- Mon Feb 16, 2015 7:52 pm
#44411
I have a 2003 Bullet 500 ES USA Model so who knows about other models, but my Speedometer Illumination bulb is a BA9s (9 mm with prongs) and same as the tell-tale indicator lamps and not a BA7s (7 mm with ridges) as found in the ammeter.
I put an A-1272 (BA7s base, 12V 2W) in the Ammeter as it is what I could find locally. It is slightly taller and it works OK but seems a bit brighter than expected, perhaps because it is taller than the original, putting the light closer to the gauge.
I have some 12/14 V white LEDs (built-in resistor), intended for indicator bulb replacement, so I soldered one into a BA9s base. I save dead bulbs for this reason - my wife thinks there is no point to all the odd items I save but one never knows when one will need it, does one? Anyway, works great in the Neutral Indicator. However, it has a fairly narrow beam angle, and this wasn't very good in the Speedometer for that reason. It was bright from 40 to 60 MPH but the rest of the speedo was dim. I switched back to an incandescent globe which spreads its light more evenly.
Discovered I had to completely undo the speedo in the casquette and turn it 180 degrees to get the indicator bulbs out, by the way.
I hope all this will help others when the time comes to replace bulbs.
