What are the implications of using 5W bulbs in the instrument cluster?
Standard ones are 3W and it says on the back of the cluster 3W Max.
5W cluster bulbs.
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smithy318i
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Globulator
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I suspect at nearly double the power they'd start melting things on a warm day.
I'm sure a BMW dealer will sell you the right one for peanuts - that sort of fiddly bit is real 'dealer can't be beaten' territory!
I'm sure a BMW dealer will sell you the right one for peanuts - that sort of fiddly bit is real 'dealer can't be beaten' territory!
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TouringMatt
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DONT DO IT!!!
I did, worked fine, gauges were a little brighter but eventually the bulbs melted the orange plastic covers and fused themselves into a blob, only found out when one blew, orange covers were scrap - fortunatly i had a spare cluster
Matt
I did, worked fine, gauges were a little brighter but eventually the bulbs melted the orange plastic covers and fused themselves into a blob, only found out when one blew, orange covers were scrap - fortunatly i had a spare cluster
Matt
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Geeman
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that happened to a cluster I picked up... there were 5w bulbs in and the orange covers had melted.
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Globulator
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You need to remember that brand new 3w filament bulbs will be brighter than the old ones anyway.
Bulbs all age and get darker as the tungsten boils off and coats the inside of the glass.
Halogens etc. are a different - but all regular bulbs do this.
If you want to do bright properly you'll need to experiment with 12V leds and make sure they point the right way - they only radiate light from the top... some old bulbs even look silver!
Bulbs all age and get darker as the tungsten boils off and coats the inside of the glass.
Halogens etc. are a different - but all regular bulbs do this.
If you want to do bright properly you'll need to experiment with 12V leds and make sure they point the right way - they only radiate light from the top... some old bulbs even look silver!