Help me solve "light bleed" on my 97 gauge cluster

[starclassic]

I recently did an LED swap for my gauge cluster (I swapped everything except the charging circuit bulb).

Now, when my lights are on, I'm getting light behind my cruise control indicator, making it look like it's ON when it isn't. I'm not sure how to prevent this from happening. Help!

Here's my diagram of the lights I swapped so you can see the back of the cluster, and what I'm dealing with.

 

[Tyler James Inc]

I don't think that's bleed through. I've heard of weird issues when converting certain things to LED, and it sure looks like that's lit up.
Looking at your diagram(which is great, BTW), there are no LEDs near that could "bleed" through. If one of the near LED were lit, it would be red, which would change your cruise indicator color significantly.

 

[starclassic]

I don't think that's bleed through. I've heard of weird issues when converting certain things to LED, and it sure looks like that's lit up.
Looking at your diagram(which is great, BTW), there are no LEDs near that could "bleed" through. If one of the near LED were lit, it would be red, which would change your cruise indicator color significantly.

Okay, interesting. In the picture, the CC switch is off. When I turn it on, the indicator gets much brighter. So maybe this LED is drawing some power even when the switch is off? It definitely wasn't doing this with the original incandescent.

 

[RussMKE]

Okay, interesting. In the picture, the CC switch is off. When I turn it on, the indicator gets much brighter. So maybe this LED is drawing some power even when the switch is off? It definitely wasn't doing this with the original incandescent.

Sounds like soldering a small resistor in one leg of the LED may be able to solve the problem.


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[Tyler James Inc]

Sounds like soldering a small resistor in one leg of the LED may be able to solve the problem.

Actually, it has to be in parallel- so both legs. That's what I was thinking too, but what is it worth?
Throw the incandescent back in and see what happens.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Help me solve "light bleed" on my 97 gauge cluster

Any indicator that's operated by the ECM will or can glow dimly. (The PN junction leaks a little current through it and that is enough to partially turn on a LED). I use a 22k ohm resistor for that situation it's resistance is low enough to eliminate the bleed through but not too low (like a 500 ohm) add a lot of extra load on the lamp driver circuit.

Does your check engine light glow also?


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[phattyduck]

Incandescent bulbs can draw current and not visibly turn on - this isn't the case with LEDs - any current will cause them to light up. I'd suggest just switching back to an incandescent for that bulb...

-Charlie

 

[RussMKE]

Actually, it has to be in parallel- so both legs. That's what I was thinking too, but what is it worth?
Throw the incandescent back in and see what happens.

Why on both legs? I though you only need to add a resistor to one leg to drop down the current.


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[phattyduck]

Why on both legs? I though you only need to add a resistor to one leg to drop down the current.


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No, not in series. Parallel. The small current that would flow through the LED passes through the resistor instead of through the diode junction with low currents, then most passes through the LED with high currents.

I'd still vote for just swapping back to incandescent for this location.

-Charlie

 

[kolelt]

You only need to swap 3 bulbs make your cluster LED. I wouldn't even bother with the small led bulbs. Just swap the main 3 ones. Rpm, speed, and whatever else. That's what I did. Minus blinkers

 

[StreetCreeper]

I had a similar problem on my 97 when I tried swapping out the peripheral bulbs to LED. My low fuel light would glow even with a full tank of fuel. I wound up only replacing the three main bulbs instead. No regrets and no other issues in the last two years.

​

 

[RussMKE]

No, not in series. Parallel. The small current that would flow through the LED passes through the resistor instead of through the diode junction with low currents, then most passes through the LED with high currents.



I'd still vote for just swapping back to incandescent for this location.



-Charlie

Makes sense! Thank you for the explanation.


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[starclassic]

I'd still vote for just swapping back to incandescent for this location.

-Charlie

Okay, this makes sense. I will just go back to incandescent. It is not that important to me to have all LEDs for my indicator lights!

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful feedback.

 

[kolelt]

Okay, this makes sense. I will just go back to incandescent. It is not that important to me to have all LEDs for my indicator lights!

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful feedback.

I did the 3 main ones and the blinker indicators only.