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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - TD LED Dash Lights

replaced the 5 factory bulbs in the dash with LED. Big difference. What do you guys think?


Rich King TD 8732

The small ones


Rich King TD 8732

Rich - P/N and vendor? Cheers - Dave
D W DuBois

I love LED lights in the dash... You can actually see them!
Geoffrey M Baker

I got mine from Moss for positive ground!
Don Harmer

I think the ground needs to be matched. LEDs are sensitive re: positive and negative.

Anyone know if there is a difference if the ground's been changed?
MAndrus

MAndrus, not all LEDs are polarity sensitive. In fact many of the small low power ones suitable for dash fitting are not polarized. The biggest issue is size - making sure they are not too long for the housing.
Geoffrey M Baker

Not quite --- ALL LEDs are polarity sensitive. The D stands for diode, an electronic device that passes current in only one direction. It's how the LEDs are packaged that determines what polarity they are designed for. In some cases the LEDs are configured with other electronic components in the package to allow the package to be polarity insensitive. An LED device that has a red and black wire coming out of it needs to have the red wire connected to the positive connection and the black to the negative. Bud
Bud Krueger

As Bud noted LED's, ALL LED CHIPS, are diodes and are polarity sensitive.
The operating voltage of each LED chip is in the 2.5 to 3.5 volt range. It is possible to put multiple chips in series to increase this.

BUT LED's are VERY sensitive to operating current and must be provided with a circuit to stabilize current, independent of the SUPPLIED voltage and the temperature. These are called Drivers.

(Note the voltage in a car can vary from about 12 to 15 volts.)

These circuits can also be polarity sensitive. The led bulb we buy are complex devices containing (at least) the driver and LED chip.

However it is possible to, with adequate available voltage. imbed the LED and the Driver in a 4 diode circuit, sometimes called an "H" bridge. This provides the combined driver and LED circuit with the correct polarity no matter how the operator connects it up. Thus making the device, Bridge, LED, and driver "operator proof" or polarity insensitive.


Jim B.
JA Benjamin

OK, let me rephrase that. "Not all LEDs (well, we call them LEDs and they are sold as "LEDs" but they are in fact a polarity sensitive light emitting diode embedded in a protective electronic circuit, which allow them to be used in circuits where polarity is immaterial, meaning that the wires can safely be reversed and the light will operate either way) are polarity sensitive". sheesh. :)
Geoffrey M Baker

Picky ain't they :-) Jud
J K Chapin


Sorry for the delay, I haven't been back in. And yes I ordered positive ground for my car.


Purchased on ebay from seller tiger1a (Item 300941108555). $5 each plus $3.50 Shipping.

Rich

www.mgtd.co.nr
Rich King TD 8732

Rich, did you buy a dimmer, or bypass your dimmer switch? I see the seller says you need the pulse width modulator. Thanks. Regards, Tom
tm peterson

Nope i just bought the bulbs. The TD, mine anyways, does not have a dimmer on the dash lights. Old bulbs out new ones in! I wish the tach and speedo were a bit brighter then they are but i really dont drive at night anyways. I just got my Moss catalog tonight and they have what looks like the exact same bulb for $9.95! I paid $5. I needed 5, bought six, with shipping it was $33.50. You buy six through Moss your looking at $70ish with shipping.
Rich King TD 8732

I meant to add. Because I do not have the under dash interior board installed on my car be prepared that your floor boards with be lite up a bit more also. I dont mind this. It is not over the top bright at all.
Rich King TD 8732

Thanks for information. It does seem more light is cast on my feet than the instrument faces as well. I did route a bit more wood from around the bulb sockets. I do drive after dark.. "Reading" the instruments is more like " guessing" the instruments. think the TD's did have dimmer switches. I will have refresh my memory, but I recall my owners manual showing one rheostat switch for fog lamps and the other for instrument lights. Regards, tom
tm peterson

No dimmer on early TD dash lights. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Routing out around the instruments helps. I routed a 45 degree angle and then glued some aluminum foil to the wood to help reflect the light in.
Geoffrey M Baker

I also routed, painted the area white and replaced the original green acetate with a more transparent (lighter) green acetate.
Mort
Mort 50 TD

Good idea about the routing. If I had it to do over again I would also do that. Not going back now though :)
Rich King TD 8732

Regarding dimmers; don't know if it is original but on my Sept 51 TD, there is a switch that controls the dash lighting. There are two switches on my dash, one controls the lighting the other I have always assumed is for fog lights, which I don't have.
Geoffrey M Baker

Geoffrey the two matching switches on the dash are exactly that. One controls the dash lights (either on or off) and the other is for fog lights.

My car is also an early TD, so it is a 52 but actually a June 51 car.

Rich

www.mgtd.co.nr
Rich King TD 8732

I also used a router, aluminium foil & a lighter green acetate. May still install LED's. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2015 and 01/03/2015

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