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101RRS
23rd April 2014, 01:23 PM
I bought a special tacho to go into a vehicle but it has red led illumination and is fully sealed so the colour cannot be changed - there was nothing in the tacho specs to indicate the red lighting.

I do not want to have normal incandescent colour in my other instruments and bright red led in the tacho so I am thinking I should be able to replace the little 2-3w bayonet incandescent bulbs with red led versions. These are a mix of BA7mm and BA9mm bulbs.

I have searched but cannot find anyone who sells these in red LEDS. The LED Shop has them in White and Blue but not red.

Most places like Jaycar have the more modern push in equivalents in LED but not bayonet leds.

Any ideas on where to get these bulbs? Or as an alternative the little coloured covers that go over globes to change their colour?

Thanks

Garry

SouthOz
26th April 2014, 06:04 PM
A red texta or some bulb dye?

Dave

101RRS
26th April 2014, 06:22 PM
Thanks Dave - I have tried that in the past but was not very successful as the colour is not dense enough. Many years ago I bought a car radio that came with different coloured rubber caps that could go over the bulbs to change the display colour - the colour on these is very dense and did work so it would be good if I could find some of these if they were still available as an alternative to LEDs.

Cheers

Garry

Rurover
26th April 2014, 07:15 PM
Would nail polish work perhaps?

Alan

bee utey
26th April 2014, 08:05 PM
20 X RED Globe Cover Suits 5mm Wedge Globes Suit XD XE ESP Dash | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20-X-RED-GLOBE-COVER-SUITS-5MM-WEDGE-GLOBES-suit-XD-XE-ESP-DASH-/111320963546?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19eb3f19da)

2X BA9S LED T4W 1895 Bayonet CAR Side Wedge Parker Interior Light Globe Bulb 12V | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-BA9S-LED-T4W-1895-Bayonet-Car-Side-Wedge-Parker-Interior-Light-Globe-Bulb-12V-/321119607505?pt=AU_Lighting_Fans&var=&hash=item4ac4385ad1)

2X BA9S 5050 5SMD RED LED T4W 1895 Dash Park Interior NO Plate Light Bulb Globe | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-BA9S-5050-5SMD-Red-LED-T4W-1895-Dash-Park-Interior-NO-Plate-Light-Bulb-globe-/271318002170?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f2bd029fa)

101RRS
26th April 2014, 08:32 PM
20 X RED Globe Cover Suits 5mm Wedge Globes Suit XD XE ESP Dash | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/20-X-RED-GLOBE-COVER-SUITS-5MM-WEDGE-GLOBES-suit-XD-XE-ESP-DASH-/111320963546?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item19eb3f19da)

2X BA9S LED T4W 1895 Bayonet CAR Side Wedge Parker Interior Light Globe Bulb 12V | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-BA9S-LED-T4W-1895-Bayonet-Car-Side-Wedge-Parker-Interior-Light-Globe-Bulb-12V-/321119607505?pt=AU_Lighting_Fans&var=&hash=item4ac4385ad1)

2X BA9S 5050 5SMD RED LED T4W 1895 Dash Park Interior NO Plate Light Bulb Globe | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2x-BA9S-5050-5SMD-Red-LED-T4W-1895-Dash-Park-Interior-NO-Plate-Light-Bulb-globe-/271318002170?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f2bd029fa)

Thanks for those - LEDs will not fit because globe section is larger than the base and will not fit into the old housing and I mainly need 7mm globes.

I found this out when I bought some replacement globes recently and the bulb end would not fit on - the only ones that would fit were Narvas. The bulb end needs to be the same diameter as the bayonet end. I will contact the sellers to see if they also sell what I am after.

Those covers look the goods though.

Thanks

Garry

Homestar
26th April 2014, 08:59 PM
I have in the past used standard globes - broken the globe out of the BC fitting, then soldered the required LED and dropping resistor into the cap. A blob of arildyte holds it all together. Had a pick somewhere - I'll see if I can find it.

Homestar
26th April 2014, 09:07 PM
Here's a pic of a few I made some time ago - they were blue back lights for a motorbike dash.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/classic-range-rover/27925d1282129479-glb281-led-replacements-led-globes.jpg

101RRS
26th April 2014, 09:37 PM
Thanks Gav - I guess that was going to be option C - though I might find something when I follow up Bee Utey's leads.

Cheers

Garry

Homestar
26th April 2014, 09:58 PM
Yeah, not an ideal solution - it is time consuming and I end up with burnt fingers, but if there are no other options, it will get you out of trouble.

Gibs
29th April 2014, 12:34 AM
Bright Light Auto Parts - LED Replacment Globes (http://www.brightlightautoparts.com/LEDReplacementGlobes.html)

101RRS
18th July 2014, 09:03 PM
Just a followup - I bought two T7 reds online but they are not just not bright enough - you can see the light is on but not see the dial.

I got a 30000 mcd red led from Jaycar and made up a globe similar to what Gav described and while it is brighter than the store bought item is still not bright enough. However the light from the LEDs does not radiate around it but lights up straight ahead. I did mount the LED sideways in the bayonet mount and it was brighter but only on one side of the instrument so two LEDS are required.

I think I need to pull the speedo out crack it open and maybe install three leds inside with wiring through the current hole.

Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Cheers

Garry

Hoges
21st July 2014, 05:40 PM
FWIW: If you sand the end of the LED with 200 wet n dry and make it "flat" it will spread the light better..