On 10 Aug 2005 11:55:57 -0700, wrote:


Can anyone please tell me what kind of replacement bulb I should use. I
called Uniden Parts department and they said they would have to e-mail
a tech and they would get back to me in 48 hours, although she didn't
seem confident they would have them. I figured it might be
cheaper/easier to replace the meter itself but they said the
replacemnet meter did not come with the bulb!

The schematics (found at www.cbtricks.com) lists it as "PL501 Meter
Lamp", but unfortunately that doesn't mean anything to me.

I guess if all else fails I could put a multi-meter on the two leads
and take a guess at the proper bulb? My local Radio Shack had an
assortment of 12v, 6v and 1.5v mini lamps, not sure if any of those
would be appropriate.

Thanks for any help.


You are probably better off with a super bright LED and a drop resistor.

Vinnie S.

radio shck bulb would be fine

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 23:49:07 -0400, (123a 456a) wrote:

radio shck bulb would be fine


The LEDs have a better, cooler light. And they rarely burn out.

Vinnie S.

Thanks...I opened up the radio cut off the bulb and measured 13v off
the leads (I had the radio plugged into an AC- DC converter). So I
went to radio shack and got a 12v 25mA mini lamp (part 272-1141) and it
worked.

However, it doesn't sit too nicely into the space that the original
bulb did (I still haven't heard back from Uniden) and I'm afraid it
might eventually burn/discolor the back of the meter.

The LED idea sounds perfect, but as you can see I'm no Tech, so I
assume that the drop resistor would drop the voltage down to what the
LED would expect?

On 11 Aug 2005 09:52:29 -0700, wrote:


Thanks...I opened up the radio cut off the bulb and measured 13v off
the leads (I had the radio plugged into an AC- DC converter). So I
went to radio shack and got a 12v 25mA mini lamp (part 272-1141) and it
worked.

However, it doesn't sit too nicely into the space that the original
bulb did (I still haven't heard back from Uniden) and I'm afraid it
might eventually burn/discolor the back of the meter.

The LED idea sounds perfect, but as you can see I'm no Tech, so I
assume that the drop resistor would drop the voltage down to what the
LED would expect?


Correct. Most LED handle a few volts. The resistor drops the excess voltage.

Here is a formula where you inpu the LED specs, and it tells you the resistor
value needed. Just fill in the blanks:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/led_info.htm

You are starting to see many of these Super Bright LEDs in flashlights. White is
the color you want.

Also, the intensity in measured in MCD. The higher the number, the brighter (and
more expensive). For example:

http://www.radioshack.com/category.a...2%5F000&Page=1


Vinnie S.

Thanks Vinnie.!!! I think I'll give it a try.