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LED bulbs for 69 AMX GAUGES? |
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amxess
AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/30/2007 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 768 |
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Posted: Dec/05/2017 at 8:49am |
Checked Ebay, and see LED bulbs offered to replace dash bulbs. Anyone switched to LED bulbs in the gauge cluster, and if so, which ones work?
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tufcj
Supporter of TheAMCForum Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/10/2007 Location: Watkins, CO Status: Offline Points: 4086 |
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I tried it. Took them out because I didn't like the color. I bought inverted LEDs from somewhere like Superbright LEDs, which spread the light to the sides. Another thing is that they are either on or off, not dimable.
Bob tufcj |
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69 AMX
74 Javelin AMX 67 Rogue If you need a tool and don't buy it... you'll eventually pay for it... and not have it. Henry Ford |
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billd
Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: Jun/27/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 30894 |
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That's odd - mine are dimmable and came from superbrightLEDs. I used the in the cluster of my Eagle and LOVE THEM and will never ever go back. My 73 will eventually be all LED as well.
The color is a slight bluish hint - likely due to the car itself as I put in plain LEDs. I had to try two different numbers to get enough light but I'm really happy with them. They can be installed EITHER WAY and are definitely dimmable. I can turn the light switch like normal and dim them. By the way, do not use LED in the ALT light! That bulb is actually part of the charging system....... |
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PlazinJavelin
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Nov/02/2008 Location: Atlanta USA Status: Offline Points: 2703 |
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Great tip, thanks!
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CamJam
Moderator Group Joined: Jan/04/2014 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 6549 |
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Bill, do you remember the number of the ones you liked?
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'73 Javelin 360 (current project)
'72 Baja Bronze Javelin SST '69 Big Bad Orange AMX (2018 Teague Heritage Award) SOLD |
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billd
Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: Jun/27/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 30894 |
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I can find out - I ordered a certain number of each. The ones I have left are not the ones, the ones that aren't in the envelope are what I used in the dash - I'll compare to my invoice. Wow, hope that makes sense to someone. If so, you can explain it to me.
Anyway I love 'em and will do the same for my 73 Javelin. The look is really nice in that little Eagle. |
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tomj
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: earth Status: Offline Points: 7544 |
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some of the mini bayonet base LED lamps have the tall lens that focuses light up into a spot, not so good for instrument panels. you can however file the tip of the "bulb" flat, just don't go down so fart that you hit the microscopic wire from the base onto the top of the chip inside. i had a fistful of the bulb type in the junkbox and this made 'em usable. you can "frost" them with 180 grit paper too.
dimmable vs. non, many of these "LED lamps" are really a bunch of LEDs in series with a small resistor. each LED chip has a fixed voltage drop of 1.4 to 3V depending on the color, so a bright blue LED with two chips inside simply goes out when the voltage drops too low. a single LED (chip) will dim down to 1.4V or whatever voltage that color is. white LEDs require up to 4V to turn 'em on. |
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1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5 http://www.ramblerLore.com |
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Fluffy73
AMC Addicted Joined: Nov/21/2007 Location: Castlegar, BC Status: Offline Points: 3059 |
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A lot of LED's are being designed specifically for the automotive market and are designed with a resistor built in that makes them act like bulbs, so you can dim them.
Just look for ones that specifically state that they either have a built-in resistor or are designed to dim per automotive use. I've used the 5 SMD green ones in lots of my cars and plan to do my Javelin next. They do dim and they work great. Here's my '87 Daytona cluster that used to have dark spots when using plain bulbs: Edited by Fluffy73 - Dec/08/2017 at 9:58pm |
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I am genetically incapable of being Politically Correct.
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