Brighter Dash Lights...no LED Required

[95BlackTahoe]

Please do not take this post to me bashing LED's... I do like the LED and if you are changing your dash color, they do a super job. I have a Denali cluster, so I really didn't want to change the color, as I like the blue it has.

In the quest to brighten up that cluster, I decided to utilize a old trick I did with a old Malibu I owned. It had the cluster the old fashioned way...lights simply shined around the gauges...with unlit needles too..

I went to the auto parts and bout 3 packs of bulb 2825. This is a very common bulb and is available at any parts store. The old bulbs are rated at 2 candlepower each. The 2825 is rated at 5 CP. Makes a big difference...

Before...



And after...No hot spots either. Just what I wanted.



Now to blue light some of the other things...lol

Shawn

 

[chauncey0337]

Looks great! But if you're going through the trouble to do that, why not just switch to led so you'll never have to do it again. Led's should easily last the life of the vehicle.

 

[LI99HOE]

Hopefully the brighter bulbs don't draw too much more current than the originals.
Over time this could cause the foil lands that make the connections on the back of the cluster to overheat, and burn, and create opens in the circuit.
Other than that precaution... I like the improvement. Looks good.

 

[LuSe4]

A little off topic, are leds dimmable when used in a cluster, or are they simply "on or off"?

 

[chauncey0337]

A little off topic, are leds dimmable when used in a cluster, or are they simply "on or off"?

Some people say they dim, some people say they don't. Mine do.

 

[LuSe4]

Some people say they dim, some people say they don't. Mine do.

Thanks jae!

 

[the big blue bus]

why are your needles orange. i thought the denali escalades were white? looks good though. wish i could find the perfect brightenss and no hot spot blue leds for my cluster

 

[Monstar_est87]

Monstar approved... Id like 2 do the bulb switch myself... Please let us kno if the bulbs fry the cluster... If not LED time...

 

[95BlackTahoe]

Monstar approved... Id like 2 do the bulb switch myself... Please let us kno if the bulbs fry the cluster... If not LED time...

Almost a year later, no overheat conditions in any way...

In fact, it even looks better with the red needles...(older pic, before double din)



Shawn

 

[Chezoom]

where did you get the red needles?