04-05 (maybe 01-03) Gauge Cluster lighting

[04Elantra]

Well..my camera isnt working at the moment..but I got results to list...

Using Incandescent bulbs to light up the whole gauge panel (both 194 and 74 bulbs) did work (they were bright enough), but the colors become lightened and do not stay the same (purple incandescents made the whole display look pink-purple (fuscia?) and it wasnt good! HOWEVER, superbright incadescents will make the lighting white (though the factory bulbs without their green "condoms" still make the lighting appear yellow).
So for white lighting SuperBright Incadescent bulbs work fine (and are cheaper than Matrix LEDs)

When using the Matrix LEDs the color dispersion is good (hot spot are not as noticeable as they seem in the photos posted by 04ElantraCVVT )...however the temp. and fuel gauges (for which matrix leds are not available) require #74 bulbs (LED or incandescent bulbs). As mentioned above, the incandescents do not always match the color of the matrix leds but the LED (side angle/oval) 74 bulbs seem to do alright for purple. But again, Incandescents work best for the spaces requiring #74 bulbs (red, blue, green). You can use superwhite 74 bulbs with a little bit of colored plastic over them to get a better purple color. BTW: PURPLE 194 MATRIX LEDS ARE NOW AVAILABLE..while they dont look like the Stock GT lighting, its still looks cool
I MIGHT KEEP THESE IN!

As far as colored plastic is concerned...I can not dive into this until I get a spare 04 cluster/HVAC so I can see how the face of the cluster would take to modification (don't want to ruin my factory ones)

In conclusion, you could use all superwhite bulbs on the 04-05 Elantras for clean white lighting. If you can find "bulb condoms", cover those bulbs with covers to get uniform matching color throughout the dash. Unfortunately I can not find #74 bulb covers in any colors...leaving 74 Leds and Matrix Leds as the only other major alternative to achieve different dash lighting for now!.

I know I have just confused the hell out of everyone...so if you have questions, post!

[sed]

walmart has #74 condoms in the auto parts section... they are 4.99 for a pack of 6 have green, blue, red and orange.

shawn :)

[04Elantra]

Nice find man..I only found 194 covers....now for those who want all purple lighting...need to find purple 74 condoms since the 74 LEDs are not perfect for lighting the temp and fuel gauges. :)

[sed]

http://www.martelbrothers.com/catalog/category_487_Gauges_Pods_Tachs_Gauge_Accessories__ Sending_Units_Auto_Meter_page_1.html

http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/74_t15.htm

[04Elantra]

In the first link..which ones are 74..I came across that page and couldnt figure it out.

In the second link, that is the same bulb I have, the problem is the light dispersion because the viewing angle is only 60 degrees...a wider angle of light dispersion would look better.

[ilanpro]

I posted that a while back

http://www.elantraxd.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4791

[04Elantra]

But I was trying other methods and colors also Ilan :) ...and am converting my multigauge too..I know you posted that white gauges link...it gave me the idea to see if it would work cause I know you couldnt check it for sure since you have the GT Gauges :cool:

plus the superwhite bulbs cost $30 from KSPEC :( ([4] 194 bulbs and at least [2] 74 Bulbs....while they only cost $8 from Autolumination :bowdown:

...Just want to get the word out there and add more when I figure out how to make GT-lighting (I WILL FIGURE IT OUT!)

[KeWLKaT]

I will be forever thankful if you do so :D

[Keyan]

Would Superwhite clear inverted LEDs do the trick to remove hotspots?
http://autolumination.com/194.htm

found on that page.
They spread more light to the sides than focused in a beam...which is what a hotspot is, anyway...right?

[04Elantra]

Well...its the 74 bulbs (not the 194s..those always seem fine) that cause the real hot/dead spots...the LEDs dont cover properly and the incandescents dont produce true solid colrs.

There is virtually no light emited out of the front of the LEDS when they are inverted...the sides would be lit, but the area right above the light bulb would look unlit.

[Keyan]

There is virtually no light emited out of the front of the LEDS when they are inverted...the sides would be lit, but the area right above the light bulb would look unlit.


