35 replies to this topic

[S pack]

I'm thinking that I'm going to pull the cable back out and cover it in clear heat shrink. The outer sheath is made from a metal coil and once well lubricated the oil can work it's way to the outside of the coils where it'll attract dirt and grime etc. So the clear heat shrink should prevent this but keep it looking original.

Learn something new everyday.  I didn't know they make clear heat shrink.

I sheathed mine with black heat shrink.

[jd lj]

I had considered doing the same but then I wondered if clear was available, I'd never seen it but I'd also never looked for it. A quick google search told me it was available. So when I was at Jaycar electronics I grabbed two 1.5m lengths. With the clear heat shrink it'll still look as it should, hopefully the clear heat shrink doesn't discolour with age.

Whilst I was at the shop I bought some LED globes to go into my gauges on the instrument panel and one for the interior light. It's amazing how much better these are than the standard globes. Not only are they much brighter but I think that the white light/cool white light is much better than the dull yellow/warm white light of the standard globes. With the interior light you can actually see in the dark now even with a black interior. The parkers and boot light might get LED globes too soon.

[S pack]

Hi James,

How much did the LED lamps set you back from Jaycar? I was looking at the LED lamps for the instrument panel at Supercheap a couple of months ago and they want around $21 each.

 

Cheers

Dave.

[jd lj]

Some of them were only around $4-5 each and others were about $13 each. There's a few different brands with different prices available. The more that you buy the cheaper they are. For a GTR dash you need 7 wedge type globes and 5 bulb of the bulb type globes.

The LED globes are relatively cheap on ebay too.

[grumpy xu1]

Any chance 1 of you guys could do a comparison photo of the normal bulbs illuminated & then the led bulbs illuminated please, would be great to see the difference. Preferably at the same time frame (time of day) so the lighting is accurate, if that makes sense. If you fit them in the taillight can you get a led bulb that illuminates the same type of colour, or is the difference to obvious ? Gary.

[grumpy xu1]

I had considered doing the same but then I wondered if clear was available, I'd never seen it but I'd also never looked for it. A quick google search told me it was available. So when I was at Jaycar electronics I grabbed two 1.5m lengths. With the clear heat shrink it'll still look as it should, hopefully the clear heat shrink doesn't discolour with age.
Whilst I was at the shop I bought some LED globes to go into my gauges on the instrument panel and one for the interior light. It's amazing how much better these are than the standard globes. Not only are they much brighter but I think that the white light/cool white light is much better than the dull yellow/warm white light of the standard globes. With the interior light you can actually see in the dark now even with a black interior. The parkers and boot light might get LED globes too soon.

Hi James, would powdered graphite be a better lubricant on the cable, so as not to attract dust ? It's pretty good on most things like that. Gary.

[jd lj]

It could have potential Gary. It'd be difficult to get it down deep in the sheath I'd assume.

[grumpy xu1]

Puff it down inside & put some on the cable mate, then slip it in & out. I put paper towel down when i use it, as the crap goes everywhere easy. Great lubricant though, including locks. Gary.

[S pack]

Some of them were only around $4-5 each and others were about $13 each. There's a few different brands with different prices available. The more that you buy the cheaper they are. For a GTR dash you need 7 wedge type globes and 5 bulb of the bulb type globes.

The LED globes are relatively cheap on ebay too.

Visited Jaycar today and (as is usually my luck) they only had two T10 wedge 120 Lumen LED bulbs and two BA9S bayonet 120 Lumen LED bulbs in stock.

 

Also picked up a 36mm Festoon 6x5730SMD 150 Lumen LED for the interior light.  WOW what a difference.

I tried to take some before and after pics but the pics are just black and using a flash would defeat the purpose.

All I can say to anyone contemplating installing an LED in the interior light is don't think about it, JUST DO IT.

 

Cheers

Dave.

Edited by S pack, 05 October 2018 - 07:13 PM.

[jd lj]

I'm glad that you're happy with the results Dave.

The LED globes are cheaper on ebay and come in sets of 5 or more if required, but since I didn't really know what I needed by going to the shop I could physically inspect and compare the globes. Then buy one as a sample to bring it home to test it. Apparently the wedge type globes for the dash can be temperamental in regards to only working when installed one way, so if it doesn't work remove it and rotate it 180 degrees. Looking at the terminals that they fit into I can't see why this should be the case though.

I'll get a couple for the parking lights in my 73 LJ too.

[S pack]

L.E.D's, like any diode, only allow current to flow in one direction so the Anode is the + and the Cathode is the -

Edited by S pack, 07 October 2018 - 08:32 AM.