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Old 05-09-2018, 01:58 PM   #1
Black Momba
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Dash bulbs

I have a 1966 C10 and my instrument panel lights aren’t very bright at night? Do they make brighter bulb to replace them with?
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Old 05-09-2018, 02:40 PM   #2
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Re: Dash bulbs

Is it still that way with the headlight switch dimmer turned all the way to bright? I would also check the ground to the cab just in case. I usually run ground straps from the frame to the cab in addition to the one from the engine to the firewall.
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Old 05-09-2018, 04:17 PM   #3
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Re: Dash bulbs

you might be able to get some led bulbs that would work
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:42 PM   #4
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Re: Dash bulbs

https://www.octanelighting.com/produ...te-55-72-chevy these will make a big difference. They just don't work on turn signals. You get ten for the $15. I have them in my truck. Found the before and after pics
Attached Images
  
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Old 05-09-2018, 06:53 PM   #5
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Re: Dash bulbs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chevy Fleetside View Post
https://www.octanelighting.com/produ...te-55-72-chevy these will make a big difference. They just don't work on turn signals. You get ten for the $15. I have them in my truck. Found the before and after pics
Have you been able to make them dim?
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Old 05-09-2018, 08:58 PM   #6
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Re: Dash bulbs

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Originally Posted by The Rocknrod View Post
Have you been able to make them dim?
my switch is old. I'm lucky if they turn on they really are not that bright. they are just right.
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Old 05-10-2018, 08:06 AM   #7
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Re: Dash bulbs

Chevy fleetside, that’s a great comparison! Mine is the before, my tach light on the column is much brighter! I ordered some angled ones and and the straight in 5 each. I’ll give it a shot! To remove is just those few screws?
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Old 05-10-2018, 08:08 AM   #8
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Re: Dash bulbs

Thanks everybody for the insight!
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Old 05-10-2018, 09:26 AM   #9
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Re: Dash bulbs

I put LED's in mine, but haven't been able to find dimmable ones. They do look great though, not too bright
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Old 05-10-2018, 10:48 AM   #10
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Re: Dash bulbs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Black Momba View Post
Chevy fleetside, that’s a great comparison! Mine is the before, my tach light on the column is much brighter! I ordered some angled ones and and the straight in 5 each. I’ll give it a shot! To remove is just those few screws?
you don't have too unscrew anything. reach behind the dash and you just twist the bulbs out. If you look under the dash with a light you will see how easy it is to change the bulb.
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Old 05-10-2018, 01:23 PM   #11
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Re: Dash bulbs

Fleeside,Thank you.
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Old 05-10-2018, 03:32 PM   #12
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Re: Dash bulbs

I tried a few of the cheapy brands on eBay and wasn't all that happy. The bases and pins were just a few thousandths inch smaller in diameter and tended to cock and fall out of the socket. They also could be brighter but I have nothing to compare them to see if that's possible.

My biggest gripe was the LED assembly wasn't secure in the base and would twist very easily when installing them. If you were to take one apart you would see there are two uninsulated wires going from the LED to the base. There is a plastic divider but not much else to keep from damaging them if they were twisted too far.

I just got in some LEDs from superbrightleds.com and they are a much better quality. LED assembly is tight in the base. Color coded. 3 year warranty. Twice as expensive but in my mind, you get what you pay for.

I'm gonna check to see the difference in fit and brightness.

To dim them I used an LED dimmer, (pulse width modulator). I removed the circuit board from the enclosure and mounted it on the back of the cluster and mounted the potentiometer in place of the unused choke hole. Drilled out the knob hole so it would fit the pot shaft. The only problem in this method is that the dimmer ground input and outputs have to remain isolated from each other. Since the lamp socket housings are grounded, I had to replace them with two-wire sockets. PITA, but I had too much time into the project to go back!
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Old 05-10-2018, 04:35 PM   #13
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Re: Dash bulbs

Thanks for the information damnyankee36 - you wouldn't have a link would you?
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Old 05-10-2018, 06:24 PM   #14
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Re: Dash bulbs

Dyankee,thanks for that info!
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Old 05-10-2018, 07:25 PM   #15
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Re: Dash bulbs

Here are the LEDs:
https://www.superbrightleds.com/sear...nt-bulbs/1895/

And here's the dimmer:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/321899330659
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Old 05-10-2018, 07:49 PM   #16
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Re: Dash bulbs

Wow, lots of options there. What lumens did you use? They show them from 5 to 96lm.
So we use the BA9's.
They show a dimable BA9 but it's 3.5lm. - https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...-bulb/4/10643/
Not sure if that's bright enough?
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Old 05-10-2018, 08:10 PM   #17
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Re: Dash bulbs

I bought the 5 LED ones since it was comparable to the construction of the ones on eBay.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...ofit-car/2077/

If that's comparable, (as I haven't applied power yet) it will just be enough. I'd like them to be too bright so I can at least feel like I'm making use of the dimmer!

