Ford EF / EL - Blue Dash Modifications
Suitability
As Featured on the New BA Series Ford Falcon !
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QUOTE: BA Falcon Instruments - Lighting the way
The instrument panel and Interior Command Centre lighting on the New BA model Falcon's utilise the latest technology LEDs; green for entry level vehicles, blue for XR and white for Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia.
Similarly, the LCD readouts have green illumination on entry level vehicles and white for XR and high series.
Well Folks, You have seen it First Here at the Ford Falcon Modifications Website !
Please Note : If choosing a Blue or Green Colour Instrument Cluster on a EL/NL/DL Model Falcon, the Needles on the Instrument Cluster will not Illuminate Brightly !
This is due to these Needles having an Orange Filter Backing on them, and as such, they Filter out most of the Blue and Green Light created by the LED !
This means that at night time, the Needles may / will not be visible.
There are two possible solutions for EL Falcon/Fairmont owners.
1) Use Cluster Needles from an EF/NF/DF Falcon/Fairlane/LTD.
2) Use Red, Orange or Yellow LEDs for the Instrument Cluster.
3) Remove the Orange Backing on EL cluster needles, by carefully scraping at the back of the needle.
This will make the needle completely clear, allowing you to use white paint, or liquid paper and the back of the needle, to change its colour to white.
If installing on other Makes or Models, You can determine if this modification is suitable by checking the following,
a) If your dashboard lights up a milky white colour, then the chances are that this modification is suitable.
b) If your dashboard uses coloured bulbs, then this modification could be suitable.
c) If your dash uses coloured lettering, or a colour filter, then only some colours may be suitable.
Please note : Falcons, Fairmonts, Fairlanes, LTD, XR6, XR8, and Utilities manufactured from 1994 to 1996, are all suitable for this modification. (EF, NF, DF, models).
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Parts Required |
2) Determine the Number of LED's Required. For EF/EL, DF/DL, NF/NL Models, count the following options, and add the number of Leds Required.
1 Ashtray lamp (Cannot use bulb holder)
1 Trip Computer
1 Power Antennae switch (Cannot use bulb holder)
1 Rear Window demister switch (Cannot use Bulb Holder)
1 Power / economy switch for column mounted auto transmissions (Cannot use Bulb holder)
6 Climate control system (mid, High Series) (Cannot use Bulb Holder)
6 Standard Heater / aircon system (low series) (Cannot use bulb holder)
6 All Instrument panels, (Low, Mid, High Series).
Purchase the required LED's, Resistors, Heat shrink tubing, and Bulb Holders
(Bulb holders are Optional). Note for each Led Required, you will need about 5cm of heat shrink tubing, a 560 Ohm (Green Blue Black Black 1%) resistor, and depending on the device, one bulb holder.
Oatley Electronics ? www.OatleyElectronics.com.au have Deals on High Brightness LED's.
Other models are available, and it is probably best that you check out their website for more information on current models, and prices !
Finally the Resistor Values Quoted herein for the White/Blue, and the Red/Green LED's are suitable for the Oatley Electronics LED's !
Alternatively, Here are the specifications, and prices of the Jaycar models (Very pricey, and not as bright as the Oatley Electronics LED's)
Jaycar Electronics ? www.jaycar.com.au
BLUE High Intensity LED 3000mcd, $3.50 cat ZD-1999
NO LONGER AVAILABLE - BLUE High Intensity LED 4000mcd, $7.80 cat ZD-1781
RED High Intensity LED 6500mcd, $2.10 cat ZD-1777
White High Intensity LED 7000mcd, $3.95 cat ZD-1997
Yellow High Intensity LED 5000mcd, $1.25 cat ZD-1788
Green High Intensity LED 6000mcd, $7.80 cat ZD-1779
Resistors 560 Ohm 1% Tolerance (Pack of 8) $0.38 cat RR-0566
Heat shrink Tubing 5mm dia, 1.2m long $1.95 cat WH-5533
In addition to these items you will need the following tools.
1 Soldering iron (Around 20 Watts), and solder
1 Phillips Head screwdriver
Pliers - (For removing bulb holders).
Wire Cutters
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Dismantling the EF/EL Dash |
| To get access to the Instrument Panel, Climate Control, Clock/Trip Computer, you will need to dismantle the dashboard to get access to these components. |
1) Remove the ashtray.
2) To the left of the ashtray, there is one screw, remove this screw.
3) The radio shroud should swing upwards from the top. Swing the shroud
45 degrees upwards. Remove the Cigarette lighter plug by squeezing the top clip, and pulling on the socket. Also remove the cigarette lighter lamp, by twisting the plug 90 degrees anticlockwise.
4) Remove the radio shroud by pulling it towards you. See figure 1.
