Celica Forums General Discussion Interior why BULB COVERS are not all they promise... [ PIX INSIDE ]

A few years ago i picked up an autometer voltmeter gauge for my car - included with that race gauge was some bulb covers that once installed, would change the back-light of the gauge from white to either blue or green.

I never installed those covers because blue nor green would match anything inside my red Celica - they just were not part of my interior color scheme.

Then last year, I was looking around Autozone/Pepboys for stuff to complete a side project when I noticed that they had available, red bulb covers. I decided to give these a shot - heck, for $2.99 a package of 2, how could you go wrong, eh?

Welp... In November, a bulb cap was installed and it gave the exact effect that I was looking for - it was a simple install and the price was right

A few months later, instead of the gauge lighting retaining it's RED color, the gauge reverted back to white with a "pink haze". And I began to ask myself if it was always like that or if this was something new - such as a possible problem?

I opened up the gauge and checked the bulb cover...

To my surprise, the cover had switched from it's original RED to almost a clear color... No worries, I just figured I would grab the other cover to replace the old one.

The whole problem with doing that is the fact that I would have to replace this cover every couple of months if I wanted my car's lighting to look this way. At $2.99 a package, you basically get what you pay for - but after a whole year, it comes out to a lot of time, waisted money and the hassle of having to do it often... which in my honest opinion is just not worth it.

I'm looking to replace the bulb with a POLARG RED instead... No more bulb covers for me.

Attached are a few side-by-side comparison photos.
(read the bottom package description - what does heat resistant mean?)

Full gallery is at...
https://celicahobby.com/gal3/interior_bulbcovers

thats a bitch thats why i dont reccoment them to people doing the ac gauges with those that and the blue will coem out liek crap. Sorry to hear of your 2.99 loss

its ok, I'm not too worried about the $2.99

hey, 4th gen gauge bulbs have those covers to give it color, what r you bitching about, i wanna change, thats the only choice i get, instead i ordered new reverse glow gauges

You can just buy new bulbs. I bought red bulbs and put the bulb covers on. They are nice and dark red!

I always wondered about these everytime I stop by pepboys and check what new gimicks are in..

"I bought red bulbs and put the bulb covers on. They are nice and dark red!" You can red/blue bulbs for the A/\c controls? where?

I thought he was talkin about gauges. Such Autometer ones that he had mentioned in his first sentence?

Just buy LEDs. Cheap (relatively), wont fade, and they will most likely outlast your car. Not to mention the color assortment. The only downside is the viewing angle, but not too bad of a problem.

On a side note..Isaac, whats up with these huge pics? Its given me a headache

my pictures are 640x480 ... they are smaller than the standard sized monitor viewing area.

the only time you should have a problem with 640x480 on a PC will be if you are using a PC from the EARLY 90s... such as 1994

if you are talking about other peoples photos - then ask, I am not the one who attaches those large files

The current generation of LEDs from your local speed shop will not work as a back-lights since they LEDs are directional

I speak of the AUTOMETER Gauges... this is what I am referring to

LEDs will work as back lights. I have them in my gauges in my Eclipse, no problems at all. They are directional, but if you get ones with an inverted tip, they disperse more light to the sides than a standard dome shaped LED. If you cant find ones with inverted tips, just get ones with wider (60 or wider) viewing angles, and they should work as well.

Oh, and Isaac... Nice gauge placement! Very cool

hey isaac..on a side question..how did you install the gauge in there..i got the autometer gauge too..but i seems a little to small..did you use some styrofoam or somthing to mount it..have a dual gauge pod..but looking to get another gauge and saw that this was a good spot to mount it. Thanks.

^^^ https://celicahobby.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/53950/air-vents-how-to-remove.html