Yes, but there would be 4 inverted LEDs behind the cluster, not one. The light would overlap...right?


I ordered 4 inverted Super-Whites from autolumination. We'll see if there are hotspots/coldspots when I get them :)

[ilanpro]

most likely you will keyan. if you open the gauges and look in the back there some parts that have a dotted matrix to even out light from a incandecent bulb.

[04Elantra]

Keyan..if you wanted white lighting you could get 4 Xenon SuperWhite 194 bulbs from autolumination for only $6 or so....or 4 matrix LEDs for $28....but I agree with Ilan...dont think the inverted will work well!


Maybe you will prove us wrong...but I doubt it...I have bought more than $60 worth of bulbs just to try stuff out.

[Leviathant]

I have bought more than $60 worth of bulbs just to try stuff out.

I was wondering about that, considering all the info you posted. What a champ :)

[04Elantra]

just bought a few more...i think this is it...hopefully the dash and multigauge will all match (without the use of Matrix LEDS or LED conversions)..will try em over the weekend and post again

[Keyan]

I had 4 Wedge martix in my 01.

Horrible, horrible.


Hotspots up the ***.

Whenever I looked at my cluster, instead of going "ooohhhhhh nice blue color"
I'd say to myself "1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4...." because that's the amount of hotspots there were. My eyes just kept falling to them. The hotspots were 2x brighter than the dimmest spot on my gauge cluster. The hotspots were (obviously) directly infront of the wedge leds that I had in. Well, that's the reason I got the inverted. If I can physically remove the hotspots by not shining the light directly to above-the-led-onto-the-cluster then maybe the spread of light from the other LEDs will overlap nicely and give a nice EVEN glow.

[04 elantra cvvt]

Would Superwhite clear inverted LEDs do the trick to remove hotspots?
http://autolumination.com/194.htm

found on that page.
They spread more light to the sides than focused in a beam...which is what a hotspot is, anyway...right?

I tried some of these with the hopes that they would do the trick, but they don't.

I also tried some of the bulb condoms, and they produce a wierd color that is not even. They actually streak the light. Some numbers look colored, and some look white. The matrix bulbs are the only ones that have worked for me anyway.

[04Elantra]

WHat did you use for your side bulbs (the 74s) 04CVVT?

Keyan..the Matrix LED bulbs seem to work for us 04-05 guys cause our clusters and different and disperse light different than your 01-03.
..............you dont need bulbs...there are a couple of full conversions for 01-03 (Bros gauges on the front page at KSPEC, white faced, the Dino's Supervision at EVOFusion)

[ilanpro]

My 01 had this

http://www.elantraxd.com/Misc/gauge2.jpg

http://www.elantraxd.com/Misc/gauge1.jpg

you guys should get a cluster out to http://www.streetracerparts.com/ and see if they can make the indiglos for the 04-05 you can do a black face

[04Elantra]

Ilan, have you dealt with them before..I dont want to send a company a $300 cluster and not get it back.....plus..how are they going to make an 04-05 face for the gauges when they have a "raised face" around the edges....??????

[GTSTISL]

I'm doin my gauges blue in a few months when its warm outside.

[04 elantra cvvt]

WHat did you use for your side bulbs (the 74s) 04CVVT?

I used the regular inverted lens 74's from autolumination.

[GTSTISL]

so wats the final count on how many 194's and 74's needed to convert the gauges for an 04 (GT if it makes a difference)?

[04Elantra]

you need (3) 74 bulbs [the gas gauge and temp gauge and the odometer lighting] and also (4) 194 bulbs for the tach/speedo.

[GTSTISL]

so is this gunna make everything blue? so at night i wont be able to see where the dial on the gauges are or read the mileage well?

[KeWLKaT]

bro. stick with the nice gt purpleish blue color. how could you not want that!!!!

[GTSTISL]

cuz i have my radio set on blue, my shifter lights are blue, and i ordered a black reverse HVAC thats blue. Im colorblind so to me the purplish blue that the GT already has looks blue, but when i look real close i can tell its purple and so can everyone else. btw we need more ppl to buy those reverse HVAC, we only got 3/10 so start coughin up the cash ppl!