Blue Gauges LEDs problem
Here's mine:
I forget the exact reason, but I think it has to do with red & blue having different wavelengths of the spectrum. Blue will not light up red and vice versa. I used white leds in my cluster. The white leds light up both the blue and the red needles. The picture sucks. They are more blue in person.
http://www.autoaccessorystore.com/ho...=detail&id=729
Just install one of these kits and have super bright needles regardless of anything else.
From the website;
Glow Gauge Needles Kit
* Mini ultra bright LEDs.
* Unique custom look.
* Compatible for all vehicles with lexan based needles.
* Brightness is adjustable with a dimmer switch.
* Installation instructions included, professional installation required.
* Factory needles are used with this kit. New needles are not included.
This kit will fit the following
Needle Variations
1 Large Needle & 2 Small
2 Large Needles & 2 Small
2 Large Needles & 3 Small
2 Large Needles & 4 Small
2 Large Needles & 5 Small
Lexan needles are needles that glow at night from your lights behind the gauges. Non-lexan needles do not glow at night. 80% of the vehicles that were manufactured after 1990 have lexan based needles. 95% of the vehicles manufactured after 2000 have lexan based needles. This kit is installed underneath of your factory needles and provides an ultra bright light which makes the needles glow from your old dull color to the new ultra bright color. The kit is powered by a 12 volt system.
Actually there was no flash on in that pic, it really was white letters with a blueish tint around the numbers. I really liked the way it looked but it was out of place with everything else blue so I changed it out to a blue led.
Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: oklahoma
Depends on the year of your car. Mine is a 98 so it just had a red light diffuser behind the odometer and a 168 bulb behind it on the cluster circuit board. I replaced the bulb with one of my blue 5 smd leds and removed the red diffuser and cut my own clear diffuser to the same size and replaced it. On the newer clusters there is an led soldered to the actual odometer circuit board that you have to desolder and replace with a blue led. Mine was a white 5 smd led in the first pics but replaced it later with blue. Let me know if you need anymore info and I'll get some more pics.
I found a write up for the newer models here:
http://www.ledgauges.com/id26.html
I haven't done one of those odometers yet but it looks like they just pulled off the red smd leds and soldered in a few 3mm leds.
http://www.ledgauges.com/id26.html
I haven't done one of those odometers yet but it looks like they just pulled off the red smd leds and soldered in a few 3mm leds.
These are the SMD LED's that are on the stock ODO. You need to desolder all 3 of them then solder 2 3mm LED's (of whatever color you want) into the outer two spots. And a bit of advice, mark the stock SMD LED's so you know which side is which, then put 3V to them to find out which is (+) and which is (-). That way the new LED's get soldered down in the right orientation so you don't have to take it apart a second time to fix it.
I'm using the same WLED xHP6 LEDs, and I have NO problems! I'm actually almost done with my preliminary tests on different needles I'm going to start manufacturing to fix this very problem.
Do you by any changes have 6LE overlays? Here's my cluster with my new improvments.
Last edited by Sommer86; Oct 19, 2009 at 12:17 AM.
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where do you get 280 from? an overlay like Sommers is 200 bucks and the bulbs are around 35. a basic overlay. the needles are still in R&D, him and i are the only ones with them so far
here is the custom setup I had made up for my SS/SC Cobalt... It matches my autometer Cobalt gauges. I am running the same boost and wideband in my a piller. And would like it to match. This is what the Cobalt looked like.
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Bakersfield, CA
Depends on the year of your car. Mine is a 98 so it just had a red light diffuser behind the odometer and a 168 bulb behind it on the cluster circuit board. I replaced the bulb with one of my blue 5 smd leds and removed the red diffuser and cut my own clear diffuser to the same size and replaced it. On the newer clusters there is an led soldered to the actual odometer circuit board that you have to desolder and replace with a blue led. Mine was a white 5 smd led in the first pics but replaced it later with blue. Let me know if you need anymore info and I'll get some more pics.
Is it like the clear film you could get at a Hobby Supply store?
Does anyone know if Ultra-Violet LED's have ever been tried in the gauge cluster or interior?
I'll keep you guys posted.
I'm sure you could get it at a hobby store but I never went to look. I had a few extra square electroluminescent night light things so I tore one apart and was able to cut the diffuser film from it down to size to use. As long as it transfers light pretty evenly you should be ok.
They make needles to replace the stock ones. It's more to wire up, but will help overall for needle appearance. Another option that I have done is use the Camaro reverse overlays. They light up blue, keep all stock bulbs in tack and you get best of both worlds. Red needles with blue numbers. 
Worked out perfect in my Firehawk, though I did have to look at Camaro gauges afterwards, lol
Worked out perfect in my Firehawk, though I did have to look at Camaro gauges afterwards, lol 
I'm using the same WLED xHP6 LEDs, and I have NO problems! I'm actually almost done with my preliminary tests on different needles I'm going to start manufacturing to fix this very problem.
Do you by any changes have 6LE overlays? Here's my cluster with my new improvments.
Do you by any changes have 6LE overlays? Here's my cluster with my new improvments.
Just FYI, the reason my needles have a blue tint to them is because I chose "cool white" over "natural white" The "cool white" looks good throught the overlay, but the absolute clearness of the needle shows it real color, a lightblue hue.
My neon needles are going in next for a trial. (Here's a 1st sneak peek....and these pics dont do them justice)
Last edited by Sommer86; Oct 27, 2009 at 02:46 PM.