Sizes for Mark III instrument lignts?

3 of my instrument panel lights are burned out and I'm finally going to replace them. I found a supplier that makes them in various sizes, so if they fit I'll replace all four (amber, red, blue, and green).

The supplier is a company called K-Four, based near me in San Diego, and they have all kinds of switches and goodies for cars and bikes.

www.k-four.net

I was hoping someone on the forum might already know the required diameter of these instrument lights. If so, please let me know - otherwise, not a big deal - I'll pull one off and measure the hole in the instrument panel.

Here are the sizes that K-Four has:

1500 Series: 1 in. mounting hole, 1.1 in. bezel (way too big, I know, but I listed it just in case anybody on the forum might be looking for something for another project)

460 Series: .5 in. hole, .635 in. bezel

210 Series: .312 in. hole, .375 in. bezel

214 Series: .312 in. hole, .385 bezel

and the list goes on and on and on....

I'm guessing the hole for the Mark III idiot lights is about .312. Anybody know for sure?


Thanks if you do.

keith

Here's what I measured…

.333 Hole Diameter
.455 Bezel Diameter

I just bought a bulb from Old Britts, it isn't listed in their parts list, but they have them.

Not cheap, $10 a piece, just for the bulb. Colored holder not included.

Commando Specialties offers the Mk III instrument bulbs. I'd guess they would be at a fraction of the cost you quoted...

I would think that you'd be able to adapt some sexy LEDs and be done with it forever.

RS

2Wheels -

Thanks for the measurements.

Not sure which units I'll buy. K-Four has LEDs that would fit with a bit of fiddling.

Keith Kelly

You can repair the old one.
I use those small car instrument bulbs, the type that are pushed into a clip (forgot what they're called). I just pull the bulb holder from the bezel and clip off the dud bulb. Unwind the two pick up wires from the new buld and solder them inplace. I've found the solder sometimes won't take first time, just got to persevere.

OK I'm a tight ba****d, it's the Scot in me. :twisted:

Cash

cash said:

You can repair the old one.
I use those small car instrument bulbs, the type that are pushed into a clip (forgot what they're called). I just pull the bulb holder from the bezel and clip off the dud bulb. Unwind the two pick up wires from the new buld and solder them inplace.

Click to expand...

Do you mean the small 'capless' bulbs? http://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/498

As I have also repaired the original MkIII warning lights using capless bulbs.

pkeithkelly said:

Not sure which units I'll buy. K-Four has LEDs that would fit with a bit of fiddling.

Click to expand...

If you fit LEDs as warning lamps, then the turn signal/blinker warning lamp will probably only work for one set of signals, as the bulb is wired between the left and right signal circuits, and not to earth/ground, so the polarity across the bulb changes according to which set of signals are flashing.

It is possible to connect a three pin flasher relay which has a separate warning lamp output, and this can be wired to the warning bulb, and the other side of the bulb wired to earth/ground. Example: http://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/f ... iagram.jpg

Do you mean the small 'capless' bulbs?

Click to expand...

Yes that's the little buggers. I fitted a set eight years ago and they're still working OK. ( Hmm kiss of death I reckon)

Cash

Hi RGM in Cumbria uk do a complete LED idiot light replcement kit for the Mk3 Commando.
The LEDs fit perfectly and come with proper chrome bezels. I have fitted these but have not wired the bike yet.

Regards Bob (rocker1)

rocker1 said:

Hi RGM in Cumbria uk do a complete LED idiot light replcement kit for the Mk3 Commando.
The LEDs fit perfectly and come with proper chrome bezels. I have fitted these but have not wired the bike yet.

Click to expand...

I wonder if they are still selling the same LED set that I bought from them some while ago.
As they were not very bright. The LEDs were rather small, so were practically useless in even moderately bright daylight, and as I said earlier, the indicator warning lamp only worked for either one set of indicators or the other, depending which way around the LED was connected. I contacted RGM at the time to see if they were aware of the problem, but they didn't seem to be all that interested, so didn't use them for long before I removed them and fitted a set I bought from Mick Hemmings which had normal bulbs. Eventually I bought and fitted a used set of original MkIII lamps.