Prince of darkness conquered in the cockpit

[bob hughes]

I have been able to make a straight swap to capless LED bulbs for the rev counter and the speedo by using rubber bulb holders, but the smaller instruments presented a challenge as they are lit from the outside.

I did make a fitting to adapt the existing clamping system to carry a capless LED bulb again with a rubber bulb holder and it did improve the situation but was still not the best.

Having thought about it a bit more I made up a cap that would slide over the fuel guage and contain an LED strip, a shorter clamp was also made to hold everything in place and it works. Below a view of the instruments. The bright three on the right hand side are the LEDs and that dim one on the left is the normal bulb, lighting the oil pressure and temp guage. the camera has enhanced all the lights, in practice the oil guage is barely lit. You can just see the ignition bulb and holder, it has popped out of the socket

The oil and water temp. guage is going to be another challenge as you can not disconnect the water tubing from the back but I do have a plan (always good) I will be using the same principle though but cut a slot in the cap so that I can pass it over the tubes and then close the slot off.





Bob

 

[bob hughes]

Just to say that I have updated the photo - the camera has enhanced the brightness.



Bob

 

[vette]

Hey Bob, will you be wearing the sunglasses all night long now? Your tackling something that I have been putting off quite a while now. Looks good. You know when you make all those changes you won't be able to blame Lucas anymore. You'll have to blame some guy in China.

 

[bob hughes]

Well Vette it sure looks as if I need sun gigs but in reality I don't, although things are much brighter and I can actually see the dials in the dark, they do not distract me from the driving. The only thing I have as a complaint - the fuel guage has a blue colour due to the blue Perspex in the guage.

Not sure about the oil and water guage yet, from memory I think that the Perspex is clear. This change is going to take a bit of crafting to make it work on the oil/water guage, but I like a challenge.

Not worried about that guy in China, bought 4 lots by accident so I have spares.



Bob

 

[Healey Nut]

JMHO but thay are way too bright for me . Your driving the car not trying to play baseball at candlestick park .
I will stick with the dim originals as I hardly drive at night in my Healeys .

 

[Bob_Spidell]

... trying to play baseball at candlestick park ...

A difficult task indeed (Candlestick was torn down last year :wink-new.

 

[Keoke]

A difficult task indeed (Candlestick was torn down last year :wink-new.

Well, he can install a rheostat in series with the 12V feed to the lamps which would allow them to be dimmed if required. :friendly_wink:

 

[Bob_Spidell]

LEDs are usually on/off only (with some supposed exceptions). Not up too much on rheostats, but I bought some self-proclaimed 'dimmable' LEDs and installed them in a 4-light dimmable--it works fine with incandescent bulbs--ceiling fan/light, and they didn't work (were more-or-less on/off only). The ceiling light brightness is likely controlled by a rheostat.

 

[Keoke]

Yeah Bob:
Dimmable Leds are available now, and the prices are coming down.
All of my ceiling fans here in the Valley of the Sun have led lamp bulbs and handheld remotes to control fan speed and lamp brightness.

OH! You just reminded me I have dimmed standard Led lamps in the car by using a Diode with selected low forward resistance to function like a resistor.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Same with my ceiling fan (remote dimmable and fan speed control) but it has 4 lights; think that might be the problem (1 or 2 would dim OK, but when all 4 bulbs were installed it didn't).

 

[Keoke]

Same with my ceiling fan (remote dimmable and fan speed control) but it has 4 lights; think that might be the problem (1 or 2 would dim OK, but when all 4 bulbs were installed it didn't).

That is buggered.--:glee:
IF it is an older unit that might happen,the newer units are 100 % solid state and use the latest MOSFETS mine work a treat in all 5 rooms controling multiple lamps and 3 selectable fan speeds Low, Med & Hi.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I'll make you a deal on 4 'dimmable' LED bulbs

 

[Keoke]

I'll make you a deal on 4 'dimmable' LED bulbs

NO!
I do not want to take advantage of a forum friend-

However, I recently purchased here at FRYs MKT 60 watt leds for less than $3.00 ea.-
They work good too.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I'm still trying to use up all the CFLs I was told were the only conceivable way to save the planet ('Last 10 times longer than incandescents' my differential).

 

[Keoke]

I'm still trying to use up all the CFLs I was told were the only conceivable way to save the planet ('Last 10 times longer than incandescents' my differential).

Yeah:
CFL lamps were the first type to ease the power co's Bill.--------:glee:

 

[bob hughes]

What we have here is a failure to communicate! and to use my son's camera properly.
Whilst it is true that the lights appear very bright, what we have is a bad case of overexposure leading to glare. In practice they are not overly bright but plainly visible and do not affect driving in the dark at all.

I personally like driving in the dark, especially down the narrow roads and lanes we have over here 'cause with all the lamps on in the front there is a big tunnel of light shining way out there in front - reminds me of the Pat Moss, Paddy Hopkirk, Morley Bros et al era when the Healeys were to tops in rallying. Just got to be aware of oncoming traffic !!



Bob

 

[John Turney]

....

I personally like driving in the dark, especially down the narrow roads and lanes we have over here 'cause with all the lamps on in the front there is a big tunnel of light shining way out there in front - reminds me of the Pat Moss, Paddy Hopkirk, Morley Bros et al era when the Healeys were to tops in rallying. Just got to be aware of oncoming traffic !!



Bob

With all that light shining way out there in front, oncoming traffic should be well aware that you're coming!!

 

[Keoke]

What we have here is a failure to communicate! and to use my son's camera properly.
Whilst it is true that the lights appear very bright, what we have is a bad case of overexposure leading to glare. In practice they are not overly bright but plainly visible and do not affect driving in the dark at all.
I personally like driving in the dark, especially down the narrow roads and lanes we have over here 'cause with all the lamps on in the front there is a big tunnel of light shining way out there in front - reminds me of the Pat Moss, Paddy Hopkirk, Morley Bros et al era when the Healeys were to tops in rallying. Just got to be aware of oncoming traffic !!



Bob

Well Bob:

Your point is understood.
However , I would like to point out and maybe TH will chime in too.
Each individuals sensitivity to light is unique.
What is OK to one individual can be completely unsatifactory to another.