime size water bottle top housing.

On the other hand, you might want more space which you can get by disconnecting some more of the wires going to the back of the instrument cluster. Its harder to plug them back in, than it is to disconnect them.

Lites on!!