Switched over to LEDs in the dash now nothing works

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

85Squared

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2017
Posts
26
Reaction score
9
Location
Maryland
First Name
Kris
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
Suburban
Engine Size
350
That's about the same brightness as the ones I got on Amazon for about $10. I like it like that. Bright and "clear" enough to see in twilight and dawn, yet not so bright as to be distracting in the dark. I would have liked the ability to go brighter while maintaining the use of the dimmer, but that seems to be a difficult task. It works for me like it is.

Good job on figuring it out. I'm wondering if some of the other problem circuits source a ground through the bulbs or something. Weird.

What I discovered while messing around with it is that it was all about completing the circuit. If I had one of the twist ins taken out of the cluster it would affect other lights not working. I also think polarity had a lot to do with it because I would take out the LED and turn it around 180 degrees then stuff would start working properly.
 
Joined
Jul 31, 2017
Posts
46
Reaction score
31
Location
Arkansas
First Name
Cody
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
350
That's about the same brightness as the ones I got on Amazon for about $10. I like it like that. Bright and "clear" enough to see in twilight and dawn, yet not so bright as to be distracting in the dark. I would have liked the ability to go brighter while maintaining the use of the dimmer, but that seems to be a difficult task. It works for me like it is.

Good job on figuring it out. I'm wondering if some of the other problem circuits source a ground through the bulbs or something. Weird.

Are you saying the LED bulbs are a constant brightness, regardless of the dimmer switch position?
 

spanky55amg

I'll give u $5, a hardy handshake, & 5 fish sticks
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Posts
819
Reaction score
212
Location
Dallas, TX
First Name
Spanky
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C10 Short Fleet
Engine Size
V8
Are you saying the LED bulbs are a constant brightness, regardless of the dimmer switch position?

Yes, unless you specifically bought dimmable LED's.
 

spanky55amg

I'll give u $5, a hardy handshake, & 5 fish sticks
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Posts
819
Reaction score
212
Location
Dallas, TX
First Name
Spanky
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C10 Short Fleet
Engine Size
V8
That's about the same brightness as the ones I got on Amazon for about $10.

Do you remember what they were. I was in AZ the other day and they wanted something like $10 a bulb. I hate that I cant see cluster lights at dusk. Its almost impossible to know if I have my lights on or not. And yes, I could just check, but its nice to just look to see if the cluster lights are on.
 

Crispy

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Posts
1,454
Reaction score
1,391
Location
Carbon County, Pennsyltucky
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1989
Truck Model
Suburban V1500
Engine Size
5.7
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20X-6000K-X...ash=item4d0060193b:g:k4sAAOSwuMFUblQ0&vxp=mtr

Those look exactly like the ones I got on eBay about 2 years ago. The big thing is that these is that have more diodes so the light gets spread out wider. I've tried the ones with one diode on top and they are dim, the ones encapsulated in magnifying plastic arent very bright either. I've had great luck with units that have more diodes. I'm not sure how deep the back of the cluster is but they sell bulbs that are slightly longer than standard 194's and have even more diodes than the ones I posted.

Heres a pic installed on my rig
You must be registered for see images attach
 

spanky55amg

I'll give u $5, a hardy handshake, & 5 fish sticks
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Posts
819
Reaction score
212
Location
Dallas, TX
First Name
Spanky
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C10 Short Fleet
Engine Size
V8
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20X-6000K-X...ash=item4d0060193b:g:k4sAAOSwuMFUblQ0&vxp=mtr

Those look exactly like the ones I got on eBay about 2 years ago. The big thing is that these is that have more diodes so the light gets spread out wider. I've tried the ones with one diode on top and they are dim, the ones encapsulated in magnifying plastic arent very bright either. I've had great luck with units that have more diodes. I'm not sure how deep the back of the cluster is but they sell bulbs that are slightly longer than standard 194's and have even more diodes than the ones I posted.

Heres a pic installed on my rig
You must be registered for see images attach

Ill have to check out the ebay link at home. We are wide open to Amazon here, but not Ebay... go and figure.
 

