Making custom dash indicators?

[Vicinity]

For anyone using an aftermarket gauge setup, what did you do about turn signals? I'd like to use little LED's for Left, Right and Hi beams, but I don't know anything about how LED's work (or how to wiring them up to my harness). I'm using an American Autowire Harness, so it is wired for them, I just don't know how to wire them to the bulb/LED.



Any help?

[parsonsj]

Dan, just wire them in parallel to the actual signal lights. You can use these from AAW. They come with a red wire and black wire. Simple as can be: red to signal, black to ground.

http://www.americanautowire.com/cata...ingSockets.pdf (scroll a couple of pages down)

Or these:

http://www.newark.com/chicago-miniat..._merch=Popular

jp

[Vicinity]

Dan, just wire them in series to the actual signal lights. You can use these from AAW. They come with a red wire and black wire. Simple as can be: red to signal, black to ground.

http://www.americanautowire.com/cata...ingSockets.pdf (scroll a couple of pages down)

Or these:

http://www.newark.com/chicago-miniat..._merch=Popular

jp

Oh, wow. I like that. Thanks, John!

[Six_Shooter]

You would want to wire the LEDs in parallel with the existing turn signals. To pass the current through the LEDs to power a conventional bulb would blow the LED.

There is a positive (anode) an negative (cathode), that get connected to the electrical system. Most common LEDs are about 3V, so a resistor is needed to reduce the voltage/current passed through the LED. Usual resistor sizes for a single LED used in automotive applications are between 500 and 1000 ohms, 1/4 watt rating is plenty.

I'm currently using LEDs for my indicators, but want to change to something with arrows in the future. I do have a pair of LEDs I pirated from an old auto reverse cassette deck, that used two triangular shaped LEDs to indicate direction, I may change to these.

[Bryce]

I have small incadescent light for my blinker and the rest of the dash lights. The reason I did not use an LED is becasue I wanted to only use 1 light. LED work like a one way valve, so they dont work when you need to have current flow both directions.

[parsonsj]

You would want to wire the LEDs in parallel with the existing turn signals. To pass the current through the LEDs to power a conventional bulb would blow the LED.

Yep, my bad. I wasn't thinking, and that's what I meant: in parallel. Good catch!

jp

[dhutton]

I have small incadescent light for my blinker and the rest of the dash lights. The reason I did not use an LED is becasue I wanted to only use 1 light. LED work like a one way valve, so they dont work when you need to have current flow both directions.

Since the indicator is wired to ground on one side I'm not following you here. The current can only flow from 12 volts to ground through the indicator bulb, can't it?

[FULMNTE]

www.superbrightleds.com has LEDs that you can wire right in (with the resistor)

[130fe]

I used the 3 mm (same as 5/32) built in resistor type LED from radio Shack (same ones as in the AAW site mentioned above). They were only like $3 each. They have red, green and amber. They have a Red and Black leads and I wired them directly into the factory harness. I used green for the turn signals, amber for Check eng light and blue (purchased from Dse) for the high beams. If did it over again, use red for the high beam. The blue is blinding, be sure to position the HB indicator off to the side (just not in the center of your view)

[Vicinity]

I used the 3 mm (same as 5/32) built in resistor type LED from radio Shack (same ones as in the AAW site mentioned above). They were only like $3 each. They have red, green and amber. They have a Red and Black leads and I wired them directly into the factory harness. I used green for the turn signals, amber for Check eng light and blue (purchased from Dse) for the high beams. If did it over again, use red for the high beam. The blue is blinding, be sure to position the HB indicator off to the side (just not in the center of your view)

I'll have to swing by Radio Shack tomorrow after school to check that out. Thanks for the heads up.

[garys 68]

I used 12 v leds from radio shack, but probably would have gone with these if I found them earlier.
http://www.snakebite.com.au/logodash...ach-p-494.html

[HotRod47]

I had New Vintage gauges make this for me. I liked it better than just a few led's. It includes indicators for the LT turn, Hi beam, engine, shift pattern, driving lights, electric fan, RT turn.

[meenaggie]

A little trick I learned from a friend that installed car alarms was to remove the bezel from the LED and drill the hole just large enough for the bulb itself. Then hot glue (or epoxy) the bulb in from the back. This results in a very clean look and you can hardly see the small LED bulbs when they are not lit. Try to find an LED with a flat front instead of round to make it disappear even more.

[Bryce]

Since the indicator is wired to ground on one side I'm not following you here. The current can only flow from 12 volts to ground through the indicator bulb, can't it?

Ford did something different back then. The indicator does not go directly to ground.

[esenior]

I bought my LEDs from Watsons Streetworks. They are 12v (no resistor required), and the chrome bezel ties in with my gauges.

http://www.watsons-streetworks.com/l...equipment.html

[all wired]

My company offers a 2 1/16" indicator gauge as a solution to this problem....

[1bad78zam]

Those are sweeeeeeeeet!!!

[Vicinity]

Went to Radio shack and got the resistor type LED's, they work GREAT! Thanks, guys.

[bbaer5747]

[QUOTE=all wired;800257]My company offers a 2 1/16" indicator gauge as a solution to this problem....

[Price and availability]

[scott_fx]

A little trick I learned from a friend that installed car alarms was to remove the bezel from the LED and drill the hole just large enough for the bulb itself. Then hot glue (or epoxy) the bulb in from the back. This results in a very clean look and you can hardly see the small LED bulbs when they are not lit. Try to find an LED with a flat front instead of round to make it disappear even more.

another thing you can do with led's is sand them flush. you can polish them or leave them foggy for better light dispersion. This is something that the people that mod computer cases do often