Killajoules Series 80" upgrade project

Think he has fitted a dimmer now

Paddling after the Great Brickhill trial. Trying to drown Stutab for beating me in MY 80 :violent:

Cleaning the Land Rovers at Redbourne - YouTube

But you do have 2 seconds :croc:

OK, in the ensuing palaver while we were fettling the 80" I neglected to post any images of what I had done to illuminate the dash binnacles.

So here we go starting with the Speedo:

This is actually the easiest, I used a sticky backed strip of SMD warm white LEDs stuck around the circumference of the bowl so that the diodes are just in front of the dial, but obscured by the diffuser.







This was fitted and found to be extremely bright on a pure 12V feed but finally I could see my speed in the dark. I did find that I actually have a dash lights on/off switch on the dash too, but that the contacts were highly unreliable.

Fortunately I had in my old toolbox another similar switch so when I got round to illuminating the other dial I fitted that at the same time.

Anyway, along with Sputa I got round to work on the gauges binnacle. I left the gauges in the wiring loom and simply removed the housing from the dash.

The housing however is completely different to the Speedo and is actually very shallow. I started by trying to stick a strip of Sods around the circumference of the Ammeter/fuel gauge area.



Unfortunately as you can see the strip was wider than the depth of the binnacle, this prevented the glass plate from fitting back on so I could not reassemble it.

I then had a slight rethink, the clearances are quite small but I realised I could fit 3 small SMD assemblies onto the spokes between instrument voids.



I then had to link all the strips and insulate the terminal, a quick test, and back together.



I then refitted the binnacle to the dashboard, bolted in all the gauges and wired it up to the supply from the switch.

Bingo !



As already mentioned however the LEDs on plan ersatz 12v are extremely bright. In order to dim LEDs rather than reducing the voltage you actually need to switch them on and off fast, then reduce how long they are on for. This is done with a Pulse Width Modulation circuit.

I did have a circuit diagram from a MERG newsletter but I ended up buying a ready to use unit from eBay. I then supply the PWM module via the dash lighting switch, then feed the LEDs via the PWM which allows me to dim the dash lighting successfully.

And yes I decided to common the earth from the LEDs back to the PWM rather than straight to earth just in case the PWM caused any strange issues.

Very ingenious mod there! Would it not be simpler to just reduce the current with a simple resister rather than go down the PWM route?

LEDs don't dim much based on voltage/current, they tend to be on or off.

The PWM effectivly sends an on off square wave to the LEDs, the brightness dimmed is adjusted by switching them on and off too fast to allow then to attain full output.

Ah didnt know that. Not played much with PWM.

KillaJoules said:

LEDs don't dim much based on voltage/current, they tend to be on or off.

The PWM effectivly sends an on off square wave to the LEDs, the brightness dimmed is adjusted by switching them on and off too fast to allow then to attain full output.

Click to expand...

Most LED's can be dimmed by voltage reduction, however it's not always very controllable.
PWM is pulse width modulation, brightness is adjusted by changing the on pulse width. The LED's attain near full brightness but only for a short period of time when dimmed.

I have been bottling this summers Elderberry Wines





Then I got the Sloes out of the freezer and set asside a litre or so of Sloe Whiskey !!





So thats just 6 gallons of Apple Wine in the Demijons at the moment

How much sampling got done?

well I wasn't invited.. so not enough!

Just installed new led dual filament bulbs into the front sidelight. They have a white sidelight and orange indicator.

Interestingly when the indicators flash the sidelight goes out.

Strangely it takes a while after the Indication for the white to resume

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyg0tIeyuDI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

KillaJoules said:

Just installed new led dual filament bulbs into the front sidelight. They have a white sidelight and orange indicator.

Interestingly when the indicators flash the sidelight goes out.

Strangely it takes a while after the Indication for the white to resume

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyg0tIeyuDI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Click to expand...

Tis private :doh: we on an invite only basis now???

Whoops, first time I uploaded from a phone. It public now

I believe its down to the way they work. From the looks of it the leds go one colour at a set voltage so as the voltage rises it changes from white to yellow. Try a direct wire from the battery to orange side. Might be the wirings a bit poor. If that sorts it you could add a relay like people do with the headlights to boost the power.

Well if people say they couldn't see you indicating they are lying

The 80 is looking very shiny, you been using Robs polish?

Polish Excuse me............................ did someone swear!

No, the shine is purely down to all the hard work the rain did when the 80 was last out.

As some of you already know SFF took part in a filming weekend for a forthcoming Channel 4 TV program, the Sunday was extremely wet and had me pootling around the M25 down to the film studios/test track at Cobham last December, plus a lot of zooming around the track, followed by interminable standing in the rain while interviews were filmed.

Can't say too much due to confidentiality pre screening of the show which is probably sometime in March.

However that day pretty comprehensively removed the patina of caked on mud from the RTV at Gt Brickhill the preceding weekend leaving SFF almost shiny

Well today I got the 80 out for the first time this year. Started by helping to set up tomorrow's RTV trial. Great fun

Got home and decided to install the S111 spare wheel well I had acquired to replace the long ago removed one.



Measured once an took the angle grinder to the checker plated floor.

Proper job. Bugger, what's that black cable looking thingy with a partial cut through? Yes rear lights! Snipped o/s indicator an brake cables.

Anyway, got them fixed too.

The wheel well makes a world of difference and allows for safe storage of the spare.