Crispy

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Posts
1,454
Reaction score
1,391
Location
Carbon County, Pennsyltucky
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1989
Truck Model
Suburban V1500
Engine Size
5.7
I use teamviewer to browse from my PC at home. My job is wide open but I dont want any issues.

If you can see images I've hotlinked it below. You may be able to find them on amazon. The price on ebay is $6.98 for a 20 pack

You must be registered for see images attach
 

spanky55amg

I'll give u $5, a hardy handshake, & 5 fish sticks
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Posts
819
Reaction score
212
Location
Dallas, TX
First Name
Spanky
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C10 Short Fleet
Engine Size
V8
I use teamviewer to browse from my PC at home. My job is wide open but I dont want any issues.


I am one of the IT engineers at work. I just do not want to have to hassle with anything else. We are blocked on some things because of bank's compliance. I hate banks but thank god I dont work in the health field.
 

4WDKC

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2016
Posts
2,366
Reaction score
1,090
Location
Southern Florida
First Name
Kacy
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V10
Engine Size
350
They were already done in my truck when I bought it. they are nice for seeing at night but male the gauge background look blue to me.
 

spanky55amg

I'll give u $5, a hardy handshake, & 5 fish sticks
Joined
Jun 6, 2017
Posts
819
Reaction score
212
Location
Dallas, TX
First Name
Spanky
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C10 Short Fleet
Engine Size
V8
They were already done in my truck when I bought it. they are nice for seeing at night but male the gauge background look blue to me.
I can see that and I'll raise you one. I got into a dispute with the popo about what blue and white is. As in he pulled me over at 3 am just to see if I was drunk. Then tried to explain that he pulled me for my "blue" lights. I had white LED's in my front corners and halo fog lights in my Trans Am. I had to *politely* explain that they are white and what is on his car is blue. *politely* means me verbally putting a food in his ass because he clearly saw I was not drunk and asking and saying ridiculous things.
 

radio2000

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2017
Posts
186
Reaction score
103
Location
South Carolina
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
83 and 88
Truck Model
83 C10 and 88 R10 Burb
Engine Size
350
I use teamviewer to browse from my PC at home. My job is wide open but I dont want any issues.

If you can see images I've hotlinked it below. You may be able to find them on amazon. The price on ebay is $6.98 for a 20 pack

You must be registered for see images attach
Can you post the link to the actual item?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

4WDKC

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2016
Posts
2,366
Reaction score
1,090
Location
Southern Florida
First Name
Kacy
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V10
Engine Size
350
I can see that and I'll raise you one. I got into a dispute with the popo about what blue and white is. As in he pulled me over at 3 am just to see if I was drunk. Then tried to explain that he pulled me for my "blue" lights. I had white LED's in my front corners and halo fog lights in my Trans Am. I had to *politely* explain that they are white and what is on his car is blue. *politely* means me verbally putting a food in his ass because he clearly saw I was not drunk and asking and saying ridiculous things.

See I like making them regret pulling me over, was stopped one for not wearing my seatbelt when I went by a cop at an intersection. Up around the way they pulled me over after i had my belt on and questioned me about it. I told them I had just gotten off work and saw a break in traffic on a busy street as I was walking to my car, so I jumped in backed out an even made the green light at the intersection. I put my belt on after the intersection and proceeded on my way home. While waiting for my record to come back clean the officer asked me about tire prices where I was working, so I relayed the special that was going on at that time. They replied good they needed to get tires bad as their personal car tires you could no longer see the lines on the tire. I turned and looked at them and said you know that's illegal right? They radioed for my record check update and let me go with a verbal warning.
 

smoothandlow84

I'd rather be draggin' frame
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Posts
2,121
Reaction score
789
Location
Arizona
First Name
Steve
Truck Year
1984 Frame...87 motor and 700r trans
Truck Model
1500 r10 pavement scraper
Engine Size
350 TBI
Leds can be a little finicky when it comes to the correct polarity in oem sockets. I personally prefer the leds as it clears up the gauges. Nice job on your troubleshooting. Glad to hear that it is working.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,057
Posts
948,514
Members
36,124
Latest member
dabsRus420
Top