phinsn98

iTrader: (2)

David I'd be interested. I'm also interested in updating the dash/interior lighting with LEDs as well.

7_rocket

iTrader: (6)

I'd be down price pending

silentblu

iTrader: (1)

me too, it depends on what is being replaced as well, interior only? exterior only? or both?

David Hayes

iTrader: (6)

I was thinking a complete interior and exterior swap with the exception of the headlight bulbs.

Of course, this would be approved by the forum also.

1QWIK7

iTrader: (33)

Did anyone do the LED bulb for the domelight yet? I wanna see if it looks better than the stock bulb. (if its too white, it might look dumb).

7_rocket

iTrader: (6)

I'm not sure if everyone will want to replace all the lights, for myself I'd be interested in the rear taillight signals. If you can do it with individual items that would be suffice

7_rocket

iTrader: (6)

I did, but not LED bulbs just regular white peanut bulbs. Looks 100x better than stock and yes you can see

David Hayes

iTrader: (6)

What I might do, unless there is more interest, is to do a complete LED bulb replacement on my car and then post up a list of all the bulbs with pics of them. I've found some very nice 5 watt dual intensity taillight bulbs to try. I think the brightest ones yet that were tested on the forum were 3 watts. 5 watts is a lot of brightness for an LED bulbs. For comparison, I built a pretty cool, funky modern chandelier for our new home in Asheville using 7 LED lights, with each being less than one watt per bulb. And each bulb gives off enough light for an equivalent 45 watt or so regular bulb.

David Hayes

iTrader: (6)

Here is what I tried to add to the above post but didn't make it in time:

What I might do, unless there is more interest, is to do a complete LED bulb replacement on my car and then post up a list of all the bulbs with pics of them. I've found some very nice 5 watt dual intensity taillight bulbs to try. I think the brightest ones yet that were tested on the forum were 3 watts. 5 watts is a lot of brightness for an LED bulbs. For comparison, I built a pretty cool, funky modern chandelier for our new home in Asheville using 7 LED lights, with each being less than one watt per bulb. And each bulb gives off enough light for an equivalent 45 watt or so regular bulb.

Here is what I am thinking for the tail lights:

http://superbrightleds.com/specs/1156-xLX5.htm

The above bulb interests me for a few reasons. It uses surface mounted LEDs which I have found to be extremely durable. It has a beam angle pattern of 220 degrees which is more than wide enough to light up the whole tail light section. Most LEDs are narrow angle focused (like a flash light beam) and they do not spread out enough light for tail light and braking applications. Finally, the bulbs are very bright as they put out about 130 lumens. By contrast, the bulbs I used for my home lighting project we pretty bright but they were only 24 lumens (http://superbrightleds.com/specs/MR11-WHPx.htm) so I know these will be bright. The downside? Cost: $29.95 per light.

What I also like about the bulbs is they have a dual intensity mode, were all the LEDS in the bulb are always on but the brighten when pressing the brake as described here:

"How do your LED bulbs achieve dual intensity?
All of our Tail/Brake bulbs achieve dual intensity modes by turning all of the LEDs on dim or all of the LEDs on bright, all of the LEDs are always lit when either mode is active."


My research also concludes you have to match the color of the LEDs to the color of the lens. So, if you are buying bulbs for the tail lights and the lens color is read, you need to use red colored LEDs and if the lens is white/clear, you should use white LEDs. Why?

"Which Color LEDs should I use ?
For best results the LED color should be the same as the lens color. As an example: a red lens will filter out all but the red portion of the light so if the light is all red, none or very little light will be blocked by the lens. The light from a White LED contains very little light in the red portion of the visible spectrum so most of the light would be filtered out by a red lens."

Finally, for the person that wanted to replace the dome light, my money would be on this, the WLED-WHP LED Wedge Base Bulbs:

http://superbrightleds.com/specs/bulb_specs.htm

I'd buy the one in white (as opposed to cool white) as it will have a more natural look and it also has a 120 degree beam patter which should be plenty wide enough to disperse the light.

Anyway, I'll do this as a project once I get my car back from Gotham Racing. It's going to be like 30 days or so.

DCrosby

The issue is Traditional Filament bulbs radiate light in all directions, or at lest as much as the glass dome allows, and LEDs are very directional by design... and with a big heat sync, like the one in David Hayes' picture doesn't radiate out very much. This isn't such a big problem if the bulb came from the back and faced toward the lens, the issue is, it faces into the top of the reflector. Which does very little because light drop off especially with bounces is fairly extreme. Therefore we're not seeing such great results with LEDs pointing away from the base. Especially spider lights and other variants that have a large or high wattage LED facing straight out are going to shine right into the top of the reflector, not out towards the lens / intended viewer.

