ES300: Replacing Cluster Backlighting Bulbs
Thread Starter
Lexucanafer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,686
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver, Canada
Lexus Champion
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 1
From: CA
During the day, if you have your parking light off, and the cluster **** on the lowest level, the cluster will light up about 50% intensity. When the parking lights are turned on, the cluster backlighting will be off. I keep my lights either very dim or off, especially since i live in Socal where it is very hot. You are pretty much just turning your lighting down to save the little amount of life it has left.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: TX
UltraViolet
Again, awesome write-up! Thank you!
Has anyone tried using the UltraViolet LEDs?
Would they make the white numbers glo, and would they solve the burnt out needle problem too; would they make the needles glow red?
Another thing I'd like to do is tint that smoked glass on the instrument cluster so the needles and all are not visible unless the car is on.
Thanks,
Josh
Has anyone tried using the UltraViolet LEDs?
Would they make the white numbers glo, and would they solve the burnt out needle problem too; would they make the needles glow red?
Another thing I'd like to do is tint that smoked glass on the instrument cluster so the needles and all are not visible unless the car is on.
Thanks,
Josh
Thread Starter
Lexucanafer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,686
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver, Canada
Again, awesome write-up! Thank you!
Has anyone tried using the UltraViolet LEDs?
Would they make the white numbers glo, and would they solve the burnt out needle problem too; would they make the needles glow red?
Another thing I'd like to do is tint that smoked glass on the instrument cluster so the needles and all are not visible unless the car is on.
Thanks,
Josh
Has anyone tried using the UltraViolet LEDs?
Would they make the white numbers glo, and would they solve the burnt out needle problem too; would they make the needles glow red?
Another thing I'd like to do is tint that smoked glass on the instrument cluster so the needles and all are not visible unless the car is on.
Thanks,
Josh
And tinting the window on the cluster even darker than it already is would probably make the gauges and needles hard to see, even when the car is on.
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Driver School Candidate
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Taiwan
The #286, #24, or #74 bulbs should fit.
Diffuser - In my '93 ES300 the original filament bulbs had blue rubber boots over the bulbs, which I suppose would act like a light diffuser of sorts. When I replaced the bulbs with LEDs (which are a different shape to the bulbs) I removed the boots from the old bulbs and put them on the LEDs but because of the different shape they were not a good fit. I tried glueing them in place with Krazy Glue but that did not work well. So, I ended up not using the boots at all. There may be a very slight amount of "spotting" with the LEDs but nothing very noticeable, IMO.
This is the shape of the LEDs I used:
They have a flat top and are designed to spread the beam of light over a wider angle than the normal domed top version.
Diffuser - In my '93 ES300 the original filament bulbs had blue rubber boots over the bulbs, which I suppose would act like a light diffuser of sorts. When I replaced the bulbs with LEDs (which are a different shape to the bulbs) I removed the boots from the old bulbs and put them on the LEDs but because of the different shape they were not a good fit. I tried glueing them in place with Krazy Glue but that did not work well. So, I ended up not using the boots at all. There may be a very slight amount of "spotting" with the LEDs but nothing very noticeable, IMO.
This is the shape of the LEDs I used:
They have a flat top and are designed to spread the beam of light over a wider angle than the normal domed top version.
I find T6.5 led on Yahoo auction Taiwan, it is us$4.5 per piece.
Last edited by yr0169tw; Oct 30, 2007 at 06:26 AM. Reason: content editting
