[Zyzzyx]

Its been known for a helluva long time that red light is easier on the eyes at night. Ask any astronomer or photographer. So why... why do we have vehicles with white or greenish white backlighting for the dashboard gauges?

I've had far too many years now driving cars with red or orange backlight for the dashboard gauges and console controls. (Audi, BMW, Mini) It really is the way to go; I can do long night drives with minimal eye strain. So I cringe when I drive by folks at night with their white dash lights turned up so high they might as well have a 60w lightbulb in their face.

Any time I have to drive a 'classic' American vehicle with a near white, or that old super pale green backlight, its painful. Heck, I've even seen some new vehicles recently that had BLUE backlight. WTF?


Please, please tell me that the dash backlights are red, orange, or something close.


If we do end up with a Transit, and it isn't of that color, first project will be tearing the dashboard apart, and I really don't want to do that.

 

[VanMan]

New mustangs you can change the color to many. Red is the best for eyes, all the lighting in a submarine is red @ times? (Navy guys correct me if wrong)

 

[PeterR]

and star gazers:

http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/59194-post24.html

 

[wgc]

I'm a retired Army Aviator, we use to use red lights in the cockpit while flying. But with the advent of using Night vision goggles everything was converted to the green color. Flying with goggles ( everything is greenish) it was pretty bright with the red instruments, we actually use to tape over them to reduce the amount of light. With the newer Aircraft all the instrumentation was in green with a rheostat to control brightness. So with that in mind green is now the new red of years past. I've used my old green lights while attempting star gazing. It works quite well.
I agree the white lights on your dash is asking for trouble at night, looks pretty but it sure screws up the night vision. I have no idea what the Navy is currently using but I would bet if they are using Night vision goggles they probably have shifted to green. If they don't use them (goggles) they probably still use red. My 2 cents of info.

 

[JP4]

I'm a current airline pilot, former Air Force pilot. We haven't used red lights in years. As wgc said, with the advent of NVG's, we went to all green light in the military. Boeing cockpit's are now all white or back lit LCD displays. The only remaining red lights are warning lights and old "Grimes" map lights that are seldom used on the red setting. As I age, I actually find my eyes don't focus well using red light and I prefer dim white light. Haven't tried anything with blue back light yet.

 

[PeterR]

. . .

If we do end up with a Transit, and it isn't of that color, first project will be tearing the dashboard apart, and I really don't want to do that.

The Owners Manual Bulb Specification Chart does not list a bulb type for the dash lighting, so it may not be owner-serviceable? [p. 221 of the manual, or p. 224/467 of the PDF]

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...-Owners-Manual-version-3_om_EN-US_10_2014.pdf

 

[Longboard]

I'm a current airline pilot, former Air Force pilot. We haven't used red lights in years. As wgc said, with the advent of NVG's, we went to all green light in the military. Boeing cockpit's are now all white or back lit LCD displays. The only remaining red lights are warning lights and old "Grimes" map lights that are seldom used on the red setting. As I age, I actually find my eyes don't focus well using red light and I prefer dim white light. Haven't tried anything with blue back light yet.

Six years ago when they added 5 more to the part 121 pilot's careers they must have figured that night vision wasn't as important as it had been in the past. Just about everything you're looking at of any importance now is lit, so who needs good cones and rods. How many over 60's have decent night vision anyways? Mine sure has diminished, and they don't bother testing for it any class of medical, or do they??

 

[JP4]

Six years ago when they added 5 more to the part 121 pilot's careers they must have figured that night vision wasn't as important as it had been in the past. Just about everything you're looking at of any importance now is lit, so who needs good cones and rods. How many over 60's have decent night vision anyways? Mine sure has diminished, and they don't bother testing for it any class of medical, or do they??

We still get a basic vision test every 6 months, but it's not getting easier with age. IPad mounted a foot away to my left in the side window (all the charts and manuals are on it), head up display a foot in front, instrument panel and center console a couple feet away, and overhead control panel that stretches back behind my head. Oh, and you're supposed to look outside too

All that with reading glasses hanging off my nose.

Back on topic, the HUD uses green symbology and I find that to be very easy on the eyes. You can turn it way down and still see it. I think that might be a good color for automotive backlighting.
There was a guy on the Subaru forum who disassembled the entire dash of his brand new Outback and replaced all the LEDs with a different color (red if I remember correctly). Huge job, but it is possible apparently.
JP

 

[Brad]

My wife had a Mazda 6 and now a Subaru Outback. Both have red dash lights and with switch label illumination also in red. Terrible, especially switches, as illuminated red lettering is low in contrast and almost impossible to read. My vehicles all have/had white switch label illumination, and even when dimmed down it's no problem reading the labels. Red is a terrible color choice for illuminated switches.

 

[hammerdown]

So, uh... the OP's question never was answered. What colors are the backlighting and gauges? I know somebody who has replied here has a van... Longboard, I'm looking your direction...

I would also like to know.

My Pontiac G8 has classic Poncho red gauges that I find comfortable on long night drives. Can dim them right down, and then it has a cool party trick/easter egg. If I press the dim and bright buttons at the same time, all the instrument lights, including the radio screen and hvac controls go out completely, except the speedo and small info screen next to it, displaying a numerical speed, stereo settings, trip computer, or whatever I want to toggle to. Amazing feature. I call it stealth mode. I am a 10 year old boy.

 

[Longboard]

So, uh... the OP's question never was answered. What colors are the backlighting and gauges? I know somebody who has replied here has a van... Longboard, I'm looking your direction...

Never payed attention, but my memory is of white and red markings with white backlighting. It's still dark out so I could go check before heading out to work in my daily driver, but I'd have to brush off TWO INCHES of SNOW that fell last night before opening the door! I'll be busy enough with the small car, so that will have to wait.
Heading back to FL Thursday night so I'll give a detailed interior lighting report then, you'll just have to be patient and put up with Siri's quirks.

 

[6386]

Last pic in this post:

http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/...s/5929-150-xlt-130-lr-ecoboost.html#post76281

 

[PeterR]

Last pic in this post:

http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/...s/5929-150-xlt-130-lr-ecoboost.html#post76281

This link goes directly to Rick's photo:

Thanks.