Finally replaced my speedometer that was calbrated in k.p.h. with one calibrated in m.p.h. The new speedometer is much brighter than the tach and combo gage.Can you replace the bulbs in the tach and speedo for brighter ones ?
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Finally replaced my speedometer that was calbrated in k.p.h. with one calibrated in m.p.h. The new speedometer is much brighter than the tach and combo gage.Can you replace the bulbs in the tach and speedo for brighter ones ?
That should be doable....Just use a lower wattage bulb (s)......Or, if bulbs are not available , use either a resistor, or dropping diode......Resistor would require knowing the current draw to calculate wattage and resistance values, where as a 1 N 4004 diode will drop .7 volt for each one used in series and is rated up to 1 amp service.....Hope this helps....
Or, just send a note to whomever rebuilt your instrument and ask for 6-8 more bubs. Then everything will match without muss or fuss.
You can, BUT if you are comparing Brazilian built VDO KPH gauges to China built MPH versions, then the KPH are facelit and the MPH are backlit, and the MPH back lighting is brighter than you will ever get the KPH face lighting
Thanks everyone for your input. The new speedo is backlit.
Meant to say in my original post, can you replace the lights in the tach and combo gage, not tach and speedo. Kirk from vintage Speedster direct exchanged my speedo's. Did not have it rebuilt.
Meant to say in my original post, can you replace the lights in the tach and combo gage, not tach and speedo. Kirk from vintage Speedster direct exchanged my speedo's. Did not have it rebuilt.
You can "adjust" the brightness of a gauge bulb with a permanent black magic marker. Sometimes it's just covering the tip of the bulb, sometimes one or two stripes down the length of it. As you close off the bulb with black, the illumination lessens. Take your time, do it in increments, you get it perfect in the end.
We have this problem all of the time with MGs since the bulb is actually on the outside of the housing in a little "cave" attached to the top of the gauge. Sometimes light leaks out of the "cave," sometimes not. It takes a bit of "tuning" but it's totally worth it for a uniform looking dash at night. Littlest details make all of the difference on a little car.
Luck,
TC
We have this problem all of the time with MGs since the bulb is actually on the outside of the housing in a little "cave" attached to the top of the gauge. Sometimes light leaks out of the "cave," sometimes not. It takes a bit of "tuning" but it's totally worth it for a uniform looking dash at night. Littlest details make all of the difference on a little car.
Luck,
TC
Thanks TC, what I was hoping actually was to have the tach and combo gage brighter rather than diming the speedo.
Has anyone ever used these LED lights for any application?
http://www.whitegauges.net/categories/Dash-Illumination-Parts/LED-Bulb-Lighting/
http://www.whitegauges.net/categories/Dash-Illumination-Parts/LED-Bulb-Lighting/
Inside the larger gauge housings there's usually a defuser. A small translucent dome shaped lens or a tiny piece of metal positioned just after the bulb. These act to keep the bulb from shining directly against the back of the gauge face plate, but rather help to defuse and spread the illumination around inside the case.
The inside of the case is painted with a chalky whiteish paint that seems to be a bit like the paint used on road ways. It reacts with light I guess.
Anyway, if you want a brighter gauge, if you can't make it work with a different bulb, if you dare open up the gauge, you can remove or reconfifure the defuser to allow more lite to enter the housing and thus make for a brighter gauge.
Like using a pen to lessen the illumination, altering the defuser to get the brightness level where you want it, will take several tries.
I think that this uneven lighting is yet another problem with the crap gauges that are used in the Speedsters. Original 356 pieces are through the roof and need updating and altering, the specialty house(s) who custom re-manufacture gauges are just the best bet in town, their craft is art.
Luck,
TC
The inside of the case is painted with a chalky whiteish paint that seems to be a bit like the paint used on road ways. It reacts with light I guess.
Anyway, if you want a brighter gauge, if you can't make it work with a different bulb, if you dare open up the gauge, you can remove or reconfifure the defuser to allow more lite to enter the housing and thus make for a brighter gauge.
Like using a pen to lessen the illumination, altering the defuser to get the brightness level where you want it, will take several tries.
I think that this uneven lighting is yet another problem with the crap gauges that are used in the Speedsters. Original 356 pieces are through the roof and need updating and altering, the specialty house(s) who custom re-manufacture gauges are just the best bet in town, their craft is art.
Luck,
TC
I've found that the panel light stand-offs (those little tubes that the lamp assembly fits into on the back of the gauge) are actually longer on the reproduction gauges than on the originals (and even original Volkswagen speedos). The extra length pushes the bulbs farther from the gauge face and makes them dimmer.
