Fun with LEDs
 

I placed an order with superbrightleds.com for some LED bulbs last week to replace some of the interior bulbs in my cars and got back from vacation yesterday to find the package had arrived. I didn't get all the bulbs I plan on getting yet because I wanted to try one of each bulb I need first to see how they looked. I haven't done any in the Formula yet but I tried a couple of them in the Civic. It has two map lights up front which makes for a great comparison. Here's some pics with the standard bulb in the driver's side and the LED bulb in the passenger side (in the close up pic the LED is on the right):

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P6178068.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P6168063.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P6178064.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P6178065.jpg

Very nice improvement. They also use a shit ton less electricity and will last forever.

I also got one to replace the bulb for the trunk light. The stocker is just a regular little 168 bulb. The bulb I got has the same base but it's an oversize bulb with 6 LEDs on a little circuit board. They have dimensions for all their bulbs listed on the website and I picked the biggest one that would fit in the housing. Keep in mind these pictures were taken with the camera at the exact same exposure:

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P6178076.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P6178069.jpg

Now that is an awesome upgrade. That bulb was the most expensive of all of them but it was still only like $12. In the Formula I'm going to be doing both map lights, the rear dome light and the door handle lights. I will grab some pics of those once they are done.

That looks great! I tried a cheap LED about a year ago and did not see a big improvement, but yours definitely did.

For The Honda!?!?!? COME ON!

For both cars stooopid!!! http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...dthethread.gif

looks awesome!

I love my interior LED swap in the map and dome light, brighter, and makes the car look more modern.

Definitely, thanks for the idea, can't wait to see how they look in the Formula

I used those on my RS. Made a good difference.

I love that website I have red leds for my instrument clusters need to order some more bulbs for the rest of the car

It's funny, it seems like everyone with Camaros wants red gauges and everyone with Firebirds wants blue or white gauges

Maddie do your gauge lights dim properly? The dome light in my DD dims as it goes out, but with an LED in there it dims partway and then cuts out

Ya know I've never even noticed lol ill have to check

I did red leds from superbright in the camaro and they didn't dim at all, I understand that is pretty common because the run on so little amperage

Bingo, I feel like there was another reason too but that might be the only one. I can't remember and to lazy to find my electronics book and look up leds lol

They are only designed to run on 9-14 volts, I think that's why they dim a little then cut out

I had someone explain to me exactly why it happens cause its a diode and not a resistor like a light bulb. Not that it matters, are the bulbs just plug and go? Id like to replace the lights on the rear view mirror of my car, map lights is what they are called? Mine are super dim and can hardly see anything with them on haha.


~EDIT~
did some quick reading, LEDs use P and N types of semiconductors, touching each other. In stupid terms, it looks like they wont conduct unless you apply enough electrical current, which makes sense as a semiconductor. thus to get them to flow and over come the natural resistance of the conductors, you need enough power, and if you drop below the threshold it just cuts out cause you lose the flow of electricity through the LED.

Thats how i read it anywho. I know there is more to it but, thats good enough for me for now haha.

For the most part yes the LED bulbs are direct replacements for the existing bulbs. There are generally multiple options for replacing any given incandescent bulb. Some are designed to be the same size and shape, while some are larger and will only work if the housing the bulb is in has enough space. I got an oversized bulb for the trunk light in my Civic, they list dimensions for all their bulbs on that site so it was easy to measure and find one that fit. This is an oversized replacement for a 168/194 bulb, and the housing.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P6188077.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P6188078.jpg

checked it and mine dim just like the normal lights do

get your LEDS here
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...FcWA5QodORlpMg

mine dim a little, but then they just cut out. Could care less though.

RICER!

I got some pics of the bulbs I got for the Formula, results weren't quite as impressive as my other car. The map light bulbs are a decent improvement. Here's the pics of just the driver's side map light:

BEFORE
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P7028136.jpg

AFTER
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P7028135.jpg

Slightly brighter and better color. Now here's the pics of the rear dome light:

BEFORE
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P7018132.jpg

AFTER
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P7018131.jpg

The color is nicer but the LED bulb is actually not as bright as the standard bulb. And that is the only option for that size bulb (562). I would really like something brighter, I might try to modify the housing at some point to fit a different bulb.

I also got LEDs for the door handle bulbs but I can't find where I put the damn original bulbs so I can't get before/after pics. Those are a lot brighter though, with the stock bulbs you could barely tell they were on.

^^^
For what its worth, I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a bro-matic transmission and sets the e-brake. People always ask me why I set it lol

Tell them You just need to.

I don't, not unless I'm on an incline. (that or I think I might have a drive line problem)

I always do it, the camaro has auto headlights. So when dark enough they come on, but it causes the HIDs to flash twice, which is ad for the ballast. Having the ebrake up disables the auto headlight til its released.


Alex, I agree on the dome bulb not being bright (just looks better/more modern), im thinking about maybe doing something with two small strips and just tapping in directly to the wire.

What bulb did you use for the door handle light?

The door handle is a 74hp in red, not sure what a Camaro uses though.

You can actually disable auto headlights. There is a sensor somewhere near the defroster vent, just unplug it and put a wire in there and you're good.

I just unplugged one of the plugs for the drls to get rid of the auto headlights

That also disables the brake light on the dash, and of course the DRLs. If you want to disable only the auto headlights shorting the sensor is the correct way.

Ya its nice not burning out turn signal bulbs all the time and getting rid of the auto lights...as for the brake light I could care less