POOR DASHBOARD ILLUMINATION -CURE?

[pomoz]

Gday
My 87 G car seems to have very poor dashboard illumination even when i turn up the reostat....hardly see the speedo at all.
Is there any cure for this .. im told that they are optical er (forgot the word)..tubes?

Many thanks ALEX

[lotusguy]

Gday
My 87 G car seems to have very poor dashboard illumination even when i turn up the reostat....hardly see the speedo at all.
Is there any cure for this .. im told that they are optical er (forgot the word)..tubes?

Many thanks ALEX

Alex,

There is much myth surrounding the fibre-optic illumination in the 'G' model Esprits. It is true that there is a fibre-optic light source, but it only serves to deliver light to the various lighted switches on the binnacle and console. All the instruments themselves are fitted with regular incandescent bulbs, Lotus Part #A089M6047F is the Speedo and Tach Illumination bulb, I seem to remember the others are the same. They are, in fact, pretty standard. If you remove one and bring it to an auto parts supply, you should be able to match it up. Happy Motoring!... Jim'85TE

[Mark91SE]

I've been working on sourcing good bright white LED replacements for stock lamps on a 90SE and my 91SE. Does yours also use the VDO guages with 5mm wedge type lamps for small guages and 9mm bayonet types for the speedo and tach?

[grungex]

Mark91SE said: I've been working on sourcing good bright white LED replacements for stock lamps on a 90SE and my 91SE. Does yours also use the VDO guages with 5mm wedge type lamps for small guages and 9mm bayonet types for the speedo and tach?

I made my own blue LED replacements, but all of my gauges except the speedo and tach are VDO replacements utilising a 194-type bulb. Each light has two LEDs and surface-mount resistor, and plug into standard 194 sockets. I also made blue single-LED replacements for the little wedge bulbs used in the push switches.

Cheers,
Sanj

[lotusguy]

Mark91SE said: I've been working on sourcing good bright white LED replacements for stock lamps on a 90SE and my 91SE. Does yours also use the VDO guages with 5mm wedge type lamps for small guages and 9mm bayonet types for the speedo and tach?

Hi,

Early model Esprits used Smith Guages, VDO's didn't come on 'til the SE variant. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE

[Mark91SE]

lotusguy said:
Hi,
Early model Esprits used Smith Guages, VDO's didn't come on 'til the SE variant. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE

Hi Jim,
Well... in that case, let me know what type lamps they use. I've been sourcing & ordering samples, for months. The white LED's depending on type, are definately brighter and whiter than incandescent. There may be some crosses I know about.
For example, are they small/large wedge, bayonet, screw-on?
- Mark

[lotusguy]

Mark91SE said:

lotusguy said:
Hi,
Early model Esprits used Smith Guages, VDO's didn't come on 'til the SE variant. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE

Mark,

Sounds great. I'll try to get a stock number on the lamp for you. Anything would be an improvement over what they are now. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE
Hi Jim,
Well... in that case, let me know what type lamps they use. I've been sourcing & ordering samples, for months. The white LED's depending on type, are definately brighter and whiter than incandescent. There may be some crosses I know about.
For example, are they small/large wedge, bayonet, screw-on?
- Mark