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Dial Lights / LED topic ... again


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Sorry, I know this is a well covered topic and I did do some searching but I couldnt find an answer ...

 

Does the dash board have to be removed to replace the dial lamps ?

 

I have some LED ones to fit but thought Id better ask before I set about taking the car apart. It seems very busy behind there to try and replace the lamps from behind.

 

Battery already disconnected !

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There are two sizes of LED dash lamps. The long ones don't fit where as the flat ones do. I kept breaking them trying to force them in and eventually I found there was a different type:-((( Lesson learnt!

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Hi

If you have a 4a with a wooden dash it is really simply and quick to remove this by removing the speedo and rev counter, 6 screws and the dash with the instruments attached will pull forward enough to access the back. If you have a 4 with just the metal dash I guess it is better to practice your verbal abuse at it.

 

Cheers

 

Simon

4a (luckily)

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FMI are the LED lights dimmable? I ask because my rheostat is intermittent so will not try and fix it if go LED route.

 

Simon

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Hi Simon,

LED's are dimmable.

 

You could use a small kit from Velleman (maplin or ebay).

Or you could construct the circuit supplied by Tony Thompson in TRAction.

 

Most circuits are Pulse Width Modulation but you could also use a form of a variable resistor (heathen, I hear you cry)

 

Roger

Edited by RogerH
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Copied from another thread - Answer is no, but this works well:


Well, I did because the original lights were too dim, & the replacement LED's too bright.

you can dim them, just not with the standard rheostat.


I used a smaller wirewound "potentiometer" rated at 5W, & with the spindle machined to take the standard knob


circuit below:



post-12009-0-20163800-1499159935_thumb.j



Bob.


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Or try this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dimming-Controller-Lights-Ribbon-Volt/dp/B003L4KKF2

You do have to bring the lamp earths back to the controller.

Mike

That was the unit i used.

 

I replaced the soldered in pot with on on a fly-lead and installed it in the original hole.

Led’s will need new holders that have pos and neg wires, as the unit pulse modifies the power to dim them.

 

Works perfectly

 

Steve

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Well I got the correct MES cap LED lamps, the short ones that should fit straight in. I brushed up on my best swear words and did a few minutes bending and stretching my old muscles & bones for the acrobatic needs of working upsidedown behind the dash.

 

Disconnected the battery and then firstly linked out the old dimmer switch, as any kind of movement of that thing just blows the fuse instantly ....

 

So then on to the first lamp .... that wasnt MES at all.... in fact, one of the previous owners had clearly already put much improved lamps and lamp holders behind all the dials.

 

Reconnect the battery ... theyre perfect ... now the dimmer had gone ....

 

Anyone need a pack of green LED dial lamps ????

 

Thanks for advice chaps ~ hopefully the LEDs will fit my old 68 Spitfire ..

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Well I got the correct MES cap LED lamps, the short ones that should fit straight in. I brushed up on my best swear words and did a few minutes bending and stretching my old muscles & bones for the acrobatic needs of working upsidedown behind the dash.

 

Disconnected the battery and then firstly linked out the old dimmer switch, as any kind of movement of that thing just blows the fuse instantly ....

 

So then on to the first lamp .... that wasnt MES at all.... in fact, one of the previous owners had clearly already put much improved lamps and lamp holders behind all the dials.

 

Reconnect the battery ... theyre perfect ... now the dimmer had gone ....

 

Anyone need a pack of green LED dial lamps

 

Thanks for advice chaps ~ hopefully the LEDs will fit my old 68 Spitfire ..

 

Most people do remove the dimmer as the first move in improving what is there.

 

Roger

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Most people do remove the dimmer as the first move in improving what is there.

 

Whats there, is not LED but theyre clearly not the original lamps or holders. Just about bright enough I think and very authentic. True test will be late at night when I know I have little fuel .....

 

On the way back from Portsmouth last week I had to get my wife to hold an iPhone torch up to see how low the fuel was as we passed the the second closed fuel station on the A3 ....

 

Edited by TR4 AJJ
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"to see how low the fuel was"

 

The fuel tank on the 4a is 11 1/2 gallons. I reckon my fuel gauge works like this:

Full = Past the full mark

- 1.75 gallons = on the full mark

- 3.75 gallons = 3/4 mark

- 5.75 gallons = 1/2 mark

- 7.75 gallons = 1/4 mark

- 9.75 gallons = Just hit the empty mark so have 1.75 left so have about 40-55 miles range left depending on right foot

 

I am reluctant to try and get it any better as it is very consistent. How dose this compare with others?

 

Simon

Edited by PYU940F
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When I fitted my Alloy tank I filled the first two gallons by hand from a can, when gauge read empty I had added about 1.5 gallons, so about 40-45 miles. On my dipstick this was about 2 inches. However how far you can travel depends on how the fuel take off pipe

was fitted. I made a pipe to stick up into the tank about 3 inches with the top pinched nearly shut and with about 10 - 3/16 inch holes drilled around the circumference. That way any sizeable rubbish entering the tank will be restrained but fuel will still flow.

Chris

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