5) Remove the two Philips head screws located above the Radio.
6) Remove the 3 Screws located above the instrument panel.
7) remove the screw located beneath the Door Unlock Switch
8) Remove the Screw located beneath the Fuel Flap Release switch.
9) Pull the main Dash Panel away from the Dash. There are three clips located at the top of this panel. and 1 clip located near the door unlock switch. It is normal for this part to require some force.
10) Once the clips have disengaged, lift the panel upwards, so as the two tabs located near the Shift console are disengaged.
11) unplug the clock by squeezing the connectors tab, and pulling it away from the clock. (If applicable)
12) Unplug the switches (Antennae Height adjust, Rear Window Demister, Door Lock/Unlock, Boot Release, Fuel Flap Release) Please note: with exception to the Fuel flap release, and Boot release switches, all the plugs are keyed so as to make it impossible to connect the wrong plugs to the wrong switches.
13) Remove the Main Panel. See figure 2.
14) Remove the Climate Control / Heater Assembly. (4 Screws, 2 electrical connectors, Vacuum lines, and Temperature rod.
15) Remove Instrument Panel. (4 Screws, 2 connectors)
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Heating / Air-conditioning / Climate Control |
This device requires 6 LED's.
1) Cut the longer leg of the LED about 5mm from the top of the LED.
2) Cut one side of a resistor approximately 5mm from the resistor. Keep the cut portion of the Resistor for lately use
3) Solder the Cut Leg of the Resistor to the Cut Leg of the LED. Use pliers, or a paper clip to assist you whilst completing this step. See figure 4. for details
4) Solder the discarded leg of the resistor to the short leg of the LED. See figure x. for details
5) Cut approximately 4cm of heat shrink tubing, and apply to the Resistor Leg of the LED.
6) Complete the above procedure for 5 more LED's
7) Solder the ends of 3 LED'S together, connecting the Resistor Legs, and non Resistor Legs. Creating 2 pairs of 3 LEDS.
8) Insert the 2 legs in to the white bulb holders, and test the LED assembly. If the LED's do not light, then swap the Legs and try again.
9) If the LED's light, then solder the Legs in to place.
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Instrument Panel |
This device requires 6 LEDs, 6 Resistors, 12cm of Heat shrink tubing, and 6 Bulb holders
1) Cut the longer leg of the LED about 5mm from the top of the LED.
2) Cut one side of a resistor approximately 5mm from the resistor.
3) Solder the Cut Leg of the Resistor to the Cut Leg of the LED. Use pliers, or a paper clip to hold the LED and Resistor together whilst completing this step.
4) cut 1cm of heat shrink tubing and cover the resistor Leg of the LED, from the LED, to the end of the resistor
5) Bend the legs of the resistor upward, so as the legs can be soldered to the Bulb holder tabs, near the LED.
6) Press the LED inside the Bulb holder, so as the Resistor sits inside the Bulb Holder, and the LED sits flush with the Bulb Holder.
7) Examine the LED, looking for the Cup side of the LED. Mark the Bulb Holder with a black marker on the Cup side of the LED. (The Cup side of the LED must be connected to ground, or the Negative side of power).
8) Complete the above procedure for 5 more LED's.
9) Replace the Existing 6 Bulb holders on the Instrument Panel with the newly created LED Bulb holders. (These are the white Bulb holders in the figure).
Align the Black mark on the Bulb holders with the following positions.
2 Bulb Holders near top of Instrument Panel, Black marker pointing upwards.
2 Bulb holders at left and right extremes of Dash, Facing outwards.
2 Bulb holders near Bottom of Instrument Panel, Black Marker pointing upwards.
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Clock and Trip Computer |
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This device requires 1 Led, 1 Resistors, 2cm of Heat shrink tubing, and 1 Bulb holder it is very similar to the Instrument Panel, specified above.
1) Cut the longer leg of the LED about 5mm from the top of the LED.
2) Cut one side of a resistor approximately 5mm from the resistor.
3) Solder the Cut Leg of the Resistor to the Cut Leg of the LED. Use pliers, or a paper clip to hold the LED and Resistor together whilst completing this step.
4) cut 1cm of heat shrink tubing and cover the resistor Leg of the LED, from the LED, to the end of the resistor
5) Bend the legs of the resistor as shown in figure x
6) Press the LED inside the Bulb holder, so as the Resistor sits inside the Bulb Holder, and the LED sits flush with the Bulb Holder. See figure x for details
7) Examine the LED, looking for the Cup side of the LED. Mark the Bulb Holder with a black marker on the Cup side of the LED. (The Cup side of the LED must be connected to ground, or the Negative side of power).
