Hi,

I just want to brighten the stock gauge cluster illumination. Can I just remove a resistor somewhere (or replace it with a less powerful one)?

 

Turning the **** doesn't make it bright enough for you?? Plenty bright for me...

 

I would first replace it with a different color It will be brighter and look nicer. I havent tried to brighten the stock leds, and would have to do some playing around with the values and ensure that the power supply, dimmer control and leds wont be overloaded to see if it is a good idea. But amber just isnt a really "strong" color either, so it is hard to get it to pop out like the others.

For questoins on swapping them out for a different color, feel free to pm me. I can get you all the info you need and/or discuss what you are wanting to do.

You can also see my scionpix.com gallery to see one of the swaps I have done as well as my gauges to get some ideas on different colors. I have pics of some other ones I have done and not posted yet either, so feel free to ask about other options.

 

Get with one of the LED HEDZ (Engifineer is one of them) and get the color swapped. The blue on my car is alot brighter than the amber ever was (albeit i hear going pure white is bright!)

 

Actually not an official "led hedz guy" :D But have been doing them since the beginning when people ask. I dont advertise or have a site up... but that may actually change. Funny... doing them all the time since early 05 and never got my lazy butt around to putting a site together... and still stay busy!

 

hmm...i would be happy if someone figured out some "mod" to brighten up the gauges like the hvac. i brightened up the hvac and its bright compared to the gauges. i guess it doesn't help that i have custom gauge faces (from the center tach swap) that are matte like.

 

just be careful how much your brighten them (I am guessing you reduced resistor values). The current from all brances is controlled by one smt transistor, which is controlled by the dimmer control circuit. You dont want to overload that little guy and fry him or you have no light at all. I am trying to find a part number and data on it so I can see just how close to max it is already being pushed. But on that size component it is hard to find part numbers and exact parameters.

 

i actually used the "kit" through garage1217 which i believe was from you?

i have a spare cluster but i'm too lazy to test the circuit out. although it should be helpful to me since i'm majoring in EE.

 

Oh, I thought you meant you brightened up the stock color or went brighter than my kit....