Instrument illumination

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hrt	Dimming Leds	#21	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 20 Sun, 31-May-2009 11:57	OldNoccer wrote: Normally an LED is matched to a resistor - but they draw next to no power, so I assume if you have a bunch you can use a single variable resistor and run an LED supply - that way giving dimming. This needs verifying by someone with electrical nonce, but seems right to me. Steve As I'm Dutch speaking, I'm not familiar with your technical termes, but I' ll do my very best to explain. If you use standard 2.2V Leds on a 12V battery, you have to make series of 5 Leds (- of first led to + of the second etc., the + of the first led to battery + and - of the last led to battery -). 5 x 2.2V = 11V you end up with 1V left over the resistor. The max current for these Leds is 20mA. The resistor should be 1V/20mA= 50 Ohms. Power dissipation is 1V x 20 mA = 20 mW. So a resistor of 0.5W should do. I've used this about 20 years ago in my Volvo 244 to illuminate my radio/cassette/equalizer. If you change the resistor, you change the current through the leds and that's not recommendable. I hope this will help you to create your personal instrument illumination. Dirk
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socramsnalla		#22	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 383 Tue, 16-Jun-2009 17:52	A progress report. I have had the 5 watt bulbs in for nearly a month. We drove back to the Midlands from the Ace Cafe on Saturday night in the Dark and Rain (including stop start London traffic) with everything on (Blower, Aircon, lights radio - the lot) and had no problems apart from the extra refection on the windscreen. It was so nice to actually be able to read the gauges.
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OldNoccer		#23	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 619 Tue, 16-Jun-2009 22:40	I haven't had time to experiment with the LEDs as my MOT test is tomorrow and I am trying to find where the play is in the front hub. I thought it was the trunnion, but now I am wondering if its the inner wheel bearing has been turning on the stub axle and has worn it. The reason I asked about varying the brightness, is that the guy in Maplin tested each one by plugging it in a box and then turning a knob changed the brightness. Maybe it is a box that has a timer chip inside and it changes the duty cycle. I see there are various timer circuits out there on the web that with a little soldering will allow you to make an LED dimmer. Like this : LED dimmer circuit In seeking to undo one riddle, and find the true, I knit a hundred others new.
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martineztop		#24	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 1300 Wed, 17-Jun-2009 21:17 Chief mechanic	I think this may be a bit over the top mate, doubt you'll get a noticeable difference, just stick a pot in series and see how it is, don't forget the resistor too
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OldNoccer		#25	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 624 Wed, 17-Jun-2009 23:04	So you disagree with Dirk - well I'll sit back and watch the argument over this. Steve There's a lot of talk these days about green transport. Well, I am ahead of the game, I already have green transport ... British racing green.
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martineztop		#26	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 1303 Thu, 18-Jun-2009 22:01 Chief mechanic	er, no, didn't see Dirk's reply, my response was to your LED Dimmer circuit, but just to resolve the issue and sod the cost try these http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/u987-small-screw-fitting-bulb-leds-white-p-1028.html?osCsid=62d926ca0b5d1c5ca8b86af77d5d2387 nicked it from here http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/electricstext2.htm#gaugelight think this bloke has been through it all
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socramsnalla		#27	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 388 Fri, 19-Jun-2009 08:00	martineztop wrote: think this bloke has been through it all He certainly has
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Mike009 Gardner		#28	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 333 Fri, 19-Jun-2009 14:51 Junior mechanic	Personally I think I`d rather have dim instruments than a reflection in the screen at night. I find it anoying enough just having the reflection of the speedo right in my line of sight .
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Jack		#29	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 1476 Fri, 19-Jun-2009 16:04 Guru mechanic	The later dashboard (IIRC fitted from about 1996) appears to have been modified to overcome this reflection in the screen and extends further out over the instruments.
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OldNoccer		#30	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 628 Fri, 19-Jun-2009 21:25	I am confused how you have the reflection of the speedo in your line of sight. Maybe you are a lot taller than me. There is not enough brightness in mine to cause a reflection off anything., but with the overhang of the padded dash and the angle of the screen, I am surprised you can get a reflection at all. Now I look at the links I see some truth in the fact you can't dim LEDs, but also it seems the little Maplin jobs are unlikely to be bright enough. Steve There's a lot of talk these days about green transport. Well, I am ahead of the game, I already have green transport ... British racing green.
