Damn dashlights...

[Micah72]

A few months back I changed all my dash lights to LED on my 90 K5 and they have been working great. Went out wheeling on a mild desert trail yesterday and now none of them work.
My question is are these bulbs in series where one out will take them all out? Or maybe my light switch craped out on me? Head lights and turn signals all work fine still.

 

[Vombrown]

They are not series lights so most likely the problem is the power source to them. I think you're on the right track with the headlight switch.

 

[diesel4me]

I "think" there is a fuse just for the dash lights on square bodies ?...
Could be the printed circuit thing got fried in one spot maybe ?..

 

[Micah72]

I "think" there is a fuse just for the dash lights on square bodies ?

you were right diesel, there was a blown fuse.
And that's what happens when I try to troubleshoot after a long day on the trail. Overthinking starts to take over lol

 

[blazinzuk]

@Micah72

I have heard there aren't the normal light sockets in the later dashes.

Was it easy to put em in

 

[Micah72]

@blazinzuk

Most of my sockets were trashed anyways so I ordered all new ones with the bulbs from superbright. Other than making sure I had the correct +/- orientation they went right in.

 

[blazinzuk]

@blazinzuk

Most of my sockets were trashed anyways so I ordered all new ones with the bulbs from superbright. Other than making sure I had the correct +/- orientation they went right in.

Got it all from superbright? Sorry for dumb questions but I know myself and if I don't have all the right parts it might be a while before it goes back together

 

[Micah72]

sure did.
I used these bulbs
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-bulb-4-led-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/198/

and the sockets from this package. Can't find the separate part number right now
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...t-5-smd-led-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/841/

 

[Micah72]

These sockets from Autozone work as well

https://www.autozone.com/electrical...tring=search&isIgnoreVehicle=false&model=dash

 

[blazinzuk]

Much appreciated!

 

[K5 Dream]

How many bulbs and sockets do you need to do the whole dash?

 

[Micah72]

How many bulbs and sockets do you need to do the whole dash?

I don't remember exactly but should be around 20 bulbs to do everything. That includes heater controls. Does not include glove box, under dash, and floor shifter.
Others may have gotten them to work, but my dim feature does not with the LED bulbs. It's all or nothing.

 

[Abusfullofnuns]

Can confirm my dimmer does not function either.

 

[rampage]

You need to have a PWM (pulse width modulator) to get the leds to dim. Basically what a PWM does is it varies the duty cycle from 0-100% so it tricks the eye into thinking the light intensity is changing when in reality it’s just turning on and off thousands of times per second.

 

[6872xtc]

The LEDs that I put in my '90 will dim a little, but I never need them to.
I used sockets from NAPA.

 

[dyeager535]

When I did mine the LED's were too bright and affected what little bit of night vision I have. Went and bought a cheap pwm dimmer from eBay, tested to find where the light output was just right, then fixed adjustment in place and stuck it to the inside of the cluster so its never in the way.

All coupled with hard wiring, because the whole point of running LEDs is to not have to dig into the cluster again.

 

[6872xtc]

When I did mine the LED's were too bright and affected what little bit of night vision I have. Went and bought a cheap pwm dimmer from eBay, tested to find where the light output was just right, then fixed adjustment in place and stuck it to the inside of the cluster so its never in the way.

All coupled with hard wiring, because the whole point of running LEDs is to not have to dig into the cluster again.

Show-off!!!

I obviously didn't find the brightest ones then....
Better than what I had though.

 

[Brendan Blanchard]

When I did my dash with LED, I took the gauge housing apart and lined it with foil tape. It is amazing how much nicer the gauges look at night.