cluster pin help
 

I am looking for information on the location of the pin or pins that operate the dash cluster lights. I have the cluster out and I am going to put LED STRIPS or LED Bulbs in. What I want to do is install either strip or bulbs while it is out and on my Kitchen table and see what is better. So on the Pin connection plug which pin or pins do I tap on to to work the lights? It is a 86 or 87 board. If more information is needed please let me know.

John

Re: cluster pin help
 

I am looking for information on the location of the pin or pins that operate the dash cluster lights. I have the cluster out and I am going to put LED STRIPS or LED Bulbs in. What I want to do is install either strip or bulbs while it is out and on my Kitchen table and see what is better. So on the Pin connection plug which pin or pins do I tap on to to work the lights? It is a 86 or 87 board. If more information is needed please let me know.

John

Re: cluster pin help
 

Hi John,

The 1978 - 1987 (and 88/89 R/V series) gauge clusters use pin #2 as the power feed for the cluster illumination bulbs. Most of them ground through pin #10. There are one or two that ground through pin #3. But if you wire in your own LED strips you can use either ground.

If you go with LEDs that are plug-in replacements for 194 bulbs you can put them in the original sockets but you'll want to follow the traces on the printed circuit back to the connector socket to see which side is power vs. ground so you can orient the LEDs for the correct polarity.

With the cluster oriented as shown in your 1st photo, pin #1 is in the upper right corner. The pins are numbered 1 through 9 down that side. Then pin #10 is in the lower left corner and the pins go #10 to #18 going up that side.

Re: cluster pin help
 

Thanks ray_mcavoy, Are these the right pins I need to touch with a battery to work the cluster lights?? Thanks Again, John

Re: cluster pin help
 

You're welcome! Yes, those are the correct pins. Hooking your battery + to #2 and - to #10 should light up most of the cluster illumination lights. Keeping the battery + on #2 and moving the battery - to pin #3 should light up the remaining one(s) that make use of that other ground pin.

By the way, I would recommend using a small inline fuse in the jumper wire that you'll be using to temporarily feed battery power to the cluster. That will significantly reduce the chances of doing any damage if you accidentally connect to the wrong pins or slip and short the battery wires together when connecting to pins that are right beside one another.

Re: cluster pin help
 

You a most welcome for your help. Sometimes I try to do things on my own and screw things up. So thank you for the extra information.
Thanks Again, John