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  • LED's in cluster

    First off, I'm sure someone has done this before, but I just did it and I want
    to see if there's some improvements that can be done.

    Well, it will need some revisions, but the first place I put them was the top.
    This made the cluster much brighter. So bright, in fact, that I had to turn
    the overall brightness down.

    I'm thinking I'll sand down that green filter (leaving it in with the LED's turns
    the entire cluster face this weird bluish hue) and paint it with a coat or two
    of VHT Niteshades and see what it does. I also want to paint just the interior
    of the black surround bezel a matte black color to prevent so much reflection
    onto the windshield. You'll see it in the pictures. I took one up close and one
    about face level.

    I tried replacing all bulbs with LED's, but this didn't turn out to be a good
    plan as they bled over into each other. I think in the end I replaced all of
    the smaller bulbs with LED's and just replace the big ones on the side and
    the three on the top with LED's. All of the rest are the standard bulbs.


    Picture numbers:
    1.) LED's in the turn signal.
    2.) LED CEL.
    3.) Shows how much it lights up the needles (before I couldn't see my fuel level when it was dark)
    4.) Parking brake LED
    5.) All of the warning lights. Not sure why "Charge" is so much dimmer.
    6.) Full brightness
    7.) Dimmed a bit to make it tolerable
    8.) Reflection from dash cluster up close to the windshield
    9.) Reflection from dash cluster at head height at seated depth from windshield
    10.) Overall brightness

    I think between dimming the upper LED's with a tinted light diffuser and
    painting the interior of the bezel to prevent glare this will turn out to be
    a pretty nice modification when it's done. The old lights were just so dim.

    photo 1.jpgphoto 2.jpgphoto 3.jpgphoto 4.jpgphoto 5.jpgphoto 11.jpgphoto 21.jpgphoto 31.jpgphoto 41.jpgphoto 51.jpg
    Last edited by SWRT; 08-12-2015, 06:05 AM.
    1993 Festiva - White/Black - 5 speed

  • #2
    I have replaced all mine, except the "brake" with LED and know what you mean about overall brightness. Even with the dimmer wheel at the lowest setting. I also experience the glare across the windshield at eye level and have a piece of 8 x 11 1/4" black foam that I overhang the cluster bezel about 2 inches at night. That cures the #9 for me. I had that glare problem with the original bulbs, too. I could not use LED for brake warning because it was always on some and just got brighter when the e-brake was on. Tried several different LEDs with the same result, so I just left the old style bulb there. I, too, have been thinking about a different, darker filter strip to cure overall brightness, but haven't felt like pulling the cluster just for that.
    "Blue92"- 92L 5 spd, original owner- 185K, B8,DD..
    "Pedro"-88L 5-spd, B6D (built by Advancedynamix)
    "Blanca"-92 GL auto, 125K(FM8 Lowest Miles)- B6 daughter's DD
    "Tractor Blue"- 89 L auto, 110K
    "Chester"-88 LX, runs but not street legal
    "Wenona"-89L parts car
    "Flame"- 89 LX 5 spd ,parts car

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    • #3
      Yeah, the ebrake was my problem light with the bigger bulb beside it. I'll test that stuff out (maybe this weekend if I have time) and I'll update with more pictures. I also have a speedo cable from RockAuto that I want to throw ok there so now would be a good time.
      1993 Festiva - White/Black - 5 speed

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      • #4
        where can I get this type of led? $$$$$?
        Tommy

        WannaBimmer Build in Progress:
        http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...-Festiva-Build

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        • #6
          ty1
          Tommy

          WannaBimmer Build in Progress:
          http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...-Festiva-Build

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          • #7
            No problem I don't think you need quite that many, but two of my smaller LED's didn't work so it's good to have backup
            1993 Festiva - White/Black - 5 speed

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            • #8
              If you take the cluster apart, there is a light bulb in there for backlighting. Maybe two, since it's a tach cluster. It probably has a little "wall" of white plastic around the bulb. You can dremel that off for more brightness, and also coat the inside back of the cluster with aluminum foil for more reflectivity. These mods should make your odometer easier to read. The tripmeter will probably will still be hard to see tho.
              90 Festy (Larry)--B6M (Matt D. modified B6 head), header, 5-speed, Capri XR2 front brakes, many other little mods
              09 Kia Rondo--a Festy on steroids!

              You can avoid reality, but you can't avoid the consequences of avoiding reality--Ayn Rand

              Disaster preparedness

              Tragedy and Hope.....Infowars.com.....The Drudge Report.....Founding Fathers.info

              Think for yourself.....question all authority.....re-evaluate everything you think you know. Red-pill yourself!

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              • #9
                Not a bad idea at all I could use that aluminum foil tape. I appreciate the ideas
                and I'll probably end up doing a lot to this before it's done, knowing me. I'll try and
                remember to get pictures along the way of stuff.
                1993 Festiva - White/Black - 5 speed

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                • #10
                  I guess my can of Nightshades is gone so I'll either buy another or
                  just scrap that idea. Got more pressing stuff to worry about for now.
                  1993 Festiva - White/Black - 5 speed

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