Gary Lewis Posted March 3, 2020 Author Share Posted March 3, 2020 I don't think you are really going to see which better fluoresces unless you use something like a UV light. That may be cool, throw some uv leds in there lol. No, I haven't done anything to make it reflect better. If you look closely you can see that the cluster with HiPo paint is a little brighter in a couple of places, like the center of the tach and the temp gauge. That cluster is just a bit whiter than Big Blue's cluster, and I think that's why it looks brighter. Maybe I should paint it? As for fluorescing, I didn't really think the paint would. But I wanted to test it. Nope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 Definitely have to agree that the cool white looks really good. I'll be ordering some tonight. I can't really see a difference in the needle paint. Nice work 👍 It takes 5 "bulbs" to do the illumination of the gauges, if that's what you meant. A note here... If you choose to use LED's for the indicator and idiot lights do not use one for the charge (battery) indicator. An LED will not pass enough current to excite the alternator. At least these HiPo LED's pass current both ways. That indicator works on the principle that there is more potential on one side than the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 A note here... If you choose to use LED's for the indicator and idiot lights do not use one for the charge (battery) indicator. An LED will not pass enough current to excite the alternator. I don't think very many Bullnoses had the idiot lights did they? I know they exist...I have seen them, but only on the most absolute stripped trucks. I assume the illuminated part of that light is part of the gauge itself and is separate from the instrument cluster illumination? https://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-1980-6-FORD-TRUCK-F-150-250-350-BRONCO-INSTRUMENT-CLUSTER-NO-TACH/222977928841?hash=item33ea852e89:g:R0oAAOSwBkRaCPmf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 A note here... If you choose to use LED's for the indicator and idiot lights do not use one for the charge (battery) indicator. An LED will not pass enough current to excite the alternator. I don't think very many Bullnoses had the idiot lights did they? I know they exist...I have seen them, but only on the most absolute stripped trucks. I assume the illuminated part of that light is part of the gauge itself and is separate from the instrument cluster illumination? https://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-1980-6-FORD-TRUCK-F-150-250-350-BRONCO-INSTRUMENT-CLUSTER-NO-TACH/222977928841?hash=item33ea852e89:g:R0oAAOSwBkRaCPmf That whole bank of indicators above the gauge cluster have individual lights. No, they're not cluster illumination, but I imagine many people would change those to LED while they had the gauges out. I don't know what percentage of Bullnose trucks had an ammeter, or even how the lt grn/Red wire gets key on power when they do, but if you don't have an ammeter the idiot light has to pass current to the alternator. On my bricknose dash the charge indicator is in the cluster, and part of the flex circuit. You need to know better than to swap this out or you'll end up with a dead battery. 4x4, turn, low oil pressure, etc.. indicators are fine with LED's, but not that ONE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 That whole bank of indicators above the gauge cluster have individual lights. No, they're not cluster illumination, but I imagine many people would change those to LED while they had the gauges out. I don't know what percentage of Bullnose trucks had an ammeter, or even how the lt grn/Red wire gets key on power when they do, but if you don't have an ammeter the idiot light has to pass current to the alternator. On my bricknose dash the charge indicator is in the cluster, and part of the flex circuit. You need to know better than to swap this out or you'll end up with a dead battery. 4x4, turn, low oil pressure, etc.. indicators are fine with LED's, but not that ONE. Once again Gary's pictures have a page load measured in eons on my phone... I understand those viewing the forum on a 30" monitor might want it so, but for a phone (or even my tablet) it seems massive overkill. Of course... it's Gary so that's to be expected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 That whole bank of indicators above the gauge cluster have individual lights. No, they're not cluster illumination, but I imagine many people would change those to LED while they had the gauges out. I don't know what percentage of Bullnose trucks had an ammeter, or even how the lt grn/Red wire gets key on power when they do, but if you don't have an ammeter the idiot light has to pass current to the alternator. On my bricknose dash the charge indicator is in the cluster, and part of the flex circuit. You need to know better than to swap this out or you'll end up with a dead battery. 