I'm sure the single LED ones would be too dim.
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Old 05-10-2018, 08:12 PM   #18
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Re: Dash bulbs

Thanks damnyankee36 - Cool light? or Warm Light?
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Old 05-10-2018, 08:18 PM   #19
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Re: Dash bulbs

If you are using the white ones for indicator lights I like the cool 6,100K. It's a much whiter light and just makes the cluster look more modern IMO. I also used 6,100K for the dome and dash courtesy lights. 2700K will look like an incandescent lamp.

Colors don't come in temperatures. Be sure to use the color you want the gauges to be. If you want green do not use white and rely on the green interior. It will more white than green.
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Old 05-10-2018, 08:28 PM   #20
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Re: Dash bulbs

EDIT:

"It will more white than green"

Maybe it will wind up not as bright, I can't remember my results! For example, it's recommended to use red LEDs for tail lights so they will be brighter and an overall richer red. That's why I advise to use the actual color you are going for.
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Old 05-11-2018, 11:32 AM   #21
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Re: Dash bulbs

Quote:
Originally Posted by damnyankee36 View Post
I tried a few of the cheapy brands on eBay and wasn't all that happy. The bases and pins were just a few thousandths inch smaller in diameter and tended to cock and fall out of the socket. They also could be brighter but I have nothing to compare them to see if that's possible.

My biggest gripe was the LED assembly wasn't secure in the base and would twist very easily when installing them. If you were to take one apart you would see there are two uninsulated wires going from the LED to the base. There is a plastic divider but not much else to keep from damaging them if they were twisted too far.

I just got in some LEDs from superbrightleds.com and they are a much better quality. LED assembly is tight in the base. Color coded. 3 year warranty. Twice as expensive but in my mind, you get what you pay for.

I'm gonna check to see the difference in fit and brightness.

To dim them I used an LED dimmer, (pulse width modulator). I removed the circuit board from the enclosure and mounted it on the back of the cluster and mounted the potentiometer in place of the unused choke hole. Drilled out the knob hole so it would fit the pot shaft. The only problem in this method is that the dimmer ground input and outputs have to remain isolated from each other. Since the lamp socket housings are grounded, I had to replace them with two-wire sockets. PITA, but I had too much time into the project to go back!
Nice
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Old 12-04-2018, 12:54 AM   #22
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Re: Dash bulbs

Resurrecting an old thread here I guess ... I'm new to the vintage C10 world, and electrically ignorant too. Now that we've got that out of the way ... am looking to replace the dash bulbs in my '62, have read through the threads and just want to double check; if I buy these bulbs (either the BA9S from superbrightleds, or the LED bulbs from LMC), they're just plug-and-go, correct? Yank out the old dim bulbs, insert these, and done? I understand I may not be able to dim them any more, not a huge deal for me, more concerned with seeing my gauges. And how many bulbs are back there, anyhow? Wasn't able to find that info anywhere. Thanks, sorry to re-hash what I'm sure is a very old topic.
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Old 12-08-2018, 12:06 PM   #23
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Re: Dash bulbs

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobbZ View Post
Resurrecting an old thread here I guess ... I'm new to the vintage C10 world, and electrically ignorant too. Now that we've got that out of the way ... am looking to replace the dash bulbs in my '62, have read through the threads and just want to double check; if I buy these bulbs (either the BA9S from superbrightleds, or the LED bulbs from LMC), they're just plug-and-go, correct? Yank out the old dim bulbs, insert these, and done? I understand I may not be able to dim them any more, not a huge deal for me, more concerned with seeing my gauges. And how many bulbs are back there, anyhow? Wasn't able to find that info anywhere. Thanks, sorry to re-hash what I'm sure is a very old topic.
Yes the go right into the bulb holders like if you were just replacing the bulbs no problem!
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Old 12-08-2018, 08:59 PM   #24
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Re: Dash bulbs

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=698647 this thread inspired me to use the green ones. Good pics on page 2.
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Old 12-08-2020, 10:59 PM   #25
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Re: Dash bulbs

Also bumping this thread up for a member who Private Messaged me asking where these could found.
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