Pictures inside Speedo and Tach?

drones76 · Sep 27, 2011

Does anyone have any broken gauges that they can photograph and post? I am trying to retrofit some additional lighting and before I start to disassemble a good set, I want to see if it is even an option. I need pictures of the internals of the gauges.

What I am trying to determine is if the back case can be drilled for a couple of LED's. I figure if I can drill 3 holes in addition to the original (but much smaller at equal points (or close) around the back and install LED's it would light them up nicely.

The entire assembly seems to be held together by the chrome band around the face and that is not an easy proposition to disassemble and reassemble without making a mess of it. If someone has a good method to take them apart, I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

jon

DogT · Sep 27, 2011

The pictures here http://www.members.shaw.ca/randell/Smith/Speedo.html may help, maybe not. However, I doubt if there is any way you can re-use the bezel after it's removed. I replaced one of mine using just a short 1/2" drive extension to press the back over the case and then crunching it down more with some adjustable pliers and a wood block on the face. It looks like a mess in the back, but that's covered up by the holders. From the front and side you can't tell from a roll installed one.

I would think there would be room in the back of the case to put LEDs.

Dave
69S

AntrimMan · Sep 27, 2011

I would think you could drill too, although my thought is based solely upon the pictures and not from experience.
I also believe any steel chips resulting from drilling are likely to become ever so slightly magnetic and will not be your friend if they enter the enclosure.
Serious vacuum may be needed to keep them out. Maybe mount a magnet close to the drilling to catch the chips. Place the magnet in a plastic bag to facilitate cleaning.
Of course we will need pictures as you progress.
Reflecting the light evenly around the inside of the clock is a big challenge. Multi point illumination may still not look like it's even but may be better than one bulb.
If you open the case then there are additional possibilities, like EL or LED strip or adding an aluminized mylar strip peripherally to assist reflection.
A backlighted translucent dial is hard to beat but hard to do too.
All the best.

bwolfie · Sep 27, 2011

Painting the inside of the case with a nice flat white paint will also help. That's how aircraft instruments are done, and they light up very well from a single bulb.

Jeandr · Sep 27, 2011

If you don't mind modifying your instruments, you could drill a series of small holes (1/8") on the bottom of the case and glue in a series of small LEDs (blue would look nice, but so would red, orange or just plain white) Wire them in a series of three with a 510 ohm resistor. Take a look at had-hour-waste-t10997.html if they were my instruments, I would do the series of holes, the lighting would be a lot more even all the way around. I have ordered some light strips that can ce cut at any lenght of three LEDs, when I get them, I will try and stuff some through the bulb hole and see what kind of lighting I get.

Jean

Hobot · Sep 27, 2011

Maybe sorta here?? DIY Smiths speedo fixing
http://members.shaw.ca/randell/Smith/Speedo.html

drones76 · Sep 28, 2011

Jeandr said:
If you don't mind modifying your instruments, you could drill a series of small holes (1/8") on the bottom of the case and glue in a series of small LEDs (blue would look nice, but so would red, orange or just plain white) Wire them in a series of three with a 510 ohm resistor. Take a look at had-hour-waste-t10997.html if they were my instruments, I would do the series of holes, the lighting would be a lot more even all the way around. I have ordered some light strips that can ce cut at any lenght of three LEDs, when I get them, I will try and stuff some through the bulb hole and see what kind of lighting I get.

Jean

Thanks all for the responses. Jean, your thread is what inspired me. I have gotten the bezel off and am ordering the LED's. I am considering putting a potentiometer in series to give me the ability to dial up or down the intensity of the lights. I may just do that on the prototype for the first few rides to give me a better idea of the size resistor needed for a permanent fix.

Thanks for the websites and the pictures. Those are for a different set of gauges than I have. I have the Smith green dots although they look similar.

There is definitely room to drill for additional lighting.

Thanks,
jon

chapmanmd · Sep 28, 2011

This just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions...