4x4, turn, low oil pressure, etc.. indicators are fine with LED's, but not that ONE. The Bullnoses do not have a battery or charge light in that upper bank of indicators. They either have the "DC" analog gauge, or the "Charge" indicator in place of it in the cluster. I guess my point is, I don't think it is a light/bulb that anybody would (or could) change, but Gary can correct me if I'm wrong. Most change the 5 bulbs in the cluster for illumination, or the upper bank of indicators for turn signals, high beams, brake, 4x4, etc. But I get your point. If that bulb can be changed to an LED, one should not do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 That whole bank of indicators above the gauge cluster have individual lights. No, they're not cluster illumination, but I imagine many people would change those to LED while they had the gauges out. I don't know what percentage of Bullnose trucks had an ammeter, or even how the lt grn/Red wire gets key on power when they do, but if you don't have an ammeter the idiot light has to pass current to the alternator. On my bricknose dash the charge indicator is in the cluster, and part of the flex circuit. You need to know better than to swap this out or you'll end up with a dead battery. 4x4, turn, low oil pressure, etc.. indicators are fine with LED's, but not that ONE. The Bullnoses do not have a battery or charge light in that upper bank of indicators. They either have the "DC" analog gauge, or the "Charge" indicator in place of it in the cluster. I guess my point is, I don't think it is a light/bulb that anybody would (or could) change, but Gary can correct me if I'm wrong. Most change the 5 bulbs in the cluster for illumination, or the upper bank of indicators for turn signals, high beams, brake, 4x4, etc. But I get your point. If that bulb can be changed to an LED, one should not do it. Okay, my bad. This is why (as someone who has never "been intimate" with a Bullnose for an extended period) should learn to keep quiet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 Okay, my bad. This is why (as someone who has never "been intimate" with a Bullnose for an extended period) should learn to keep quiet. It is a valid point, I get it. I've only seen a couple junkyard trucks up here with the idiot "Charge" indicator. I think they'd be fairly rare in the Bullnoses that are still on the road today. Gary can correct me if I'm wrong, but the instrument cluster with "idiot lights" seems to me like an earlier Bullnose thing that went away with manual brakes, manual steering, and kingpins. I'm sure they were around in the later Bullnose years, but not very often. Kinda like the three on the tree manual trans...somewhat common in 1980, and almost unheard of by 1986. I could be wrong, but that is my perception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 3, 2020 Author Share Posted March 3, 2020 Okay, my bad. This is why (as someone who has never "been intimate" with a Bullnose for an extended period) should learn to keep quiet. No, Jim, you are quite accurate with your statements, and probably more so than I. And your contributions are extremely helpful. As for the Charge idiot light, I don't have any info on the # of trucks with them, but I can offer two observations. First, I've pulled a lot of these trucks apart, and only one of them had idiot lights. Second, Ford discontinued them for the 1986 year, so apparently they weren't selling well enough to warrant keeping all the extra cab harnesses around that it would require. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 Okay, my bad. This is why (as someone who has never "been intimate" with a Bullnose for an extended period) should learn to keep quiet. No, Jim, you are quite accurate with your statements, and probably more so than I. And your contributions are extremely helpful. As for the Charge idiot light, I don't have any info on the # of trucks with them, but I can offer two observations. First, I've pulled a lot of these trucks apart, and only one of them had idiot lights. Second, Ford discontinued them for the 1986 year, so apparently they weren't selling well enough to warrant keeping all the extra cab harnesses around that it would require. I see from pgs 15&16 of the '85 EVTM that it is shown as part of the instrument cluster, has a resistor across it and gets power in run from the same Red/Green wire that feeds the coil through the resistor wire. Not really sure where another harness would come into play (as the schematic is a graphic representation of the harness, and not pictorial) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts