I agree that this thread DELIVERS!

Oddly enough, the one time I go to the hobby store nearby, It moves locations across town. Fail.
I went to the new location and got the cellophane for clock and ac unit, going to do this shortly

 

Just wanted to add that doing this on my Maxima prompted me to give it a try on my 93 Mustang LX, the cluster was always very dim and I had a turn signal bulb out. I went back to superbrightleds and got a similar style as what was recommended for the Max to fit in the Mustang cluster and installed them last night...huge difference just like the Max!

 

I received one bad LED from www.superbrightleds.com. I had tried to install them in the hot sun and it got a bit uncomfortable. At any rate, I guess I'll purchase a complete set of 12 and replace everything.

 

Here's a negative comment. (No-o-o-o!!! )

When overcast, or around dawn or dusk, if the cluster bulbs are on, not only does the cluster light look blue rather than white, it's actually hard to make out because the numbers blend into the gauge faceplate.

It's not a big deal... you just adjust with the dimmer. And like I said earlier, that blue light actually looks white (to me) at night. The point here is that you will start using your dimmer switch all the time now... which is something new I hadn't considered.

It's got me thinking of ordering a set of warm-white LED's and swapping. Again.

 

I too find issue with the blue tint of the cool whites, although initially appealing, the warm whites seem to be a more neutral solution. Also matched with some gauge bezels would complete the aesthetic.

 

The warm-white leds had a similar effect, I got fed up with it and bought two new bulbs from the stealer. Total I paid was $22 for TWO bulbs.

 

Really? Wow, I didn't expect that. Did your new OEM bulbs look like the old ones, or were the old ones dim with age?

Here's another take on the sideline topic of the clock... even with the dimming wire cut, during bright sunlight the LED numbers are hard to make out. So I'm thinking of tying other combinations than what I've got going right now, which is (1) purple and (2) pink cellophane strips. I'm going to try (3) pinks and see how that goes.

Good thing I didn't clip the clock back in all the way as I work through this.

 

I experienced the same thing in direct sunlight. It hasn't bothered me, because I've lived without seeing a clock in my Maximas on sunny days for years. Had I known about the dimming wire mod, that may have been different. Can't wait to hear the results of the different filter combinations. SN: The clock isn't as hard to remove the second time around.

 

How hard would it be to make gauge faces for the Maxima? I have produced them for the Altima and they are UV protected and the holes are laser precision cut.

I'm just curious. The OEM gauge faces on the Altima have an orange backing that gives it that orange look, so I had to completely replace them, what does the back side of the gauge face of a Maxima look like?

In the picture I posted earlier, the gauge faces are orange and red. I'll have some blue and white ones by this weekend to share and show the difference in color.

 

I did notice that when it's not completely dark it's slightly harder to read, however I didn't notice it badly enough to have to adjust anything. It definitely looks blue but I like it.

 

Yeah, there's about a 30 minute window of the day (dusk) where it's a bit harder to read but really the overall gain is so much I don't mind it at all. For someone always driving home at that exact time it might be a small annoyance though.

 

The old OE bulbs produced hot spotting across the gauge numbering. I've still got the old bulbs which I removed from the bulb holders. I could toss one old bulb in and one of the warm-white LEDs in to get a photo during daytime hours.

 

RR5, I've been waiting for your input on that. Specifically, are your new $$ incandescent OEM bulbs brighter than your old ones? And yes, pics of warm-white under low light are welcome.

I'm considering warm-white for the gauges, and leaving the cool-white in the little LCD windows.

 

I am off Friday, I'll work the bulb swapping part of my throttle body install.

The warm-white leds under the LCD gives a very slight blue tint. I say it looks great with the new OE bulbs.

 

I swear by the time I drove home tonight, the clock looked worse in the daylight than when I left for the day. Took it apart just now and realized that the cellophane was all shrunk and hardened. In other words, the clock is too hot for it.

Or rather, it was too hot for the pink strips. The purple seemed fine. (WTF?) I'm going to run a few days with just one purple strip of cellophane and see what happens.

I've gone from psyched, to skeptical, to p1ssed off... all in just a few days.

 

Your cellophane melted??? Perhaps, someone should test some of those filters that were suggested earlier?

 

Yeah. The pink strips melted. Pretty quickly, too.

However the purple cellophane I bought is different than the pink, and it seems somewhat OK. I'm going to see if the purple holds up, and if it does, fine. If not, then it's back to OEM green.

Come again?

 

Hey Rochester, you still in Rochester, NY? I'll be up that way next weekend starting on the 20th. I'm interested in seeing what the instrument cluster of a Maxima looks like at the back. I hear folks talking about a blue film, I'm just interested in seeing the difference between that and the Altima; I would love the opportunity to do some work for you guys if I could. I'll be near Chili Ave near the airport from the 20th and leaving the 22nd.