Just something to keep in mind when buying LEDs...

toyzzzz

I tried these from Gmonsens earlier post and am happy.
3175_HP_W rear hatch
http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/P...id/0/SFV/32481
194_5_SMT_W interior map lights
http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/P...id/0/SFV/32481
194_HP2_W license plate
http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/P...id/0/SFV/32481
194_4_W 99 spec driving lights
http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/P...id/0/SFV/32481

I tied a couple for the rear markers, unfortunately they looked pink. I will re-order in red.

David Hayes

iTrader: (6)

You are right about normal LEDS having a small beam pattern. Most were initially developed for spot applications were a small beam pattern worked fine. The ones I posted have a beam angle of 220 degrees, more than sufficient for this application I think. They even make them now with 360 degree patterns but the brightness in not on par with the ones I described. I'm going to give them a shot and see what happens.

gracer7-rx7

iTrader: (16)

I might be interested pending seeing actual results on a car.

DCrosby

I'd be interested in the intensity at 0 deg. vs. 110 deg. from the front, and then you still have the issue that the reflector was designed for a central light source to spread, and focus through the lens element.... which isn't quite how the LEDs bulb holders were deigned... If Someone would make a 3Watter where all the leds faced sideways that might make things more efficient... but either way it looks like the tech is getting better, but not bright enough for me risking someone plowing into the back of my FD due to not being able to tell the difference between brake and running lights. It's one of my FD Phobias, driving in Los Angeles, getting rear ended... in my FD...

David Hayes

iTrader: (6)

Okay, so this thread has really peaked my interest and has led to some research on my part and several emails to the superbrightleds.com guys. What I have found out to date is you should match the color of bulb you are purchasing to the lense color. So, if you have a red lense (like our brake lights) them you need to use a red LED bulb as the lense itself filters out other light colors except the red. So, DCrosby, you ordered white LEDs right? If so, I think this is part of the problem.

I've located the cross reference guide for FD LED replacement bulbs and have included it. Looks like the correct bulb for the brake light is a 1157?

Finally, I'm having a conversation with the superbrightleds.com guys regarding the best brake light bulb (and the others too but this one in particular) for our application and will share with you the result once I get more clarification.

David Hayes

iTrader: (6)

I now have spoken to superbrightleds.com and they confirm you shouldn't put white LEDs behind red/amber lenses:

"you should always purchase the color of LED bulb that matches your
lens. So many people fail to read our Notes on Converting over to
LED bulbs: https://www.superbrightleds.com/carbulb-notes.htm

LEDs emit the color of light. A white LED emits white light. A
red LED emits red light. There is very little light emitted from
the red part of the color spectrum in a white LED bulb. Therefore
a white LED behind a red lens is going to look dim."

DCrosby, this may be why your 3 watt LEDS looked so dim.

7_rocket

iTrader: (6)

^^ You are correct sir, I went to a local mall here got myself 2 led bulbs for my front signals and there 4 way so it will make the rear taillights flash as the front. LEd's are available all over, good luck ppl

1QWIK7

iTrader: (33)

So no real life pics?

treceb

heres what mine looks like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udygraFvfKg
used this bulb: http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/P...43250251252251

kwerks

iTrader: (2)

can you take a video of them in action or a pic? 99specs thx!

toyzzzz

Here are some night pics, it appears the LED light is not a good flash source for a camera flash. the LED's in these pics are front driving, rear markers, license plate, back-up and dome light only.

1QWIK7

iTrader: (33)

I have a question for people who used LED bulbs for their dome light?

I recently put them in but when i close my door, the lights appear in dim mode.

Is that because it stored some energy or something? I havent tried to see how long they stay dim but all i know if i close my door, they still appear in dim mode. I open the door and they are full lit.

I have to literally turn the dome light OFF for the lights to turn off.

I just dont want to leave my car and have those lights in dim mode drain my battery.

7_rocket

iTrader: (6)

Rob, Mine turns off when I shut the door like how a regular bulb is.

1QWIK7

iTrader: (33)

Hmm i guess thats what happens when you buy bulbs from ebay.

B_Hydra

iTrader: (1)

I did my parking lights and turn signals with some pieces from SuperBrightLEDs -- I'll try to post pictures soon.

In the end I needed to pull the signals because I didn't have resistors for them and I'm not sure about the parking lights -- the look bad (ricey) during the day (I like to have my gauges illuminated during the day), but look nice when it starts to get dark out.