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martineztop		#31	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 1304 Fri, 19-Jun-2009 22:27 Chief mechanic	you can dim LEDs, but only so far, then they just go off.
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Mike009 Gardner		#32	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 335 Mon, 29-Jun-2009 12:17 Junior mechanic	sorry, I should have said reflection from rev counter not speedo but it still amazes me how it can happen , it seems to defy all the laws of smoke and mirrors to get reflection from under such a small dash with an overhang . Maybe the light bounces off my folically challenged pate !!
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OldNoccer	Folically challenged ?	#33	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 639 Mon, 29-Jun-2009 23:35	Aah ! The joys of an open top car - the wind in my hair ... damn - left it too late ! The wind in my beard isn't quite the same. Which is why I have a coupe, nice and cosy on those chilly nights - snuggling up in a comfy leather recliner alongside a V8 heater - lovely leather smell - beautiful NASCAR sound system playing my favourite tunes - and the scenery rushing towards me as the advanced traction control system in the seat of my pants tries to tell the right foot to lift off a little - and fails - until it is time to brake, and brake hard, feeling the tyres working against the council's patchwork quilt, and then hit the pit lane speed limiter for the 30mph limit Oh yes ... sorry what was the question ? Ah - reflections - light travels in straight lines - so a bit of hand waving will allow you to track down the origin of your reflections. If your hand is in the way, the reflection will magically disappear. Maybe your interior light is staying on without you realising, or your trousers have caught fire ? Steve There's a lot of talk these days about green transport. Well, I am ahead of the game, I already have green transport ... British racing green.
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socramsnalla		#34	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 390 Wed, 1-Jul-2009 13:27	OldNoccer wrote: Oh yes ... sorry what was the question ? Ah - reflections - light travels in straight lines - so a bit of hand waving will allow you to track down the origin of your reflections. If your hand is in the way, the reflection will magically disappear. Maybe your interior light is staying on without you realising, or your trousers have caught fire ? Steve Hi Steve Reflections come from the Speedo and the rev counter, The position of the reflection on the windscreen depends upon how tall you are. Not bad for me (6ft1) but a bit annoying for my wife (5ft4) when she drives. Allan
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Aviator UK		#35	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 385 Sat, 4-Jul-2009 19:22	ah yes, I remember those reflections from the days when I used to drive my little beauty. I think a slight extension of the dash where it overhangs the instruments would cure it. I am surprised that no one has made a new dash template to sort this little issue.
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OldNoccer		#36	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 651 Sat, 4-Jul-2009 20:01	So if the reflections come from the speedo to the driver passing the lip on the crash-pad, and bouncing off the screen, surely they should be worse for a tall person. I can see I am going to have to go in the garage and experiment as I have never seen any reflections - maybe the later cars had more overhang on the crash pad. There's a lot of talk these days about green transport. Well, I am ahead of the game, I already have green transport ... British racing green.
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Caranca1	LEDs	#37	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 17 Sun, 5-Jul-2009 09:10	Have a look at Rapid Electronics - there is all sorts of lovely bits to start playing with. http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Optoelectronics/10mm-LEDs/High-intensity-10mm-LED/64870/kw/LED
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Aviator UK		#38	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 388 Mon, 6-Jul-2009 16:31	Jack wrote: The later dashboard (IIRC fitted from about 1996) appears to have been modified to overcome this reflection in the screen and extends further out over the instruments. I'm not too sure Jack, my LM400 was built in '97, registered 2001 but it still has the dreaded "reflections"
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socramsnalla		#39	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 392 Mon, 6-Jul-2009 23:12	I think Jack is correct. I looked over a later model Mantara than mine at the Ace Cafe meet and it had an additional lip to the top of the dash over the Speedo and Rev counter which looked standard and would have helped cut the reflection.
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Aviator UK		#40	[url]	[-]
Registered Member Posts: 396 Tue, 7-Jul-2009 20:15	socramsnalla wrote: I think Jack is correct. I looked over a later model Mantara than mine at the Ace Cafe meet and it had an additional lip to the top of the dash over the Speedo and Rev counter which looked standard and would have helped cut the reflection. Hmmm, me thinks I'll have to compare mine with some of the "non-reflective" types. If I could cure the reflections and the leaks that would be great.
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