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Speedo and Tacho Back lighting.


Markymark

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Pushed the boat out and bought a CSR clock for my SV. Has LED backlights I think making the rest of the dials look very dim. Bought some new brighter lights for the small gauges. Easy to replace these. The Speedo and tacho look like the case needs to be removed. Has any body done this and any words of wisdom/advice as I dont want a disassemble them and b****r them up? anybody got a heasds upp on it?

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Jonathan,

The instruments seem to be the ones fitted after 2005 - the speedo matches the picture you put on an earlier post,see below. Cat7Instrument1.thumb.jpg.3caa9272c66156f056f084c2c575d752.jpgspeedo-mph-2005-onwards.jpg.fb15f14ad248e04ee0a13fe6a2959ae6.jpg

Tacho I guess is similar see picture below.

Cat7Instrument2.thumb.jpg.26c2d75240c7875ad0aa4f6c7f5361c7.jpg

Do you have an idea of what bulbs these use (286 ?) as I would like to get some brighter ones.

thanks for any input

Mark

 

 

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Hi

I,ve given it a gentle tug but it does not come out. Reluctant to use force as I could break it and don't have a replacement. Emailed Caebont to ask them about replacements. Will post on here to share any words of wisdom.

BR

M

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Hi Jonathan Yup this looks right! Caerbont told me this.

"The Caterham speedo and tacho (and others) are fitted with a 2 Watt bulb and we don’t have any higher output alternatives.  However, I am informed that an LED alternative is available on Ebay and others. You need to search for a wedge base T1.1/2, 5mm,the lamp and holder are two separate parts. "

Is the above from your car or have you sourced it?

Cheers

Mark

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  • Member

Is the above from your car or have you sourced it?

Click the link! It was just a convenient image for identification.   :-) 

Yes, LEDs are available. But NB:

  1. If you are changing one lamp most of us prefer others that are similar to be the same.
  2. If you change the alternator/ ignition warning lamp from an incandescant lamp to an LED you'll probably need to add a resistor.
  3. It has been said that the loss of heating by the incandescant lamp can make misting in the instrument more likely.

Auto Bulbs Direct were good when LEDs were starting to appear, but I'd now check if Just Add Lightness offer them. Then there's that website in Bristol that some Members like...

Jonathan

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Thanks Jonathan missed the link as I did not first look at the post on the web but the message on my phone!

Thanks for the other advice. I dont have an ignition indicator just indicator and main beam. looks like these are a return to factory if they go. Heard about the misting- get some on my car now but I am not to bothered by this.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Jonathan

I have just managed to put together a solution. Caerbont very kindly send me three black carriers  that I guess they use now. To which I added the LEDs from Classic Car LEDs ref 286 T5 Dashboard LED Upgrade Bullbs. See pics below and also the end result !

Duncan was very helpful anat Classic car LEDs and my orders arrived the next day/ ( I ordered some rear light LEDs as well and a rear reversing light in brighter LED form) great improvement in visibility. Cant comment on the reversing light as during the swap over I noticed it was not working. Traditional and LED bulb were working. Will check the fuse first then maybe back up here to see where to check the earth and then maybe the switch itself.

IMG_1719.JPG.f7ae6fc88eab586bb402835d3b923516.JPG

IMG_1720.JPG.b73c539d60346adcd3fb354ef277d599.JPG

IMG_1723.thumb.JPG.9ba75fae10fa8802553d52dc48275875.JPG

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J

On the Tacho there are three "warning lights. The centre blue for the main beam and left and right for the indicators. These are not as far as I can see accessible from the rear of the gauge - ak removing the rubber bung shown on earlier pictures. The good news is that with this new set up these indicators are  perhaps up to  30%  brighter (my perception only) - perhaps as the LEDs draw less current there is more for these indicator lights.

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