Sean wrote:

Subject: LEDs for idiot lghts and temp gauge

I currently have the dash fully disasembled. I'm installing white faced
gauges and will post pics to my site when everything is done. I just
thought that while I was in there I would upgrade the LEDs. Anybody know
what the specs of the current LEDs are so I know what to replace them with
to get them brighter? Or will any "super bright" LEDs work?

Just a side note, I also installed a 7k tach from a Mk II golf/jetta due to
the TiiCo install. It went in even easier than I thought it would!

=========================================================
Howdy all,

A while back I decided I wanted my dash to light up green instead of
bright white.   I experimented with the superbright LEDs.   SuperBrights
have some different specs over regular LEDs,  generally they work in the
2 V range so you'll need a dropping resistor when using 12 V,  those resistors
already in the dash might work.   Looking straight on they are very bright and
personally I'd think they are too much light facing at the driver.   I suggest
trying
one out first.   One way to do this would be to purchase one of the small photon
flashlights (such as found at:
http://www.photonlight.com/products/photon_microlight.html)
and sit in the drivers seat and experiment.

The specs to look at are the candle power and beam width.  The candle power
(expressed at 'mcd')  ranges from a couple hundred to a couple thousand.  The
beam width seems to vary form about 15% (very narrow) to 45~55% (pretty
wide).    I found the higher mcd and narrow beam were too bright to look at
directly.

I replaced my dash lights (If I recall correctly) with super bright green led's
that had a 45% beam width and around 3500 mcd.  They are bright enough
but I'd like to have them a tad brighter.   I tired to take a picture of them to
post for everyone, but the digital camera wasn't up to that low of a light source.

good luck.

John