Hello all, like mentioned in another thread, I looked after a LED-solution for the hard to obtain bulb in the handbrake lever. Like you see on the pictures, the circuit board is ready and I began to tinker with the SMD-LEDs regarding brightness. I was concerned, that it might get too bright, what can get annoying and distracting while driving at night. Therefore I started with the lowest light emitting diodes I got. And now it's much too dark. But this means I can proceed with the next brighter LEDs and hope to find a good degree of brightness. But so far I can say, that the thing fits perfectly into the handbrake lever and sits tight in the bulb holder. If I get a good restult I will offer a bunch of these LED-lights. Best Regards from Germany Martin Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'm glad, that you like my solution. A small correction. In the thread title I mentioned also the 328, but those seem to not having this light. Does anyone know, whether other Ferraris, than the 308 GTB/GTS have this bulb in the handbrake lever? Best Regards and thanks Martin
LOVE it! Count me in. ... now wait a minute, are you designing to a brightness that actually provides useful light, or to Ferrari instruments standards where the lighting is only a patronizing gesture toward illumination?
LOL Good question. I aim for brightness which provides some orientation in the dark on the center console, but not so bright, that it's distracting while driving in the dark. The original bulb seems to be too bright for some folks, so I will definitely make it darker. And it will be a compromise regarding dark and light console leather. Best Regards Martin
Martin, perfect and count me in for at least two when ready. Concerning brightness, could you also provide an option to match as close as possible the lamp output? I have an all led conversion and find that my dimmer works just fine to adjust brightness to my liking. Best regards, Rob Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Mike, of course. Though my main intention was to create the original style in green, I could also solder different colour LEDs. For example: white, blue, yellow, red, purple. Best Regards Martin
Steven, you said on the other thread, that yours is yellow? But like said, I will make it darker than the stock bulb, since getting even brighter would probably make the car undriveable in the dark. Now I wait for shipment of my brighter LEDs. And if I achieve my goal I will order some blue ones for Mike Best Regards Martin
Yeah it's yellow on mine currently, goes very well with the interior light. If you're going to make blue ones, I will get one besides the green as well. Thanks for doing this Martin!
Hi Martin, excellent job. Could I also be a nuisance and put my name down for a blue one. I changed all the other dash lights for LED's and they come through as blue rather than green!
No nuisance at all. I'm happy about everyone who likes this thingy. This evening I tried the first version with the lowest emitting diodes in the dark. Yes it's creepy , and it's dark but it's no way so dark I thought it is, when testing it on my workbench yesterday. It can keep up with the instruments illumination on full brightness (dimmer zero). And I have black leather. It does, what it should. Providing some orientation on the center console, but not distracting in the visual field. Would have loved to post a picture, but was too lazy this evening to fetch my tripod I'm curious about the result with the brighter LEDs I ordered. But I will not implement a dimmer on the circuit board, like Crowndog suggested. That's overkill for me and I don't want to create unnecessary heat on this tiny board. It's already cramped enough. Best Regards Martin
I'll take a blue as it will match better with my interior LED upgrade! Put me down for two blue and two green, i know some fellow 308 owners who might want one.