SPA Backlighting: Too Bright!!!

[Archive]

I finished the installation of two SPA guages today (with a third on the way), and discovered that the backlighting is WAAAAY too bright at night, and it appears to only have two settings: On and Off.

Is there any way to tone it down a bit??? Seems pretty lame for such high-end and expensive guages. I'm already wishing I hadn't wasted the money on them.

Rob

 

[Archive]

most of my friend run with the backlight on, it seems honestly, they will only be a problem if you want it to be a problem.

wire in an aux power switch so you can turn the light off and on while the truck is running, we are using a 3 way switch with a constant hot, i am testing that'
but a 2 way switch works well

B... .....

------------------
01 eth/dee, qc, lwb, 3. 54, 4x4, 2 1/2 front end lift, dual spa's and other cool stuff, http://mypage. onemain.com/Brandon&Danelle

 

[Archive]

I've had SPAs for 6 months and yes the lighting is brighter than I would like it but, you get used to it. I don't even notice it at all anymore. You might try to see if you can find a film to cover the guages and see if that helps.

Steve

------------------
Y2K 3500 SLT+ 4X2,auto,3. 55,VA,275s,PS mod/elb,K&N,DTT TC&VB,SPA Boost/ETG&Tran Temp/Pres,JRE 4" exhaust,Mag-Hytec Trans Pan,Roadmaster Susp,Rhino-liner,Eagle Series 58 Wheels

 

[Archive]

Basically, if there isn't a way to tone it down, they're coming out and being replaced with something else. I find it absolutely unblelieveable that as expensive as these things are, that there is no way to dim them.

Anybody want an EGT/Boost and Oil/Oil guage? $500 and I'll ship 'em. Oh yeah, and I get to order a new A-Pillar pod too, since I drilled the holes in it for the switch. Better yet, you can have the pod too. It's already painted Agate and has the tweeter hole.

What a freakin' waste.

Rob

 

[Archive]

RobG,

I agree with you that the backlight is too bright. I also agree that the manufacturer should have provided for a way of adjusting it. I plan on pulling mine apart and attaching a variable resistor to the lamp circuit. I should be able to adjust brightness from full to nothing. I thing that the gauges are probably the best, and really enjoy the digital vs analog display, so I am willing to make the modification. I would suggest you look into other gauges and determine if they have the same backlight problem before you ditch the SPAs. IMHO

Ed

------------------
1999 QC SLT 4x4 LB 2500 Cummins, 6 speed, HD.

 

[Archive]

I just use it to read the paper with early in the morning. I agree that it's too bright.

 

[Archive]

I'm not an electronics kind of guy, but I can say that the gauge only needs 10 volts to operate. I played with the brightness thing once. I temporarily wired the gauge to the "dimming wire" that feeds the dash lights. That tones down the gauge brightness. It of course is not a permanent fix as the gauge would only work with the lights on. I would think that you could use a resistor or rheostat in the supply wire to vary the supply voltage without taking the gauge apart. I know my truck has 14 volts while running, and to limit the gauge to 10 volts sure does wonders for the brightness. I have my gauge on the cubby hole of my 94 and it doesn't bother me, but I guess it could if it were on the A-pilar.

 

[Archive]

This "might" be a relatively simple fix, if you own and know how to use an ohmmeter. GO down to your local Radioshack, and ask for something like a 100 or 250 ohm Rheostat... bigger is ok as well. Just not as easy to adjust.

From there, place the Rheostat on the +12V line. Adjust the light to the brightness you like. Naturally, do this at night.
Without moving the rheostat dial, disconnect it and measure the resistance across the rheostat. This will give you the amount of resistance necessary to dim the light.
From there you can buy a fixed ohm resistor.

"Chances" are that the gauge will not operate propery on that DC level, So you will need to crack open the gauge, and wire the resistor "in-line" of the 12V feed to the lamp. Also, The lamp is probably no more than 2 or 4 watts, but make sure the resistor is rated for twice that amount.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to e-mail me. I may be able to get the resistor for you... (for free) if I know the size needed.

BTW: I'm an electronics guy

------------------
98. 5' 24v 2500 Auto/3. 54 4x4 SB QC 285-75-16's on Alcoa's. Everything but leather. PIAA 1200's, AMSOIL dual filter relocation system, Smittybuilt Stainless Steel Nerfs, Rhino Liner(Junk), K&N air filter(For Sale)15 year AMSOIL dealer. Time permitting, Soon to include Ultra-lite Pyro,0-50lbs boost, Trans temp in the pillar. Rancho 9000's with in cab adjustment.

[This message has been edited by Deezal Man (edited 01-24-2001). ]

 

[Archive]

I have an email into Ron @ SPA to see if he has a fix for it; maybe he'll have me send 'em in to be modified, I dunno.

If not, then I'll try to pull one apart and see how easy it is to get to the 12v feed to the backlighting

I'll do what Deezal Man suggested and get the rheostat to measure what I need for the brightness adjustment (somewhere around half of what it is now is my first guess).

