Technical Dim Dash Lights

I am sure that the answer is gonna be simple but after rebuilding the cluster on my 57 BelAir the light are way to dim. I tried adjusting them brighter withthe switch but it didn't help. I made sure to ground everything correctly and even took it out again and changed the blubs. The lights are barely enough to make out the numbers but can't seen the needles at night.

Next I had the standard bulbs replaced with LED bulbs and it the same. I will say i think the LEDs are pointing the light straight forward where the standard bulbs seem to spread the light to the side more.

Anyway.... with out embarrassing to bad, any suggestions?

 

Did you verify voltage?

 

wired it direct to the battery to ensure the ground was working also.

 

If you can crank the engine you should have enough juice to run the lights.

 

Were they brighter when you wired them direct to the battery?

 

What is the voltage?

 

Need a better ground? More ground wires? Are your ground wires too light, too long?

 

The rheostat on the headlight switch could be corroded or partially damaged and causing not the full voltage to go to the lights

 

Cheap China leds
25 where Like $7
Free ship ,
6 or so years old
I have them in 4 different vehicles
Usually LEDs only work one way ,
(Light Up)
Correct wire for Ground , & positive.

Head light switch Good on interior/gauge lights.
, On full Volts ? Not turned down to dim /off ?
,

 

Take a bulb and test it on the battery you are using. Is it bright? If so you are not getting 12 volts to the bulbs in the dash. Next run a wire from the power lead that goes to the headlight switch, directly to the dash light harness. If the bulbs are bright now you have a bad switch. If still dim, you are not getting full 12 volt power to the switch, or the ground to the dash is questionable.

 

I don' think all LED bulbs are considered dimmable. Those that are tend to require some special switching or circuitry to prevent pulsing or flashing on and off.

 

I'm following this closely. I put in a dimmer switch for my dash lights but they don't dim at all when I dial back the rheostat knob. The instructions indicate grounding the bulbs using a separate negative (grounded) wire than the gauge power ground, but the lights for each of my gauges are grounded at their bases directly to the brackets holding the gauges to the dash. I'm using incandescent bulbs, so it isn't an LED issue. I guess it's better to have bright, undimmable lights than weak or no illumination, but I want it all.

 

Appreciate all the input.

Yes hte lights are grounded. yes the light up when testing direect wired to source. The small gages undash work perfect with both bright and dimable so I believe the switch is good. have used both incandescent and LED with same results. Someone told me that some LEDs shine forward only so i am looking for LED the shine 360' ....