Custom Illuminating Dials

harshansenadhir · June 1, 2009

have you guys come across any place in SL to get a custom illuminating/glow gauge dial job. I've heard that this material is available to purchase but didn't come across any places to buy in SL. Ebay has some illuminating wire which can be a close match. If I can get hold of the material, it's a matter of printing and finishing to get a gauge with illuminating dial.

Devinda_Z · June 2, 2009

interesting topic machan

been wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to brighten up a set of dials

i don't necessarily need a indiglow effect, but wouldn't mind ideas on how to increase the light in the dials

the ones in the Defender are rather primitive and can't be read at night so been wondering what one could do to get more light in em... :huh:

harshansenadhir · June 3, 2009

interesting topic machan
been wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to brighten up a set of dials

i don't necessarily need a indiglow effect, but wouldn't mind ideas on how to increase the light in the dials

the ones in the Defender are rather primitive and can't be read at night so been wondering what one could do to get more light in em...

glad to see there are more members in the club than I first thought. However from the researches I've done what i found was, this illuminated material can be bought, but there aren't any direct sellers @ #bay, and the glow wires and inverter of course you can buy off from #bay. Failing to find illuminated boards, I have a plan to do following,

rip open the gauge and scan the dial, do some photo shop and come up with new dial graphic, inverse print on a transparent plastic sticker, paste the sticker on a light green plastic material. then insert the glow wires.. already started communicating with a high tech printer guy who does all plastic board prints for us. Let's keep you posted. but the best would be illuminated dials.. sigh :unsure:

shanX · June 3, 2009

glad to see there are more members in the club than I first thought. However from the researches I've done what i found was, this illuminated material can be bought, but there aren't any direct sellers @ #bay, and the glow wires and inverter of course you can buy off from #bay. Failing to find illuminated boards, I have a plan to do following,
rip open the gauge and scan the dial, do some photo shop and come up with new dial graphic, inverse print on a transparent plastic sticker, paste the sticker on a light green plastic material. then insert the glow wires.. already started communicating with a high tech printer guy who does all plastic board prints for us. Let's keep you posted. but the best would be illuminated dials.. sigh

But why do you think a normal plastic would light up when connected with the inverter unit? I have a set of dials, got free but MPH, so didn't bother to, so I also have an inverter doin nothing, so would like to try

But anyways, today, just now I got a set of LEDs for the speedo cluster, gonna try and see <_<

shanX · June 3, 2009

Double post :mellow:

Edited June 3, 2009 by shanX

Devinda_Z · June 3, 2009

glad to see there are more members in the club than I first thought. However from the researches I've done what i found was, this illuminated material can be bought, but there aren't any direct sellers @ #bay, and the glow wires and inverter of course you can buy off from #bay. Failing to find illuminated boards, I have a plan to do following,
rip open the gauge and scan the dial, do some photo shop and come up with new dial graphic, inverse print on a transparent plastic sticker, paste the sticker on a light green plastic material. then insert the glow wires.. already started communicating with a high tech printer guy who does all plastic board prints for us. Let's keep you posted. but the best would be illuminated dials.. sigh

hmmm but how does all that wiring work?? :huh:

i don't have a way of taking any good pics , but the Defenders set up is messy in that there are 3 sperate gauges and each is housed in its own pod - and 2 of the 3 guages are quite small so it doesn't leave much room for adding a print at the back i feel

the other issue is the way the light is allowed to emit into the gauge

its ridiculously primitive (no suprises there) - i think i need pictures so illustrate the point

harshansenadhir · June 4, 2009

hmmm but how does all that wiring work??
i don't have a way of taking any good pics , but the Defenders set up is messy in that there are 3 sperate gauges and each is housed in its own pod - and 2 of the 3 guages are quite small so it doesn't leave much room for adding a print at the back i feel

the other issue is the way the light is allowed to emit into the gauge

its ridiculously primitive (no suprises there) - i think i need pictures so illustrate the point

mine is no difference, take a look at the dials ..

nira74 · June 4, 2009

mine is no difference, take a look at the dials ..

Each of those gagues has one or two bulbs inside.

One idea would be to try fitting brighter bulbs. There are some LED bulbs available now which fit the original holders. These come in various types with anything from 1 to clusters 7 or more LEDs on the same bulb base. Could try something like that which would increase the brightness without generating too much heat.

harshansenadhir · June 4, 2009

Each of those gagues has one or two bulbs inside.
One idea would be to try fitting brighter bulbs. There are some LED bulbs available now which fit the original holders. These come in various types with anything from 1 to clusters 7 or more LEDs on the same bulb base. Could try something like that which would increase the brightness without generating too much heat.

wrong, this model didn't come with in built bulbs unless you install as a custom job, and the dials are not transparent type as in modern cars.. so need to replace the dial either

1. self illuminated/glow dials + glow wires (need to dig more info on application)

2. transparent custom made dials with bulbs inserted into the gauge

Car Maniac · June 7, 2009

interesting topic machan
been wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to brighten up a set of dials

i don't necessarily need a indiglow effect, but wouldn't mind ideas on how to increase the light in the dials

the ones in the Defender are rather primitive and can't be read at night so been wondering what one could do to get more light in em...

Dev, I think you better change the bulbs and see first. Cos in my car, when I first bought it had very dull green lighting on dials and when I open the cluster and checked, I saw the bulb's colors are faded and theres lot of soot on them which has turned them to black. So I replaced them with a same 3V units and the result was better visibility and good looks. (Previously I could hardly see anything on dials at night). Anyway the current illumination is reasonable as that dials are not transparent ones like in new cars. (cant help) The back light comes out from the edges of the dials.

hope this will work for you too. Good Luck!