LED Gauge Install

[Sampuppy1]

Guess if one dies I'll test that policy, in there reviews I did find a couple guys saying they got bad ones but the rep replied and told them to contact him directly and he would get replacements right out to him.

I looked at some other brands (if there is really even a difference) but decided to just give it a shot. I'm starting to wonder how many real LED manufactures there actually is. Kinda like how other aftermarket parts suppliers buy and rebox under their own brand. It would make sense if there really is only 2-3 companies supplying all these vendors.

I have had it explained to me this way:

There are 3-4 decent chipset manufacturers. Chipsets are the actual diode. The white square with yellow dot that has the small mineral chunk in it that glows when electronically charged. Cree is one. Phillips is another, and two more. These are US based. They have stringent quality controls and produce high end chipsets that are stable and reliable and have some sort of warranty that is upheld when installed properly(more on this in a bit)

There are probably 200 or more cheap foreign chipset manufacturers. Some with warranties (not always honored (see below)) and some without. These chipsets can be hit and miss.

Chipsets come in all shapes and sizes and specs and each model has requirements and suggestions for installation on to circuit boards, max ratings, output levels, and such that are provided to anyone who buys the chipsets.

The big factor here in price comes with the fixtures. Anyone can buy chipsets in bulk. It's their mounting and circuitry that drives them, that makes or breaks the system here. A cree chipset on a cree board, in a cree housing, is going to cost more. They handled all parts in house, they know the specs needed for proper operation, and they use quality circuit boards, and solder.

Cheaper companies buy cree chips, use cheap everything else and sell for less, advertising they used good chipsets, even though literally nothing else about their product is worth a damn.

Then you have the super cheap community that just uses cheap garbage for everything, and you'll buy a 100 pack of bulbs for a buck, and half either arrive damaged, break during simple install, or just straight up don't work out of the package or stop working shortly after install.

Hyde was running into chipset issues. He was having numerous failures from numerous chipset manufacturers and they refused to warranty after awhile. He exhausted all the midrange manufacturers and cut the LED side out of the business because he couldn't go with Cree or Phillips and be able to compete with SBL. Nobody would buy.

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Tyler/T-Unit

 

[big_mike]

I'm hoping since I didn't buy the el cheapo option they will be alright. I spent about $43 for just the cluster/HVAC/headlight switch. The last set I put in my truck I got from MOBS when he was selling them and believe I paid less with door switches included and those are still going strong.

 

[Sampuppy1]

I'm hoping since I didn't buy the el cheapo option they will be alright. I spent about $43 for just the cluster/HVAC/headlight switch. The last set I put in my truck I got from MOBS when he was selling them and believe I paid less with door switches included and those are still going strong.

Mike had great product for a long time. I have quite a few of his older run lights in my truck with zero issues to this day.

But his chipset suppliers' quality went down over time and they eventually quit honoring their warranty and blaming him for faulty supporting circuitry. He changed manufacturers a few times to find the same issues. After his last few runs with LEDs, he finally gave up on lights altogether. His HID designer quit, mid design phase. So that project was scrapped. I'm still sitting on a bunch of old stock I can't sell. I don't trust the lights enough to sell them and possibly smear his name. It's not his fault really.

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Tyler/T-Unit

 

[big_mike]

That sucks for everyone involved on that one

 

[Sampuppy1]

It's not that bad. I got them all cheap enough, and so long ago I don't even know what I paid lol. And I use them in my truck so they aren't going to waste.

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Tyler/T-Unit

 

[98silveraydo]

Yeah, I got SBL in my interior about 2.5 years ago now and they all still work but now I’m hearing they’re trash. I wanna change from my blue to a pure white but I don’t wanna go to eBay lights and have half my cluster lit like most of the ppl I see. I might try that hidkitpros.com. Lmk if y’all have any other good places to buy.

Also, is there anything on our panels that are tinted? I can’t remember but I thought I saw something a while back about some cluster or panel having a bluish or greenish tint.

 

[deven bullis]

I need some help with my install, I got T10/194 LED’s with twist locks and I installed them today and only 1 light is showing. I’ve tried looking through this forum but I found nothing. Thank you

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[Z71Hobbs]

I need some help with my install, I got T10/194 LED’s with twist locks and I installed them today and only 1 light is showing. I’ve tried looking through this forum but I found nothing. Thank you

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Take them out and rotate them 180 degrees. Then reinstall.

 

[deven bullis]

Take them out and rotate them 180 degrees. Then reinstall.

It worked, they look amazing, thank you so much!


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[Little Jeff]

This is what I ended up with doing mine , the lower right is still a bit dim at night

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