led dash lights

Denture Dan · Samba Member Joined: February 20, 2008 Posts: 96

Just purchased dash light bulbs for my 72, wow nice and bright light instrument panel great they are
Product: 74-xHP Wedge Base LED Bulb $ 2.49 (each)
Options: White 74-WHP
website superbrightleds.com

i_am_cool_fred · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:22 am Post subject:

if you have an alternator i hope you didn't put one on the battery idiot light Wink

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Denture Dan · Samba Member Joined: February 20, 2008 Posts: 96

nope left that one the regular bulb!

russwiththebus · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:51 am Post subject:

Pictures?

i_am_cool_fred · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:53 am Post subject:

busmania · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:17 am Post subject:

Denture Dan · Samba Member Joined: February 20, 2008 Posts: 96

can u send link to the thread reguarding this, like to read it again thaight i read it a while ago

WhirledTraveller · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:02 am Post subject:

I couldn't find the thread either. My search skills are not up to par I guess. However I do know that the way the alternator light works is by "opposing positives". Basically it gets positive on one side all the time with the ignition on. If the alternator is not running then the other side is grounded and current flows. When the alternator is running then the voltage regulator puts positive on that side and no current can flow (positive on both sides) so the light is out.

LED's work in only one direction of current flow unlike a regular bulb which works in both directions.

I don't really see the problem though... these LED's are diode protected against reverse polarity. Perhaps someone can enlighten me. The only pitfall I see to mounting an LED is that, if you use an LED and lose power to the instrument cluster for some reason you will have no indication that this has occurred. In essence you will not have any warning lights working but you will have no knowledge that they are not working. With regular bulbs, failure of the wiring to the instrument cluster might (?) cause the alternator light to come on, warning you that there is a problem.
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1977 Westy, Automatic. Big Valve heads, CS Cam.

PicklePickle · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:17 am Post subject: Re: led dash lights

i_am_cool_fred · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:20 am Post subject:

you know how that gen light comes on when you first turn your key on and then it goes off. the idiot light is setup like that to tell the alternator it's time to work. if you have an led in there it has no way of knowing...lemme see if i can find the thread

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=259715&highlight=led+idiot+light
that shows how you can use leds and mentions the problem

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=152455&highlight=led+market+alternator
this kinda touches it here:

WhirledTraveller · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:41 am Post subject:

Thanks for that. The first thread says it'll work fine if the polarity is correct.

The second thread says ohms must match to excite the alternator.

Don't know who's right, but I suppose you could put a resistor of the correct ohms in parallel with the LED to make the system think there's a regular bulb there. Solves the problem for sure.
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1977 Westy, Automatic. Big Valve heads, CS Cam.

Emeritusx · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 9:59 am Post subject: Re: led dash lights

enjoispammy8 · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:31 pm Post subject:

ive been looking for this thread, but my searching skills suuuck.
it would be nice to see my speedometer at night.
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1969 Westy, 1690cc. montana red and cloud white.
1969 Standard Beetle [sold]
Watch My Movies: https://www.youtube.com/user/taylorlikesacdc

skills@eurocarsplus · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:49 pm Post subject:

Emeritusx · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 10:29 pm Post subject:

Used my daughters camera for these, I am not that good at using it yet tho...
No Flash:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Thumb over flash:

Had it running so the voltage gauge would show too, it has a blue led for a bulb and it just comes on with the gauge (easier wiring)

I like the softer white light as compared to the yellow. I still have 2 bulbs to convert and the tach also. But this lets you see them side-by-side to compare
edit: BTW the gas gauge works, but only shows upper 5 gallons, I am at about 8 down from full
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82 Westy ☢, 66 Splitty ☮, 73 Type 181 ✠

bugdaddy · Samba Member Joined: July 10, 2006 Posts: 2

odd, it runs more RPM with a little flahs Wink

Air_Cooled_Nut · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:56 am Post subject:

Air_Cooled_Nut · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:57 am Post subject: Re: led dash lights

SGKent · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:57 am Post subject:

how do you adjust how bright they are? Aren't LED's on or off?
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

WhirledTraveller · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 2:02 pm Post subject:

I have LED's for my gauge lighting (green ones from Superbrightleds.com that have 3 LED's in one light).

The lighting is just about perfect IMHO. You do lose most of the dimming function. The dimmer still works but has a mild effect, you can basically turn them from "high" to "medium". This could probably be fixed with an appropriate resistor.
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1977 Westy, Automatic. Big Valve heads, CS Cam.


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