The trick is to cut off (I used a Dremel and a cut-off wheel) the extra length so that the bulbs fit closer to the face and actually do their job. I've forgotten the dimensions needed, so I'll have to hunt it down on the gauges I have here and let you know. I've done this to all my gauges and the difference in increased visibility is dramatic.
Stay tuned.
gn
The trick is to cut off (I used a Dremel and a cut-off wheel) the extra length so that the bulbs fit closer to the face and actually do their job. I've forgotten the dimensions needed, so I'll have to hunt it down on the gauges I have here and let you know. I've done this to all my gauges and the difference in increased visibility is dramatic.
Stay tuned.
gn
OK, I got out a bunch of old gauges, both VW and (original) Porsche, and here's what I found (with a little history about Repro 356 gauges thrown in). I remember writing this up elsewhere a long time ago - maybe it's on here somewhere:
Anyway, on the originals there are two different lengths to the lamp stand-offs/receptacles on the back of the gauges; Those lamps used for lighting indicators (oil pressure, alt, etc) have stand-offs which are 15/32's long. Again, these are the little tubes that the lamp holder fits into on the back of the gauge. The high beam stand-off is different in that it is shorter (keep reading). The lamp holders (which slip into the stand-offs) are all the same length no matter where used.
Those lamps used for side-lighting the gauge and for high beam have stand-offs which are only 9/32's long, placing the bulb much closer (relatively) to the gauge face and, therefore, making the light brighter.
On the Vintage/Beck/whoever Asian reproduction gauges, the lamp stand-offs tend to be all the longer kind and are around 15/32's inch long, making ALL of the bulbs the same brightness and, overall, the gauge faces become a bit dimmer at night than they might be.
After pulling the gauge and removing the lamps from the stand-offs I carefully stuffed a small bit of foam rubber down into the stand-off tube to plug it and keep shavings out, then carefully drew a line around the tube where I wanted to cut it, then buzzed gently around the tube with a Dremel cut-off wheel. It doesn't have to be perfectly straight, but as straight as possible with hand tools. Once cut, I pulled the foam rubber plug out and trashed it and moved on the the next tube.
Cutting these down to the proper length makes a dramatic difference in light level. I have actually turned down the brightness on the headlight switch on a few occasions. Now if I could only get my JVC radio head to get dimmer and stop the silly screen animations that drive you nuts at night!!
Hope this benefits someone - This has been a common problem for many of us for years.
BTW: Heard a story at a recent Porsche tech session where someone had ordered bee hive tail lights from Stoddards and installed them on his '56 Speedster, only to find that they were really dim. Lived with them for a while until someone told him to check the bulbs. Turns out they were 12 volt bulbs and his old Speedster is 6 volt.
Doh!
Anyway, on the originals there are two different lengths to the lamp stand-offs/receptacles on the back of the gauges; Those lamps used for lighting indicators (oil pressure, alt, etc) have stand-offs which are 15/32's long. Again, these are the little tubes that the lamp holder fits into on the back of the gauge. The high beam stand-off is different in that it is shorter (keep reading). The lamp holders (which slip into the stand-offs) are all the same length no matter where used.
Those lamps used for side-lighting the gauge and for high beam have stand-offs which are only 9/32's long, placing the bulb much closer (relatively) to the gauge face and, therefore, making the light brighter.
On the Vintage/Beck/whoever Asian reproduction gauges, the lamp stand-offs tend to be all the longer kind and are around 15/32's inch long, making ALL of the bulbs the same brightness and, overall, the gauge faces become a bit dimmer at night than they might be.
After pulling the gauge and removing the lamps from the stand-offs I carefully stuffed a small bit of foam rubber down into the stand-off tube to plug it and keep shavings out, then carefully drew a line around the tube where I wanted to cut it, then buzzed gently around the tube with a Dremel cut-off wheel. It doesn't have to be perfectly straight, but as straight as possible with hand tools. Once cut, I pulled the foam rubber plug out and trashed it and moved on the the next tube.
Cutting these down to the proper length makes a dramatic difference in light level. I have actually turned down the brightness on the headlight switch on a few occasions. Now if I could only get my JVC radio head to get dimmer and stop the silly screen animations that drive you nuts at night!!
Hope this benefits someone - This has been a common problem for many of us for years.
BTW: Heard a story at a recent Porsche tech session where someone had ordered bee hive tail lights from Stoddards and installed them on his '56 Speedster, only to find that they were really dim. Lived with them for a while until someone told him to check the bulbs. Turns out they were 12 volt bulbs and his old Speedster is 6 volt.
Doh!
A workmanlike effort Gordon. You are a problem solver!
A yoeman piece of work my friend. Thanks !
These could have some interesting applications.
Doug
http://www.elwirepros.com/
Doug
http://www.elwirepros.com/