Ian Vincent Posted September 18, 2021 Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 (edited) Driving back from Goodwood yesterday in the dark I was having difficulty reading my instruments - particularly when you have an SUV with super bright lights sitting on your tail and his lights are just about level with your head. So, I'm thinking about fitting some LED instrument lights. Would I be right in thinking that I will need to do something with the Panel Light rheostat because that won't work with LEDs, even if I leave a couple of the bulbs as incandescent? Rgds Ian Edited September 18, 2021 by Ian Vincent Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted September 18, 2021 Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 (edited) Yes Ian - there have been a couple of threads on that topic. Leaving a couple of standard bulbs might help a bit, but not much. Might as well change the lot. Do you really need a rheostat though if you can fix the lights at the brightness you want........? Edited September 18, 2021 by RobH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trchris Posted September 18, 2021 Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 Hi Ian As Rob says no need for the rheostat I replaced all my dash lights (except for ignition light ) with leds loads better you can by pass the rheostat easily enough Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveB66 Posted September 18, 2021 Report Share Posted September 18, 2021 Hi Ian I agree with the others and you don't need the rheostat. I would add that for the 3a you need to make sure you get the bulbs which have leds around the circumference and not just at the tip for the smaller gauges. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted September 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 Thanks for the replies. The bulbs seem to be cheap enough so I’ll order some and see how I get on. Point taken about the smaller gauge lights. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 This dimmer circuit works for me Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnC Posted September 19, 2021 Report Share Posted September 19, 2021 5 hours ago, Lebro said: This dimmer circuit works for me Me too (thanks Bob). Maybe obvious (wasn't to me) but you need to change all the bulbs to LED. If they're a mixture the dimmer will be less effective. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted September 22, 2021 Report Share Posted September 22, 2021 On 9/19/2021 at 8:37 AM, Lebro said: This dimmer circuit works for me Bob Bob being an electrical numpty is that using the standard rheostat and are those resistors additional? many thanks Iain Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted September 22, 2021 Report Share Posted September 22, 2021 (edited) Iain. No not the standard rheostat, but a 100 ohm wire wound "potentiometer" I used one like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/391584895037?hash=item5b2c47503d:g:IQQAAOSwLF1X9WZQ Then modified the spindle to match the "PANEL" knob I had Bob Edited September 22, 2021 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted September 30, 2021 Report Share Posted September 30, 2021 Thanks Bob, I’ve done the indicators and headlights from your recommendations, just haven’t done the panel lights yet. Iain Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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