Gauges still not bright

R

RIP88

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Sep 16, 2010

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Sep 16, 2010

#1

• Sep 16, 2010

• #1

Hey everyone I just installed my autometer ultra light gauges with the X5 LED bulbs from superbrightled.com and after suching around on here and looking at some pics of gauges at night,there still not as bright.I have the ground going to a screw behined the kick panel and the positive inline with my tach thats going to the positive on the cigerette lighter.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Sep 17, 2010

#2

• Sep 17, 2010

• #2

Led's can be dim in and of themselves, and gauge illumination is affected by the light dispersion angle (you have wide-angle bulbs?).

Try using another ground just to see if they brighten up. You could ohm your current ground out as well. Look for less than one Ohm of resistance.

FWIW, IIRC the cigar lighter is hot at all times. You really want to use an accessory power source to diminish the drain on the battery when the car is off.

 

R

RIP88

New Member

Sep 16, 2010

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Sep 17, 2010

#3

• Sep 17, 2010

• #3

HISSIN50 said:

Led's can be dim in and of themselves, and gauge illumination is affected by the light dispersion angle (you have wide-angle bulbs?).

Try using another ground just to see if they brighten up. You could ohm your current ground out as well. Look for less than one Ohm of resistance.

FWIW, IIRC the cigar lighter is hot at all times. You really want to use an accessory power source to diminish the drain on the battery when the car is off.

Click to expand...

They are 1 High Flux LED & 4 x 3mm Radially Mounted LEDs, 220 degree beam - These bulbs are Non-Polarized heres the link WLED-x5 (194 type) Wedge Base bulbs Specifications
and pull up the WLED-x5.

 

HISSIN50

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Nov 29, 1999

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Sep 17, 2010

#4

• Sep 17, 2010

• #4

Did changing the ground location help?
If you have mechanical gauges, they can seem dimmer than electric gauges (difference in gauge faces).

 

R

RIP88

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Sep 20, 2010

#5

• Sep 20, 2010

• #5

Ya I changed the ground it help out but here's the new problem I'm having.I just put a 140amp alt. In and a brand new battery,but when ever I come to a stop the volt gauge will drop and lights will dim and flicker.any idea what is causing this?

 

HISSIN50

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Nov 29, 1999

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Sep 20, 2010

#6

• Sep 20, 2010

• #6

Is the alt being underspun at idle? What actual voltage are you at while idling (don't use the stock gauge as the measuring instrument)?

 

R

RIP88

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Sep 16, 2010

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Sep 20, 2010

#7

• Sep 20, 2010

• #7

14.2 is what I'm seeing

 

R

RIP88

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Sep 16, 2010

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Sep 20, 2010

#8

• Sep 20, 2010

• #8

An the car idles around 600 I have a aftermaket tach.

 

HISSIN50

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Sep 20, 2010

#9

• Sep 20, 2010

• #9

14.2 V while the lights are dimming? 14.2V is outstanding, so the issue lies elsewhere. You likely either have a voltage drop occurring downstream of the battery (or where ever you measured voltage) or a ground issue in the affected circuits.

 

R

RIP88

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Sep 16, 2010

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Sep 20, 2010

#10

• Sep 20, 2010

• #10

Ya its 14.2 with everything on and that was at the battery so I'm going to pull the grounds and clean them see if that works