I've been experimenting a bit with UV LEDs of late. I've been wondering whether it'd be effective to use UV LEDs to illuminate cluster needles.

I see a few problems with the idea, but only experimenting will straighten them out, I think:

1. UV light only illuminates fluourescent stuff properly when it hits it from the front, not behind. It still has an effect, but it's nowhere near as pronounced.

2. I don't know the positioning of the bulbs behind the cluster itself, so it may not actually be possible to only place UV LEDs behind the needles themselves.

3. UV LEDs have a limited lifespan of UV-ness. I don't know what that lifespan is, though.

4. As everyone knows, LEDs are directional, and in the case of UV, they're really directional, and lose brightness real quick if you try to diffuse the light by scuffing the bulbs up or whatever.

I was thinking of trying white LEDs for the dials in general, and UV for the needles and possibly the red areas. Like I said, I dunno the placement of the bulbs.

Just an idea. In no hurry to dismantle my dash yet.

I did LEDs in mine - http://www.fordmods.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9427

1. Depends on the properties of the highlightee
2. See my link above
3. No, it's usually the object being highlighted loses it's reactivity.
4. You don't lose brightness, you're just spreading it 'thinner'

There is nothing stopping you mounting (hot-glue for example) UV leds right behind the needles as the default locations are rather poor in that area.

I am thinking about doing something similar, yet different, by having the needles flash under various occasions. overspeed (speedo flashes red), red line (tacho flashes red), low fuel (fuel gauge flashes), etc. And one I'd really like, is when the cruise is engaged (Actually working, not just on), have the speedo needle glow green.

see here ive been experimenting with this for quite some time now, and finally have it all working! (except the cruse control thing, i do like that idea datamine ) im in the process of mounting it all back into the cluster box and making final adjustments. the tacho lights up red when it exceeds 5000rpm and the speedo lights up when you travel faster than 120kph using frequency counting kits. the fuel, voltage, pressure and temprature needles light up when their idiot lights light up, simply connected off the bulbs. in the dark it looks grouse but im yet to put it back in to the car and test the whole thing.. maybe next week

I have also been thinking about the UV led type illumination and have also thought about UV Cold cathode tumes. Kinda like neons but they burn cold.

if this can be placed infront of the cluster the needles can be painted un UV reactive paint and whith the white dials it would look awsome. And to top it off having blue leds lighting the numbers would look soo tuff.

Heyyyyy I like this idea about the changing colours and you can get RGB Led's which have 4 leads and by varying the current to the Red Green and Blue pins you can show any colour you want. I've been experimenting with getting a good blue out of the dash and displays. (got a couple of photos in the pics area)
But I'm not happy with the LCD's might try some really thin white plastic so a coloured led can still show through..
I've been playing around for a while with pic micros and I think I might be able to whip up a little project that could run all that and even do the Vanquish thing I read in another post.

Having the speedo change colours at 60, 80, 100 and say flash at 120 sounds like a grouse idea, just have to find the time to write some code.

You'd want to check the white dials themselves aren't particularly UV reactive, or you'll end up driving yourself nuts with them massively lit up all the time.

That's one of the things that's bothered me about the idea of actually performing the LED dash mod on my car, I have a feeling any change of brightness, etc, would wind up being annoying if you drive long distances at night..which I do reasonably often. I mean, my head unit's got a blue front on it with a massive LCD screen that lights the whole f**k car up, so I'm hesitant about adding any more distractions.

To each his own, mind.

Make sure you let us all know how it goes, this will be karazy when it is done!!

I feel the same... that's while brightness is set to the minimum. Even then it is still bright.[/quote]

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Yeah I had a couple of the aftermarket plug in ones I put in and were too bright so I modded my own and used a higher value resistor (see pic).
I can dim mine all the way down to total dark, Now I just have to balance out the LCD displays to match.

 

 

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you lucky fairlane owner, I had to decrease the resistors in mine ot get them brigth enough.