Instrumentation Lighting

[bob hughes]

This topic has been around before, posted by several people, but I just wanted to update you on yesterdays revelations for me.

When I equipped my BJ7 with a new electrical harness I swapped over the two screw in bulb holders for the instrument lights for the rev counter and the speedo, for two 9mm plastic cap-less ones (wedge bulb holders) and bought a couple of LED's from Halfords at an exorbitant cost. The result was magnificent compared with the old screw bulbs. However, I have been swanning around Ebay again and came up with a new LED bulb at a fraction of the cost and it is better still.

https://s84.photobucket.com/user/Bouncinbob_2006/media/DSCN3977_zpszojsrmnt.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

The one on the left was the original LED replacement bulb - results not too bad
The one on the right is the new LED and it is miles better - a white light but it does not distract you whilst you are driving.
I am still trying to work out what can be done with the two 50mm instruments, as the bulbs are on the outside and the cockpit would be lit up like a Christmas tree if I used these LEDs.

The results with the latest LED
https://s84.photobucket.com/user/Bouncinbob_2006/media/DSCN3978_zpsq7ydmtbo.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0



Bob

 

[John Turney]

The case on my speedometer was pretty scratched up on the outside, so I took it off.

• Removed from dash
• Turned chrome trim ring to release and remove
• Removed glass
• unscrewed two screws on the back

The interior was painted a light blue. I repainted the outside grey and the interior white. Retained the original bulb and reassembled. Painting the interior white made a huge difference in brightness.

 

[blueskies]

Not sure about switching to LED lights, although they may last longer than the old style bulbs.

In a sort of related question, can someone tell me whether the instrument panels originally only had two dash illumination lights (one in the speedo and one in the tach)? I'm almost finished (hoping) that I've got the bugs out of the new BJ7 harness, partially installed by whoever began this restoration. The oil/temp and fuel gauges have those retainer brackets with the extra metal loop on them that look as if they are meant to hold a bulb socket, and those same small gauges have the blue slots that look as if they are meant to allow light through to the gauge face. I'm thinking of wiring in two more instrument lights to illuminate those gauges. Any comments or suggestions appreciated.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

The new harness I purchased from Moss (for my BT7) only had provisions for two lights, not four as the original had. I have no idea why they did not add the sockets for the two other lights since the rest of the harness was done correctly. One of these days I'll call Moss and ask the question. I simply cut the old sockets (4) off the original harness and soldered it to the new harness in place of the new sockets.

 

[vette]

Coincidentally, I ran into this fellow at the Fall Carlisle Car Show. He had a booth and was selling the LED bulbs that he makes. I too changed a few sockets behind my dash to the wedge shaped light bulb. This fellow has about every type of LED automotive socket there is and I bought new dash LEDs (both screw in and wedge) and LEDs for my rear running lights. They work great. In conversation with him we talked about white and blue LEDs and he cautioned me to not use one or the other, but for the life of me I can't remember which it was and the bulbs are installed and working so I don't know which they were. You can read about it on his web site. As you will note in the attachment, he has a US agent whom you will buy from. Hope this helps.

 

[John Turney]

Not sure about switching to LED lights, although they may last longer than the old style bulbs.

In a sort of related question, can someone tell me whether the instrument panels originally only had two dash illumination lights (one in the speedo and one in the tach)? I'm almost finished (hoping) that I've got the bugs out of the new BJ7 harness, partially installed by whoever began this restoration. The oil/temp and fuel gauges have those retainer brackets with the extra metal loop on them that look as if they are meant to hold a bulb socket, and those same small gauges have the blue slots that look as if they are meant to allow light through to the gauge face. I'm thinking of wiring in two more instrument lights to illuminate those gauges. Any comments or suggestions appreciated.

Yes, those metal loops on the retainer brackets are for bulbs, and the blue slots are meant to allow that light through to the gauge face.

 

[bob hughes]

There are special bulb holders that fit into the loops on the side of the water/fuel gauges, the bulbs screw into them and they are pushed into the loops. illuminate your feet nicely, not so hot inside the gauge.

John - I lined my cans with aluminium foil to bounce the light around, the inside edge of the glass holder I painted white to try to throw the light onto the face, it was white originally but had gone brownish.



Bob

 

[blueskies]

Thanks Rob and John for your replies. A few old wiring harnesses that did not get thrown away may provide these parts. Wondering why the vendors are eliminating those sockets and the related wiring on the replacement harnesses??

And I should apologize for sort of hijacking this thread; hope no one is offended.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

I just discovered another issue with the harness I purchased from Moss. The socket for the turn signal dash light will not stay in the green plastic housing and the socket has no provision for a ground wire which means it won't work. Again the solution was to use the socket from the original harness. I think that means I replaced all the dash light sockets on the new harness with old ones. Don't think that is what I expected with a new wiring harness.

 

[blueskies]

I just discovered another issue with the harness I purchased from Moss. The socket for the turn signal dash light will not stay in the green plastic housing and the socket has no provision for a ground wire which means it won't work. Again the solution was to use the socket from the original harness. I think that means I replaced all the dash light sockets on the new harness with old ones. Don't think that is what I expected with a new wiring harness.

Ditto. The harness that I just finished installing also came without the proper socket for the turn signal dash light. I can't say which supplier it came from as someone else started the rewire job. To make this light work, I cut the right part - that odd looking grounded socket that fits into the green plastic housing - out of a parts car harness. It had a wire attached that connects to a ground screw.

I probably just blamed the person who started the resto as they left a few other puzzles for me. There was the mix up in wiring, with the wrong wires connected to the ignition switch and the light switch. And another one that took a while to figure out was with the horns, which sounded every time they were connected. The previous genius had connected the live horn wire to the grounded terminal in the trafficator. While in there, I discovered that the retaining ring for the adjustable steering wheel was missing. It's always fun to have the steering wheel separate from the steering shaft when one is driving! So, the wrong connection of the trafficator horn wiring turned out to be a good thing; otherwise, the eventual discovery of the missing retaining ring might have been more dramatic.

 

[GregW]

Removing this post because I asked a dumb question.

 

[vette]

My BJ7 has one turn signal indicator light in the dash pretty much centered in the steering wheel. This one bulb blinks off the same terminal on the flasher that lights the outside turn signals. But having said that, i must confess that I have BJ8 lighting arrangement out on the shrouds and a BJ7 dash. There is no turn/brake light relay on my car. Yeh it was a pain to wire. If I remember right, the cars that have one light out on the shrouds can only use LEDs in the outside turn lights if a small ballast is also installed. With the dual light arrangement outside it is a simple change the bulbs arrangement. And also with the flasher indicator bulb on the dash. But my flasher indicator bulb is plenty bright with just a standard bulb.

 

[bob hughes]

Took the Healey out last night to our branch AGM, mine was the only Healey there - shame. The speedo and the taco were absolutely brilliant. I could barely make out the water temp, and could not see the oil pressure, and the fuel gauge was terrible. I am currently working on a fix for the fuel gauge - a bit Heath Robinson but if it works I should be able to slim it down and then duplicate it for the water/oil gauge.



Bob