I put LED's into the gauges of my Thruxton. I can honestly say that I was not impressed with the evenness of the the light. I ended up taking the LED's out and painting the inside of my polished buckets a nice flat white and putting the original bulbs back in, as someone else mentioned earlier. I am much happier with the results.

drones76 · Sep 28, 2011

New development. I found a string of LED's that have an adhesive backing. They will stick right onto the inside of the gauge case and the LED's will be concealed by the inner ring behind the glass. The string or strip of LED's have an LED every 16mm so the light should be evenly distributed. There will be 12 LED's around each gauge.

No holes will need to be drilled and if I want to undo it, the hardest part will be getting the bezel off again. Taking one of those off is not for the faint of heart. As DogT said, if careful none of the 'damage' will be seen when reassembled.

I have been taking pictures as I go along and will post them when the unit is complete.

jon

DogT · Sep 28, 2011

Where did you find the LED strip, I've been looking for them with no luck. 12VDC?

Yes, if you are real careful, you can take off about 1/2 of the back and most likely put it back on, but if you mess it up here you go, $36. http://www.eurojamb.com/smiths-repair-k ... -1296.html

I'd probably still do the flat white inside.

Dave
69S

drones76 · Oct 3, 2011

For anyone interested here is the mod I did on the Speedo. The white dot light is not nearly as obvious as in the pictures. The light is actually evenly spread out. Much better than original.

Before:

Prying the ring off. Very tedious. Several trips around were necessary.

LED strip detail. At each set of copper connectors the strip can be cut into 2 inch lengths with 3 evenly spaced LED's. The strip length I used was 8 inches. The 12 LED's go from 10MPH to 150MPH.

Soldered wire end detail. I put a dot of liquid tape on each side to insulate.

Finished product. I need a new glass. Mine was broken when I got the bike. I am thinking of getting two new ones etched with Norton across them.

And with a 10k resistor to make the lights more subtle. Again the pictures unfortunately do not look as good as they do on the bench.

EDIT one more update. Although, the lighting looked good where it was, I moved the LED string below the level of the speedo number plate. This has evened out the lighting even more.

DogT · Oct 3, 2011

Could you tell us where you got the LED strips? It looks very cool, even if the pics don't do justice.

Dave
69S

drones76 · Oct 3, 2011

Here is the link at the bottom:
NFLS-SS-x300 is the model of the strip I used. One sample strip ($13.00) will do both gauges. 12v. They have a lot of cool stuff and very reasonable.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/ ... htm%23alms

DogT · Oct 3, 2011

Cool, every time I looked it up I always got some place in China. Thanks,

Dave
69S

drp · Oct 3, 2011

There is a pretty good book written about rebuilding magnetic smiths instruments. It's available on Lulu Press and it's only $20.95. Here's the link http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/m ... ir/5092561 the fellow who wrote it posts sometimes on Britbike.com

Dave

Jeandr · Oct 3, 2011

drones76 said:

Really cool. I have a LED strip on order (from China

) it will most likely be for a future project, glad to know it works so well.

Jean

bwolfie · Oct 4, 2011

I have 5 meters of this light strip coming If any one needs to purchase a short section let me know.

bwolfie · Oct 18, 2011

LES light strip showed up today. Nice stuff. The LED's are super bright and white. All sealed from moisture. Each small section is 2". Here's a few pictures. I have lots extra if anyone wants to purchase any. $5 ft shipped

Jeandr · Nov 4, 2012

Here is my version of LED gauge lighting. On the old chronometric gauges it is a bit easier since the ring is screwed on.

Don't worry, I have a few spots of hot melt glue holding the strip and the wires in place

Here is the gauge in daylight. I was missing the bulb holder, so I made a brass screwed on part and used it to pass the wires.

BTW the gauge is for sale if anyone is interested

Jean

drones76 · Nov 4, 2012

Very nice Jean. Mine are holding up nicely. My only complaint is that I get some direct light in my eyes from my LED's. I need to move them down in the clock cases. I just don't have the impetus to open them back up. The other side effect is that my face and chest are lit up at night and a neighbor said it looked like a ghost rider going through the neighborhood.

Pictures inside Speedo and Tach?

Similar threads