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Keeo Offline
#1 Posted : Tuesday, 15 June 2010 6:50:51 AM(UTC)
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Has anyone used LED bulbs in place of filament type,for blinkers tail lights etc ?
mackv8 Offline
#2 Posted : Tuesday, 15 June 2010 7:24:56 AM(UTC)
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In stop/tail and park lights no problem. In indicators( flashers blinkers)you will need a flasher can to suit LED globes, or a resister in the line or they will blink as if there is a blown globe as the load is to light.

looking for an ex ambulance based on the hj/x/z 2 tonner see photo

and collector of all things ambulance police fire and the odd hq to wb parts
looking for an ex ambulance based on the hj/x/z 2 tonner see photo

and collector of all things ambulance police fire and the odd hq to wb parts
Keeo Offline
#3 Posted : Wednesday, 16 June 2010 5:48:02 AM(UTC)
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Thanks mackv8 would have got caught out on the flasher can bit . bloody elec tricks and dash wiring drives me crazy.one tail light always burns same one every time so ill try leds.
the Blue Light Offline
#4 Posted : Thursday, 17 June 2010 4:07:10 AM(UTC)
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Just be careful which ones you get, as the brightness can vary a fair bit. I've had some in mine wereby I got complaints on sunny days that my brake lights were out, but they were just a bit too dim. Try to spend more money on the brighter ones I suppose...
Warren Turnbull Offline
#5 Posted : Thursday, 17 June 2010 4:17:49 AM(UTC)
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Had a fellow a few years ago that when he fitted these bulbs for tail/stop lamps his cruise no longer worked. I have checked the VS cruse diagram and can say that it should not be a problem, however accessory cruise may have been the problem.

To fix it I advised him to place a fillement lamp on the lamp side of the switch, under the dash. It did fix it.

Warren
Dr Terry Offline
#6 Posted : Thursday, 17 June 2010 4:41:52 AM(UTC)
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quote:
Originally posted by the Blue Light
Just be careful which ones you get, as the brightness can vary a fair bit. I've had some in mine wereby I got complaints on sunny days that my brake lights were out, but they were just a bit too dim. Try to spend more money on the brighter ones I suppose...

It's not a matter of not being bright enough. The problem is that the reflectors for the tail/stop & blinker lights are not designed for LED globes. Incandescent globes have their light emitting in all directions, so the light that goes towards the reflectors lights up the entire lens. LEDs are uni-directional, so if you fit a single LED in place of a normal globe, you just get a small dot in the middle of the lens, very bright, but just a dot. They do make LED globes which have several LEDs set up like a porcupine (facing several directions). They are better, but I've yet to see a LED globe that is anywhere near as good as a normal incandescent globe in this application. Plus you run into dramas with flasher rates & cruise controls as the others have mentioned.

The best use of LED lights is in their own enclosures, like the ones fitted to trucks & trailers or late model cars where they are factory designed & fitted.

To fix your problem of consistently burning out globes, have your alternator charge rate checked & fit good quality globes. There is a huge difference in quality between a Hella, Philips, Narva etc brand globe, versus the average Asian-sourced globe. I'v been in the auto industry for 40 years (s***!! I feel old already) & I can tell you from bitter experience, you get what you pay for. Has anyone ever noticed how the average factory-fitted globe can last for 10 or 20 years, yet a cheap Asian globe is lucky to last 10 to 20 days. There is a very good reason for that.

Dr Terry.

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commodorenut Offline
#7 Posted : Thursday, 17 June 2010 5:14:29 AM(UTC)
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Same deal with the quality of the orange bulbs used in blinkers from VR onwards - the factory ones lasted 10+ years before the orange coating finally failed, and the cheap replacements are lucky to last 12 months between rego checks before they go clear.

Cheers,

Mick
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Cheers,

Mick
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Judge a successful man not on how he treats his peers, but on how he treats those less fortunate.
Keeo Offline
#8 Posted : Thursday, 17 June 2010 5:52:34 AM(UTC)
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excellent advice Dr T .i get what ya mean about the light reflection thing . i think ill track down some good quality originals ,and yes ive been using the cheap globes . glad i asked about them now, funny how something simple has a lot more to it.all opinions appreciated.--keeo
Matty Q Offline
#9 Posted : Friday, 2 July 2010 3:37:42 AM(UTC)
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Dr Terry

Am interested in why LED bulbs interfere with Cruise - is it because of the requirement of the cruise control to sense the brake's have been engaged before activation, and the way this is monitored (i.e., reduced current draw of LED bulbs in the brake lights, diode blocking characteristics, or some such)?

Not having the problem, just curious.

Matt
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Jim5.0 Offline
#10 Posted : Saturday, 3 July 2010 1:55:38 AM(UTC)
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Most if not all brands of cruise control have to register a resistance in the brake light circuit so that it will work. It's a safeguard to ensure that it will cancel when the brakes are tapped.




Vandals and graffiti "artists" do everyone a favour and target parking meters and fixed speed cameras only.

Dr Terry Offline
#11 Posted : Saturday, 3 July 2010 2:39:18 AM(UTC)
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quote:
Originally posted by Jim5.0
Most if not all brands of cruise control have to register a resistance in the brake light circuit so that it will work. It's a safeguard to ensure that it will cancel when the brakes are tapped.

That's right, the cruise control needs to see a low resistance to earth, with the brake lights off. Effectively it needs zero volts off & 12 volts when on. If you replace the incandescent globes with LEDs, then the resistance to earth is too high & the voltage will not be zero.

Dr Terry
If at first you don't succeed, just call it Version 1.0
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