Griffith Instrument Lights Upgrade

[MikeE]

Whilst I've got the dash in pieces i might as well replace all the bulbs (instruments and warning lights) on my 1992 pre-cat.

Electrics aren't my strong point so can anyone point me in the direction of a set of either conventional or LEDs to replace all the existing bulbs, ideally with the instruments being a bit brighter than they are now?

Thanks

[FlipFlopGriff]

Mike,
You could just replace like for like with LED, but they do dim (button on steering column cowl) so unsure if the LED would then work?
I know you used to be able to get an LED set for the heater controls.
FFG

[MikeE]

Yes good point I hadn't thought of that.

If no one has any good suggestions in the next 24 hours I'll just get some standard bulbs of a slightly higher wattage and replace them

[FlipFlopGriff]

You could go LED and just not dim them. You could go for for a red or just plain old white. May just get one to try. You may want to fit a lights on buzzer while you're in there so if you do leave them out without the ignition on you'll get a warning. Only needs to work once and its paid for itself - few quid for a piezo buzzer and some bits of cable and connections.
FFG

[FlipFlopGriff]

you can still get the LED heater button lights:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/123802489873?chn=ps&n...

May help:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

FFG

[lancepar]

Mike,
Just had my pre-cat dash out to finish the vent ducting and replace some instrument bulbs that I thought had failed, turns out they hadn't.

The gauges etc are all Stewart Warner and the bulbs are all the same fitting, 501's

I'm trying some of these.....and mine were already green.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10X-T10-W5W-501-194-Xen...

And these for the speedo which with the original bulbs looked as though they had failed.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-4-10x-T10-501-W5W-5-S...

Hope they fit in and I'll report how I get on.
BTW the switch to turn off the instrument lamps doesn't on mine, (Edit July 2020 now found this switch has been used to run the cooling fans - nice).

On the fascia I noticed some small nuts fixing the instruments were loose so nipped them up and blobbed some thread lock on them. Also my fascia didn't have provision for the extra LH fixing, just the two near the steering wheel.

Edited by lancepar on Sunday 19th July 10:12

[Penelope Stopit]

MikeE said:

Yes good point I hadn't thought of that.

If no one has any good suggestions in the next 24 hours I'll just get some standard bulbs of a slightly higher wattage and replace them

If you fit standard bulbs higher than 5 watts there could be a problem with something melting due to the extra heat generated

[MikeE]

lancepar said:

Mike,
Just had my pre-cat dash out to finish the vent ducting and replace some instrument bulbs that I thought had failed, turns out they hadn't.

The gauges etc are all Stewart Warner and the bulbs are all the same fitting, 501's

I'm trying some of these.....and mine were already green.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10X-T10-W5W-501-194-Xen...

And these for the speedo which with the original bulbs looked as though they had failed.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-4-10x-T10-501-W5W-5-S...

Hope they fit in and I'll report how I get on.
BTW the switch to turn off the instrument lamps doesn't on mine,

On the fascia I noticed some small nuts were loose so nipped them up and blobbed some thread lock on them. Also my fascia didn't have provision for the extra LH fixing, just the two near the steering wheel.

Edited by lancepar on Tuesday 4th February 10:34

Let me know how you get on Lance and if successful I'll copy your solution

Saying that I have a unique set of instruments on my Griffith so who knows if the bulbs required are the same

[lancepar]

My Stewart Warner Instuments illumination showing original and replacements I'm trying.

OE 501 - W5W- Capless with green Johnny sheath.


For Speedo 5smd.


Other gauges and clock.




Mike some of your gauges look like S-W to me.

Edited by lancepar on Tuesday 4th February 13:38

[MikeE]

lancepar said:

My Stewart Warner Instuments illumination showing original and replacements I'm trying.

OE 501 - W5W- Capless with green Johnny sheath.


For Speedo 5smd.


Other gauges and clock.




Mike some of your gauges look like S-W to me.

Edited by lancepar on Tuesday 4th February 13:38

Do you have a picture of the bulb types you're replacing as I didn't think they had the fixings shown in your LED pics?

I'll take a look at the instruments tonight but they're not the standard ones, I have a 220mph speedo which might be slightly optimistic lol

[lancepar]

The top photo is the bulb that is presently fitted, It's a common 5w glass incandescent type used in interior and number plate lamps etc, AKA as wedge type.

[phillpot]

lancepar said:

My Stewart Warner Instuments illumination showing original and replacements I'm trying.

If your replacements work out okay can I have (buy) the ones with green sheaths please?

[lancepar]

Well I'm undecided about the outcome of the LED's I've tried.

But first a correction, the time clock on my car has a bayonet fitting bulb not capless as I thought.

Anyway issue I have with the LED's I tried is that the illimination is not uniform best explained with a photo.



So I'm still experimenting.

Edited by lancepar on Wednesday 5th February 17:58

[lancepar]

phillpot said:

If your replacements work out okay can I have (buy) the ones with green sheaths please?

Mike,
Some of the O.E. sheaths are damaged.

Edited by lancepar on Wednesday 5th February 18:00

[phillpot]

lancepar said:

phillpot said:

If your replacements work out okay can I have (buy) the ones with green sheaths please?

Mike,
Some of the O.E. sheaths are damaged.

Don't need a "full set" so anything you have,should you stay with the led's, I'd be grateful for

[lancepar]

phillpot
YHM
Lance

[lancepar]

Well due to the design of the predominantly black S-W instruments I'm going to stick with the original glass bulbs and have ordered some new silicone caps to replace the damaged skins...



I think the LED type bulbs would work fine with the later open face gauges.

Edited by lancepar on Thursday 6th February 11:59

[MikeE]

lancepar said:

Well due to the design of the predominantly black S-W instruments I'm going to stick with the original glass bulbs and have ordered some new silicone caps to replace the damaged skins...



I think the LED type bulbs would work fine with the later open face gauges.

Edited by lancepar on Thursday 6th February 11:59

What happened when you tried the LED bulbs then? Any pics of the effect they gave?

[lancepar]

MikeE said:

What happened when you tried the LED bulbs then? Any pics of the effect they gave?

Did you miss this post of mine? Scroll back a few messages.

lancepar said:

Well I'm undecided about the outcome of the LED's I've tried.

But first a correction, the time clock on my car has a bayonet fitting bulb not capless as I thought.

Anyway issue I have with the LED's I tried is that the illimination is not uniform best explained with a photo.



So I'm still experimenting.

[lancepar]

Here is a link to the W5W bulb covers that are shown in my previous photo.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bulb-Silicone-Cap-Cover...

Four skins in a pack, sorry couldn't resist

BTW there are two wattage capless glass bulbs 3w W3W and 5w W5W that are the same dimensions and new ones tend to have the wattage printed on them to identify. The consensus is that 5w were fitted originally but if your lights are dull they may have 3w's fitted.

Edited by lancepar on Thursday 6th February 14:50