Rambler65

I just ordered some blue LEDs for the gauge cluster in my '99 XJ. Is there a diagram somewhere that shows the polarity of the bulb sockets in the cluster?

Snajo

Since the stock bulbs are indifferent to polarity, I don't think you'll find that information on anything outside of design/engineering documents.

Plug in your LEDs, hook up cluster, turn on headlights. If one doesn't work, take it out, flip it around, and try again.

colannelson92

Has anyone done amber LEDs? I've seen a lot of the common blue, red, green and white, but never any amber in a XJ.

Snajo

I tried amber but very little light passed through the filters. I think the cluster would have to modified somehow for it to work. Red worked, but required brighter LEDs than the blue, green, and white versions.

colannelson92

Okay cool, was your XJ per or post '97? I have a late '90 and the only filters I see are just the one on the incandescent bulbs itself. I'm replacing all the dash panel lights with amber ones soon, so far I just replaced the three micro sized bulbs in the factory radio.

colannelson92

Also before I order the LEDs for that climate control setting, If I get cool white for the hot and cold setting would that color transfuse with the colors for the fan setting or the vent position setting?

Azzy

The stock AC panel has the colors printed into it. So red LED would light the cold up purpleish.

IIRC, there is only 2 light bulbs in there. if you wanted to light up separate sides of the AC control, you would need to tweak something or replace the factory cover.

Snajo

My Facebook page shows what one white led will do for the 84-96 climate control panel. There is only one light in those years. I seem to recall being able to see red better tha. The photo shows, but it wis comparatively dim.

The 97+ uses two lights.

Yellow should work with your panel. The trick will be finding LEDs that are bright enough while still small enough to fit the enclosure. If you really want yellow, I suggest working with Assy to make something that will show yellow better than the unmodified stock panel.

Too much work for most people, so you'd end up with something nearly unique. I sell only white blue and green sets... or rather I will once I find a manufacturer that is less creative than my last one. Unfortunately their only creativity was with ways to be cheap extra cheap.


https://www.facebook.com/onewaylight..._user_activity

jpmarine6786

Does anyone have a picture of warm white LEDs? In the gauge cluster. I want to get rid of the green. I painted my needles red but I want white lettering instead of green.

Azzy

The green is printed into the stock gauge face. Short of removing it, and scraping off layers of bonded plastic screenprint, or overpowering it with a very bright light, it wont change.

Only other route for an XJ right now is to go with one of my kits (I believe we are the only ones making a set).


As for yellow lighting, you could use normal bulbs and not put the blue filters on, or put in amber incandescent bulbs.

jpmarine6786

Ok thanks

Rambler65

I installed my blue LEDs today when swapping in an instrument cluster that has a full gauge set.

In case anyone wants to know the cluster polarity as a reference, when looking at the back you'll see that the sockets on the circuit board have contact pads arranged diagonally, lower left and upper right. The lower left contact on all of them EXCEPT the one for the temperature gauge is positive polarity. On the temp gauge the upper right is positive. (This is on the late-model '97+ cluster viewed from the back. Don't know about the earlier ones.)

What I did was to test and mark each LED for polarity, then also mark the bulb holder so I could see the position. The LEDs were installed so that the positive terminal on each was on the lower left -- there was a 50/50 chance of being right. Turned on the lights and they all came on! I should have played the lottery today!

A couple of notes - I found the LEDs were pretty loose in the bulb holders, one actually came off inside the cluster when installed. (Fortunately I was able to shake it out.) Squeezing the contacts inside the holders tightend up the fit. Also I found the only hard part of the project was removing the left-hand dash panel, due to the thick rubber gasket that goes around the steering column and the paddle for the steering colum adjustment being in the way. It looked like I'd need to cut the rubber piece to take the panel off but I did not want to do that. I wound up just rotating it up and to the left to make enough room to swap the cluster. (Then later I found out that rubber gasket snaps apart at the bottom, making removal of the panel easy. D'oh!)

nando67

When night flying, all pilots (I'm a licensed pilot) carry amber or red flashlights in their flight bag precisely for the reasons you've stated. Despite this, I'm still digging the blue LED option...

RacerX

It's been years, but from what I remember ... seems like the 'war room' onboard ship had dim blue lighting (enough to see you shoes) and red at the control panels/ work stations... but like I said it's been a long time.

jpmarine6786

So I installed my red LEDs this weekend and finally got a good picture.
This is the cluster.