 

It was an idea from knight.

 

The lee filters are made for spot lights in the movie industry so I guarantee that they won't melt on you.

BTY John, I would bet the hot sun on your windshield/dashboard is what toasted the cellophane, not the clock itself

 

There looks to be about a 1/16" space between the LCD glass and the plastic face that clips around the clock. If simple cellophane won't work... what do you think will? Acrylic sheet? Colored glass?

I think I need to engage with the hobby-heads down the street, and see if they can brainstorm up an alternative.

BTW, guys... I was driving around this evening (after dark), and the cool-white look of the cluster at night-time is downright sexy. And having the clock light matched is an excellent detail. Anyway, I might be obsessing too much over my low-light concerns, and should get my head on straight like SeedyRom.

 

If you just want details, look at bolded text.

Had my LEDs come in for about a week but finally had time to install today. Had some trouble with one not lighting up but I suppose I must have kept messing up the polarity since after about six tries it finally worked. Installed it earlier on in the day but waited till night time to see the results.

Others have already made some of these points so many might not care, but if this helps to make a decision on doing the mod, then good.

I used warm white LEDs and am glad that they came out white. Not blue, not that greenish looking color but white as shown by DLO.

It is certainly an improvement and I noticed no hotspots. DLO's pics with hotspotting is misleading.

It is definitely brighter than stock. I didn't turn the car battery on nor did I start the car. I just turned the lights on with the key not in the ignition. Maybe it'll be brighter if I had the car running which I expect.

Although it is brighter, it is not excessively bright so that it would make your face or even the steering wheel glow. This could change if the car was on and running. If you want super bright to the point that its glowing then you might be disappointed with the warm whites.

It gives a nice soft glow, is brighter and is white compared to stock. Dimming works 100% from lowest to highest.

Needles do glow a bit.

 

Great followup. I'm so glad you guys are testing other variations so I don't have to take mine apart again

edit: set is gone
I've still got a set of the warm whites that never went in if anyone needs them. Send PM

 

I'm not going to wait-n-see with the purple cellophane. That's dumb, it's going to get all deformed in the heat, I'm sure of it. Instead, I bought a sheet of pink PVC, which is a thicker plastic than flimsy cellophane. Cost like $2.50 at the hobby store.

So far, the clock looks totally fine. Very white, and not at all blue. But I'm still not going to commit for a few days until I can check out how well it holds up, and how it looks in all kinds of light.

 

At the risk of completely being ignored again (you're entitled), I thought I'd throw my .02 cents in and ask if you've looked into using polycarbonate/lexan sheets that are colored? You can get them in varying thicknesses and I believe they'll certainly withstand whatever heat you expect the instrument cluster to give off; that's what most OEM gauge faces are made of.

 

Like the kind of stuff used for fog-light overlays and the such? That's a good idea. No, I haven't looked into it. At the moment, I'm going to see how this latest effort pans out.

 

Hopefully you have success with your current chosen material. Polycabornate/lexan is usually used in lighting applications; so I believe it should be able to withstand whatever heating issue is of concern.

 

Yeah that stuff looks like it should be able to handle it much better.

 

In the bright sunshine, the clock is still readable with this filter in, but less readable than stock, that's for sure. Like the gauge cluster, I'm anticipating it will look fantastic at night.

 

Alright here's some photos, taken with the phone not my actual camera.

I'm going to see about popping in one of the older OE bulbs to try and get a live before/after picture. I might also try for an old OE bulb next to LED (warm-white.)

All LED, warm white at night.


OE bulbs behind gauges, warm-white LED behind LCD:


And a bit closer shot, in the day:


And finally, day shot in a parking garage:

 

Uggh this thread...I'm about to order some. LOL

 

Hi-res night close up of new OE bulbs coming soon. Too lazy to swap in the warm white led.

Near sundown, OE bulbs behind gauges and warm-white LED behind LCD.


Closer shot:


And finally, warm-white LED on the RPM side, OE bulb on the MPH side:

 

are you not allowed out after 7PM?

 

I like the warm white, it looks nice and even, for the most part.

 

Here's a full-size of the warm-white LED. The output is slightly less than the OE bulbs.

 

Is that OEM incandescent on the left, and warm-white LED on the right?

 

Yup, the new OE bulb on the left and warm-white LED on the right.

 

I figuerd the warm-white LED would make the cluster green . so a yellow led would probally make green then... cuz i want to make the cluster match the super afc-2

 

hmmm seeing that photo i wonder if just some new oem bulbs will brighten me up. Mine are all of 8 yrs old so im sure they are close to the end of their life.

 

It could be that or could be the camera but that got my attention too. In his pics specifically it appears that his OE bulbs are much brighter than most of ours. Mine were hardly legible.