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Xbtwelver
Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2010 - 04:49 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I am considering LED dash lights. I want to change to pure white and I understand you need to use T3 neowedge bulbs but they are still a little too big. Does sanding them down still show the hot spots? I want to know if sanding them is enough to make the light disperse properly. If you have done this mod please post pics so I can see what it looks like. I already tried google and came across one but his showed the hot spots that I want to avoid. Here is the pic I'm talking about. Notice the two extra bright spots.

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Rah7777777
Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2010 - 01:23 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I've done it. If I ever have the cluster apart again I'm going to put the regular bulbs back in.

I sanded em down as instructed, fit was good... But they go on and off when they want to, well the white ones do. The others work no problem. But the white one will turn on and off as they please.

I took it back apart and adjusted the tabs on the LEDs to ensure good contact, but still no good.

I may have received a bad batch of white LEDs, but I'm not going to hassle with fixing em until it becomes a major issue ( like they all burn out at once )

I know it's not the fault of the place I bought em (American Sport Bike)
And I know Al would gladly hook me up with some new ones, but in all reality... Why bother??

Al is a super busy guy, I KNOW it's not his fault. I'm pretty busy myself to take it apart again and it's really not a big deal..... So I'll deal with it :-)

Kinda funny to hear myself say " go back to bulbs!"
I'm an LED nut! Hell, I tried converting all the bulbs in our house to LED until the wife stopped me.

What can you do?!?

( in no way, shape or form am I blaming American Sport Bike! They are AWESOME to deal with!!! I blame the LED company! Probably a bad batch. It happens!
American Sport Bike is THE authority for US Buell "cool" parts!!!

-Robert
www.xblights.com

(Message edited by rah7777777 on July 31, 2010)
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Xbtwelver
Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2010 - 10:45 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Do you get the hot spots or does the light disperse evenly?
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Rah7777777
Posted on Saturday, July 31, 2010 - 10:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

hot spots pretty bad, like the photo above.
But I kinda like the looks of that, just wish they'd stay on :-)
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Xbtwelver
Posted on Sunday, August 01, 2010 - 12:10 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Yeah I hear ya on that. I would love to find some white faced indiglo gauges with a white or blue back light. I came across needle lights too that I think are pretty cool. Here are some pics of what I would like my gauges to look like. I know there are not many options out there for the Buell although I have seen some unique dashboards out there.




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Xbtwelver
Posted on Sunday, August 01, 2010 - 01:12 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I just got a couple of ideas while searching the web. What if we were to use neo wedge based SMD LEDs? They look to be pretty slim. I just wonder if they would help disperse the light rather than send it out in a single beam making hot spots. Also what if we used "flat style" neo wedges, sanded them down to fit and then painted the tops black to prevent any light from exiting directly out of the tip and only out of the sides?



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Xenox
Posted on Wednesday, August 04, 2010 - 08:04 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I'm thinking about using electroluminescent sheet to do the backs of the gauges. Basically a thin sheet of material like plastic that lights up, it can be cut into any shape and still illuminate perfectly uniform. Careful handling and insulating methods should be observed. While a little more involve that replacing the stock bulbs, the results should be stunning, especially with the different colors the electroluminescent sheets are available in.You can always print your own gauge faces for an over the top effect....
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Xbtwelver
Posted on Thursday, August 05, 2010 - 02:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Xenox that is a cool idea. Basically you're making your own indiglo gauges. Would you just place the electroluminescent sheet behind the existing gauges? xbdashboards.com has some sick designs. I dont know if they are a sponsor but I have no affiliation just for the record. Do you know by chance if the gauge needles are interchangeable with others? I would really like to do the gauge needle lights but you need translucent needles.
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Xenox
Posted on Thursday, August 05, 2010 - 03:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Xbtwelver , yes custom indiglos , I have a little bit of scoping to do...I originally planned to install these behind ...Until I saw this company : http://www.glowire.com/new_products.htm , they have sheet that you can print on and apply over the electroluminescent sheet and apply over the stock gauges, but I don't know at this time how much real estate is available on top of the stock gauges for the EL sheet or for the EL sheet connectors......As far as the needles go another company has markers that pop with EL lumens but I don't know if it can be applied to a needle in such a way that it it'll pop.....

If any one has a trashed XB cluster they'd like to trade for custom taillight parts pm me....

(Message edited by XenoX on August 05, 2010)
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