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LED backlight bulb for ?84 240 instrument cluster

jjcarr

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2016
Hi,
had some LED bulbs short the backlight circuit on my ?84 240 instrument cluster recently and blow out my rheostat.
it?s all repaired and I reinstalled stock bulbs for now.
As there are so many different types of T10 LEDs, can somebody link me to some that are confirmed functional in this location?
Non-polarized preferred but I?ll take confirmed fitment over anything else.

Also, are there specific bulb holders that I need?
 
I put led bulbs spec'd for a 163 or 168 dash bulb in my 240 turbo. You use the stock socket and have to plug them in with the correct polarity. You probably used too powerful of an led thus drawing too much current. The stock bulbs are only a 3 watt bulb.
 
BTW I went to the leds because the light guides are green and over the years they faded and got a lot darker. The led helped a lot. The other choice is to use a newer cluster frame which has a clear light guide. Something like an 86 or newer cluster frame should be a clear light guide.
 
I put led bulbs spec'd for a 163 or 168 dash bulb in my 240 turbo. You use the stock socket and have to plug them in with the correct polarity. You probably used too powerful of an led thus drawing too much current. The stock bulbs are only a 3 watt bulb.

Very possible as I have 4 auxiliary gauges in the center dash that also run on the same circuit and those rheostats are not known for handling a heavy load well (overheat easily)..
Do you remember which bulbs you used exactly?
I just picked up another set that have 3 LEDs instead of 5 and are a printed PCB with contact plates instead of tiny wires wrapped around the base. I highly suspect the wire contacts on the other type I used wrapped around too far and shorted the socket.
 
It's been a couple of years. If I recall correctly they were only one cob led on them aimed directly out of the top. That is what you want as the light is sent down a light guide which then bends to put the light into the cluster. It was a replacement for a 168 or 163 incandescent bulb. So it should be a very low wattage led. You wouldn't need a 3 cob led.
 
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