8) Replace the Existing Bulb holder with the newly created LED Bulb holder. Align the Black mark on the Bulb holder so as the black mark is facing towards the outside of the Clock / Trip computer.
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Additional Details |
Modification Suitability
Suitability is dependent on how your dash produces its current hue. All
Dashes lit using white light pass this critical test - dashes using other
Colours will depend on how the colour is produced.
If your dash uses
coloured globes then this modification could be suitable - ones using coloured
filters built into the dash are more difficult to convert and modifications
may be restricted to a brighter shade of the current colour.
If a filter is used, then the shade can actually be changed slightly.
I was able to do this with the orange instrumentation on the EF
(I.E. the Odometer, the Clock readout, and Climate control Temperature readout).
Orange can be changed to Yellow, or A Dark Red, using a Yellow or Red LED.
Modifications for Ford Falcon AU onwards
PLEASE NOTE : This modification will work on AU Model Falcons, However the red Needle colour limits the Needles illumination
I Have actually seen an AU series 2 Instrument Panel and I am not 100% sure of
the difference between AU and AU2, but I think the main difference was the Odometer colour, with the AU2 being white.
The light globes used in the AU2 were of the same type used in the EF,
I.E. they had blue filters on them to help filter out the orange-yellow light of a normal light bulb,
resulting in the Instrument Panel lighting up milky White.
To be honest though, I am not sure if it is 100% suitable for other parts of the dash.
(I.E. shift lever Position, cigarette lighter, etc.), as the instrument panel was at a auto wrecker, and the rest of the dash was not available for viewing.
Original Ford Lighting Specifications
The Original Ford Motor Co. Bulbs used in the EF-EL dash are of the following ratings
Instrument Panel
Qty 6
Volts 12V,
0.5Watt
Amps, 40mA each
Climate Control
Qty 2
Volts 12V
2 Watts
160 ma each
Switches
Qty 1
Volts 12
0.5 Watt
40ma each
Trip Computer/Clock
Qty 1
12 Volts
0.5 Watts
40ma
Led Specifications
3.6 Volts
20ma
0.072 Watts
This info is for the Blue(4000mcd), White(6000mcd), and Green(6000mcd) LEDS
2.0 Volts
20ma
0.04 Watts
This info is for the Red(6500mcd) and Yellow(5000mcd) LED's
The Resistors are rated at 0.5Watts (Metal Film Mini Size 1% tolerance)
As you can see, LEDs have a much lower power requirement, meaning they
place less stress on the cars electrical system.
They are also much more efficient in converting electrical energy to light than a light bulb.
Also because of the low wattage, there is no noticeable change in temperature with the resistor.
The Calculation for resister is as follows
R = (V-LEDVolts)x 1000/I
R = The Resistor Value in Ohms
V is the Supply Voltage (The Vehicles Operating Voltage)
I is the Resistor Supply Current in Milliamps.
So for the above LED's (High Brightness Green,White,Blue versions),
We use the following Values
V = 15Volts (I chose 15 just in case the Vehicles Voltage Regulator dies).
The Vehicle voltage can get up to 16Volts, if the regulator fails, and most auto equipment is designed to handle this voltage. I chose 15 Volts though, because LED's can handle a 10% Current/Voltage variation, Meaning
10% x 15V = 16.5V. Well within our required Limits. (Blowing a few LED's would be the least of our worries if the cars Voltage was this high !!!
so the formula looks like this
R = (15-3.6)*1000/20
R = (11.4)*1000/20
R = 11.4 * 50
R = 570 Ohms
Because a 570 Resistor Value is not available, the value of
560 was selected because it was the closest value available
For the RED and Yellow LED's we use the following
R = (15-2.0)*1000/20
R = (13.0)*1000/20
R = 13.0 * 50
R = 650 Ohms
Because a 650 Resistor Value is not available, the value of
620 was selected because it was the closest value available
Basically, the lower the resistor value, the brighter the LED will become, but the margin for poor voltage regulation becomes less.
What is the Cathode, or Cup side of the LED?
The cup side of the LED is the Cathode side.
(The side that connects to the Negative/Ground side of Power)
The cathode side of the LED can be determined by the following methods
1) Visibly Looking at inside the LED. There is a Cup connected to one Leg, and on the other Leg, a small wire that leads into the Cup. The Cup is the Negative side.
2) Looking for the Notch on the LED. The LED should be round, but normally next to one of the Legs, the plastic edge of the LED is visibly flattened. This is the Cathode side of the LED. (Positive power).
3) Finally the Longer Leg of the LED is the Anode (Positive) side of the LED.
I have given all three descriptions because sometimes the Led Legs can be cut to equal lengths, the shaved edge may be hard to find, or it may be difficult to see the Cup inside the LED
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