Changing idiot lights for LED's

On my gauge cluster: standard XJ900 seca type, the idiot lights: neutral, oil, high beam are barely visible in bright sunlight. I can hardly see the neutral light when the sun is shining on it. The gauge panel cover has a tinted part, which sits over the idiot lights, and is probably why they are dull.

I'm thinking about replacing the lights with coloured LED's, but there seems to be many different types available: super bright, 5 chip etc. Anyone else done this with any success? What type of LED's did you use? Do the wedge-type LEDS just plug straight into the sockets, or are resistors needed?

 

-I replaced my instrument illumination bulbs with LEDs, but they were too bright for the idiot lights, especially at night. That being the case, it would probably solve your problem.

-I used "superbright" 5-element 'cool white' 194-base LEDs; you could use colored ones in the indicators.

-they plugged right in, no resistors needed. You would only need resistors for the turn signal or brake light circuits, to "fool" the flasher or the computer. Nothing cares how much or how little current the instruments draw.

 

I found using replacement Bulbs (AutoZone's) of the same Color as the Indicator made a big difference.

I think the new Bulbs were a few Watts stronger than Stock.

If you do a lot of lonely-road, night riding ... BEWARE.

On the 900RK ... if you lose the Headlamp ... the Instrument Panel will immediately --> Over-Brighten. The Instruments will become so Bright as to BLIND your Night Vision and cause an EXTREMELY Dangerous condition of being in motion and not seeing anything but the Instruments.

I was considering putting a Rheostat Switch to control Instrument Lights, but my plans for the 900 have changed.

 

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When you say the the turn signal or the brake light circuit needs a resistor, where would you put the resitor for the brake lights????

Regards,

W. D.

 

If you are installing a LED Aftermarket Light Bulb Assy ... some have the Resistors "Built In" the Unit.

If you are making your own LED's Custom Install ... you need to splice a Resistor into the wire supplying Power to the LED's in a convenient location before the LED.

Making your own is done for appreciably less than buying Prefabricated Resisters that will Plug-in.

 

A relevant question for those who have converted to LED:

Do all the cluster lights (illumination, neutral, turn, etc) share a common neutral?

If so, it shouldn't be too difficult to install a SPDT switch inline with the neutral leg of the LEDs, with different resistors selectable via the switch. That way you have day and night mode :mrgreen:

For that matter, you could use a potentiometer too...

 

RickCoMatic,

I had asked the question about the resistor because I have put the 1157 LEDs in place of my incandecescent 1157 brake lights. Additionally I have converted my turn signals to act as turn/running lights. However, when I put 1157 LEDs in instead of 1157 incandescent bulbs for the turn/running lights they work very slowly. That is when the turn signal is engaged the sinal flashers does its job only it does it very very very slowly. Any thoughts on this???. I have replaced the stock flasher relay for an off the shelf IC model, but still it flashes only very slowly in the rear and front when all the flasher lights are LEDs. If I only use LEDs in the front then everything works well. However if I use LEDs for the brakes and the rear turns then it does not flash at all.

Regards,

W. D.

 

It sounds like you need a "Load Leveler".

Check-out the many options available at:

Signal Dynamics Co. on the web.

I'm running their Back-Off Brake Light Modulator to a Trio of Red LED Stripe on the back section above my tail Light.

You can get Load Levelers for EACH Lamp -or- a "System Leveler" ... which you could probably make-up for lots less than they charge for the Module.