I went to a lot of work to install these things (not to mention I spent almost what it'll cost me to order a US Gear exhaust brake -- which I still need to order eventually), including the third one I ordered yesterday morning.

SPA really should do one of two things:

A. Make the backlighting adjustable via the config screen. E. g. on the BL menu, have OFF, 1, 2, 3, 4. And #4 is the current brightness, the other three are 25% increments.

B. Have a photoresister in the guage and let it dim itself automatically, like my Valentine One radar detector. Although the backlight is STILL awfully bright even for daytime use as it is now.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll let you know what Ron says.

Rob

 

[Archive]

Glad to see an electronics guy jumped in #ad
Thank you. I just want to point something out to Rob, I had the bezel off my gauge once. Just pry over the little tabs in the back. Be careful! It is aluminum and you will basically only get one try at putting it back on. Those little tabs don't like to be bent twice! When you put the bezel back on, make sure the glass is tight, it is hard to accomplish. Also note, the place where the tab bends, the paint will not be the same there after you are done.
While you have it apart, you may just want to put a filter in it from the local camera store. I looked into that once. Lenses are about $7 and up. Hope you get everything squared away.
BTW: If you do ruin the bezel, Ron will send you one. He understands about the brightness issue and you are doing research for him.

 

[Archive]

I don't have these gauges,but couldn't you just put a piece of window tint on the lens?

-Mike

 

[Archive]

I wired mine to the dimmer switch. I've had it this way for over a year. It works fine. if you notice when you start turning the dimmer your dash lights don't start dimming right away,but the light on your gauges will.

------------------
98. 5 Quadcab 4X4 3:54
295 BFG's

 

[Archive]

these still are the best gauges out there, the window tint thing has been used by many people, just turn off the back light and let the "smart lights do all the rest" or wire in a small shift light into the external output, then you never have to look at the gauges, you just hammer it untill the overtemp light comes on

B... ... ... ...

 

[Archive]

Something I forgot to mention, if you place the Rheostat on the +12v feed for the whole gauge, the amount of needed resistance will differ, from putting the resistance on the light alone.
I would recommend waiting to hear back from SPA before doing anything. You paid a lot of money for the gauge, you shouldn't have to re-engineer it.

------------------
98. 5' 24v 2500 Auto/3. 54 4x4 SB QC 285-75-16's on Alcoa's. Everything but leather. PIAA 1200's, AMSOIL dual filter relocation system, Smittybuilt Stainless Steel Nerfs, Rhino Liner(Junk), K&N air filter(For Sale)15 year AMSOIL dealer. Time permitting, Soon to include Ultra-lite Pyro,0-50lbs boost, Trans temp in the pillar. Rancho 9000's with in cab adjustment.

 

[Archive]

Deezal Man:

See, there's my problem. If there was a power line for just the backlight, we wouldn't be having this discussion. The problem is that the backlight is powered off of the 12v line for the entire guage. There is NO way to adjust the backlight short of opening up the guage and soldering in a resister or a pot, or changing the light itself.

Still no response from SPA...

Rob

 

[Archive]

Rob,
I have the SPA's also and it appears to me that the backlighting is provided by LED's. If it is, then I'm not sure if they can be dimmed as I think LED's only work within a small voltage parameter. With conventional bulb lighting you could simply wire them to your existing dash circuit and the problem would be solved. Don't quote this as fact but it may be something to consider.

Keep us up to date when SPA gets back to you, I wouldn't mind my gauges being adjustable if possible. Good luck-Zach.

------------------
2001 black dually,4x4, 6 speed H. O. ,loaded up and then some!

 

[Archive]

Another simple solution that might work would be to buy some polarized film (should be available at full-service photo supply, if not, find a scientific supply).

If one thickness of the film doesn't do the trick, cut a second piece. When you start rotating the second piece, the two polarized sheets will go from grey-translucent to almost fully opaque. Now all you have to do is fashion a way to attach the film disks to your bezel. A polarized camera filter, or two, would be another, slicker option, but you won't like the cost of the filter on an already expensive gauge, so try the sheet of film first.
This came up about 6 months ago; maybe someone has already tried it.

It seems that the light is bright, but when I dim all of the other dash lights, it seems quickly forgotten. It might bother you a lot less after a week than it does right now. I know in my case, whenever I have just spent a few hours or a few hundred dollars, my tolerance for imperfection is pretty low, so I usually just sleep on the issue for a few days before making final decisions.

------------------
2001 ETH, QC, LWB, 4WD, 3. 54, SPA Pyro & Boost, K&N RE-880 w/foam pre-cleaner, ARE Z-series Cab-high shell, Rear ARB locker, and all kinds of synthetic fluids...

 

[Archive]

I agree with HC. They were way too bright for me at first, but, until this post came up, I'd forgotten all about it (installed them about 6 months ago).

If anyone finds a simple solution, I'd like to know also. But if it involves taking the gauge apart, etc. , I won't go that far. I've simply gotten used to it and it doesn't bother me much anymore at all.