LED Conversion
#1
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Brockport, New York
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LED Conversion
<<< Check it out, I'm finally a supporter!
Anyways, my next project is hopefully going to be converting as many bulbs as possible to LED bulbs. Including turn signals, all interior bulbs, fogs, tail lights, corners, etc.
These are the main things I've learned so far:
-I've been told that the only bulbs I can't change are the headlights and high beams because LEDs aren't made strong enough for that job yet.
-I might need a special flasher unit for the turn signals.
-Some cars give a warning about a bulb being out when an LED is put in (because of the change in resistance?), but my car doesn't have that warning light, so I don't think that will be an issue.
Am I correct about all of those? What else should I know before I pull the trigger on this?
Anyways, my next project is hopefully going to be converting as many bulbs as possible to LED bulbs. Including turn signals, all interior bulbs, fogs, tail lights, corners, etc.
These are the main things I've learned so far:
-I've been told that the only bulbs I can't change are the headlights and high beams because LEDs aren't made strong enough for that job yet.
-I might need a special flasher unit for the turn signals.
-Some cars give a warning about a bulb being out when an LED is put in (because of the change in resistance?), but my car doesn't have that warning light, so I don't think that will be an issue.
Am I correct about all of those? What else should I know before I pull the trigger on this?
#3
Senior Member
Posts like a Corvette
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cleveland, OH
Posts: 1,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can just wire a resistor in parallel with the LED for the turn signal
I did my whole interior which is really nice, I would suggest white around the top and then whatever color you want for the doors and footwells which I did red. With the white you can still see in the car at night if you are trying to read something, one of my buddies did all blue and you couldn't see anything
I used to have my tails and turn signals done with LEDs but heres the problems I had:
when I had the parking lights on(tail lights illuminated) and hit the brakes you couldn't see a difference in the brightness so people wouldn't know I was stopping, pretty soon you won't be able to show off your nice LED tails when they are smashed into a million pieces
and the turn signals didn't light up that bright, I had amber LEDs in a cleared housing and during the day it was hard to see the turn signal so what I did was buy the "stealth" bulbs which are chrome when then are off then amber when they light up. I always had them in my headlights and just put them in the tails, I did the same thing with my dad'* Dodge Journey and you can't tell there is anything there when it is off since it matches the chrome color
I did my whole interior which is really nice, I would suggest white around the top and then whatever color you want for the doors and footwells which I did red. With the white you can still see in the car at night if you are trying to read something, one of my buddies did all blue and you couldn't see anything
I used to have my tails and turn signals done with LEDs but heres the problems I had:
when I had the parking lights on(tail lights illuminated) and hit the brakes you couldn't see a difference in the brightness so people wouldn't know I was stopping, pretty soon you won't be able to show off your nice LED tails when they are smashed into a million pieces
and the turn signals didn't light up that bright, I had amber LEDs in a cleared housing and during the day it was hard to see the turn signal so what I did was buy the "stealth" bulbs which are chrome when then are off then amber when they light up. I always had them in my headlights and just put them in the tails, I did the same thing with my dad'* Dodge Journey and you can't tell there is anything there when it is off since it matches the chrome color
#4
Senior Member
Certified GM nut
I changed my interior bulbs to red LED'*. The hardest part is finding the correct type of bulb. I've got some extra 194'* laying around because of that.
You'll also need something to diffuse the light more, because LED'* are very focused, unlike regular incandescent bulbs. Although newer wide-angle bulbs reduce this effect much more.
You'll also need something to diffuse the light more, because LED'* are very focused, unlike regular incandescent bulbs. Although newer wide-angle bulbs reduce this effect much more.
#5
Senior Member
Posts like a Corvette
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Jersey Shore
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
#7
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Brockport, New York
Posts: 271
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Check this site out.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...sp=%2Fleds.htm
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...sp=%2Fleds.htm
#8
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fort crack homie
Posts: 2,894
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1- correct, no LEDs in high/low or fogs, even thought you might find them only. they are a waste
2- some cars do take special flashers to stop the hyper blink, but Bonnevilles dont have that since the flasher is built into the hazard light switch itself, so you will need a load equalizer to stop the hyper blink
3-Bonnevilles dont have burn bulb warning, so you wont have an issue
i changed everything in my car inside out to LEDs, and everything works perfectly. im leaving work now so ill update you with more details later when im home
check my car domain for pics, just click on the picture in my sig, theres also a video or two there for more details
2- some cars do take special flashers to stop the hyper blink, but Bonnevilles dont have that since the flasher is built into the hazard light switch itself, so you will need a load equalizer to stop the hyper blink
3-Bonnevilles dont have burn bulb warning, so you wont have an issue
i changed everything in my car inside out to LEDs, and everything works perfectly. im leaving work now so ill update you with more details later when im home
check my car domain for pics, just click on the picture in my sig, theres also a video or two there for more details
#10
Senior Member
Posts like a Corvette
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Jersey Shore
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts