Interior Exterior
Q:
Has anyone done this to his or her car yet? I have a magnetic blue Elise and I just don't care for the cluster color ... the AC/Heater controls are exactly the color I'd want in the cluster too. I've done full electroluminescent replacement kits for Honda Civics ... do we have anything like that for the Elise yet?
we've got to get a hold of Tom since he's the one who started this thread.
A:
Isn't that odd how some people find cool tones better than warm tones? I think the warm tones are so much easier on the eyes..
I wonder if it has to do with left brain right brain?
...i think it has more to do with the pale yellow looking like something out of a 70's VW.
i prefer red'ish tones - but i would prefer that blue over the pale yellow!!
do tell how you did it !!!
A:
Looks good, but probably won't be easy for anyone with the stock radio, cause you'd have to mod that too.
you mean something like this....
A:
http://www.narcap.org/TheEyeandNightVision.htm
A:
for drivers, for astronomers (although for darkrooms it is more related to the product as opposed to the human):
Red light was used for illumination of the cockpit in post-World War II aircraft because it, like red goggles, did not degrade dark adaptation. The intent was to maintain the greatest rod sensitivity possible, while still providing some illumination for central foveal vision.
A:
Tom?
Any update on this mod?
-Jim
A:
Sorry, no updates yet. I've been too busy on other things but I hope to get back to it soon. Who knows, maybe I'll have something to show at LOG.
Tom
A:
Sorry, no updates yet. I've been too busy on other things but I hope to get back to it soon. Who knows, maybe I'll have something to show at LOG.
Tom
Any new updates. I really want this mod
A:
I want red ones like that...
A:
It turned out the EL panels were way to expensive and for the shade of blue I wanted, and I would also have had to replace the graphic overlay so I went to plan B. I used several surface mount LED's instead of the EL panel. FYI, this is similar to the way the S1 Elise dash was illuminated (first with orange, then in later years, they changed to blue).
Here is a picture of the LED's installed and the finished product.
Tom
A:
Sorry for the size of the pictures.
A:
beautiful!!!! I like this one better even though the indiglo is more evenly lit. This one's darker for sure and looks like LB!! It will match my car perfectly!!!
Is it hard & time consuming to do this?
What about the digital info box that is still amber? I guess it's hard to get in there to change the lighting, huh?
A:
I MUST DO THIS MOD! Instructions please.
A:
I want this as well !!!!
A:
beautiful!!!! I like this one better even though the indiglo is more evenly lit. This one's darker for sure and looks like LB!! It will match my car perfectly!!!
Is it hard & time consuming to do this?
What about the digital info box that is still amber? I guess it's hard to get in there to change the lighting, huh?
Yes, it took a while to do it. Here's is a rough how to:
Once you get the instrument cluster out and take the back and the cover glass (actually plastic) off , the scariest part is removing the tach and speedo needles. They are a press fit to the spindles, but it seems like they were glued with 2-ton epoxy. I used a tool designed for removing door panel fasteners to pry them off.
You will then be able to lift off the graphic (don't lose the plastic bushings around the needle openings) to expose the EL panel. Disconnect the connector from the back side that goes to the panel. You can leave the EL panel in place.
I used the brightest surface mount blue LED's I could find from Mouser or Digikey of the right (for me) wavelength. I drilled holes in the plastic spacer around the perimeter of the cluster to hold the LED's. Wire them to an adjustable voltage regulator (LM317) and to a pot to control the brightness. I mounted my pot to the right side housing cover near the odometer reset switch.
Even though the LED's have a wide angle, I wanted to get the lighting more even so I used small strips of aluminum tape to partially block the center portion of the LED. You can see one of them near the number 4 in the tach area. My next order from Mouser will include some fresnel lenses they sell that may do a better job.
The amber digital info box is a sealed unit and the color cannot be changed. At least I did not want to mess with it.
I replaced my radio head unit a while ago with one that matches the blue gages, as well as the LEDs that illuminate the headlight and parking light switches so it doesn't look aftermarket.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Tom
A:
I have to admit that's attractive. I just wonder how the eyes will feel after a couple of hours of driving at night with this color dash.
A:
actually it's green... which is why the army has switched to using green light in helocopters etc.
We use green light in Bradleys, for example.
For best night vision preservation, or for Night-Vision Goggle compatibility?
The article linked later in this thread seems to contradict your statement...
http://www.narcap.org/TheEyeandNightVision.htm
ed