LED Bulbs: Front Amber/White Switchbacks and Rear Red

[Dave_Pa]

I'm amazed by the look between Alvin & Mikes cars. If that doesn't save a few more roadsters, i don't know what will.

I really see the benefit for all the rear lights as well as the front turn signals. I'm really green on using LED's in my car. is it really easy enough as just switching out the bulbs?

Thanks for enlightening me
Dave

[bikermike]

PM sent

[Linda]

The Led lights I looked at vary in price and number of leds per bulb. Kind of confusing.
How many leds on the bulb seems to be a good number for adequate brightness?

Linda

[tjp]

Has anyone put together a comprehensive list of part numbers and sources (be it evilbay or a FLAPS or whatnot) from this thread that work and not work?

Some of this is just consusing enough that I don't want to make the same mistakes others have made.

tim

[bikermike]

Here's what has worked for me, however I'd prefer red 1157 bulbs with more of a distinction between running and brakes when in use in daylight. Perhaps other ebay sources offer something different.

Front parking / turn signal "Switchbacks":
Use with clear lenses - see video on 1st page of this thread for details
ebay seller: silverimage3
Description: 1157 Switchback Dual Color High Power LED Turn Signal Light Bulbs White / Amber
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1157-Switchback ... 5648283ce6

If you order switchback bulbs from another source, confirm their functionality with the seller. When the parking lights are active, these will turn off the white LED when the amber LED is flashing for turn signals. So the the flash sequence is amber-off-amber-off. Another type will alternate amber-white-amber-white. It's your preference, but I find the amber-off-amber-off the better way to go for the turn signal.

Rear Red 1157 bulbs
Use with red lenses to replace dual filament bulbs
ebay seller: xuyingya1986
Description:CREE Q5 5W 1157 Bay15d LED High Power Brake Light With Projector Lens Red
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CREE-Q5-5W-1157 ... 01&vxp=mtr

Rear Red 1156 bulbs
Use with red lenses to replace single filament bulbs
ebay seller: stefan.zheng
Description:1156/BA15S CREE Q5 5W LED Red Car Reverse Bulb BMW 5 Series E34 E39 E60
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1156-BA15S-CREE ... 38&vxp=mtr

Pic of rear bulb in socket:

rear bulb.JPG

[tjp]

Here's what has worked for me, however I'd prefer red 1157 bulbs with more of a distinction between running and brakes when in use in daylight. Perhaps other ebay sources offer something different.

Outstanding! Did you swap either of hte flasher cans with this set up?
Thanks!
tim

[bikermike]

I did switch out the flasher cans when I was diagnosing why the front LED lights flickered when I hit the brakes with incandescents in the back. When I went to LEDs all around, the problem was solved and I never put the old cans back. They were old and slow anyway. I think some others got LEDs to work with the old style cans.

FWIW, I bought these flashers: They do make an audible clicking sound, unlike some of the others available. You do need to connect them to ground.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/EF32RL-Electron ... fd&vxp=mtr

flasher.jpg

[dbrick]

Switchbacks have been in the front, but George H scored me a set of clear lenses, DAMN are they bright. maybe too bright for oncoming traffic. Did the taillights and dash last weekend.
I got taillights all in and working, except for a ground issue, while doing the trailer lights. I needed an adapter for the separate brake and turn signals on a 66 to work with a flat 4 trailer harness, one came with the trailer so I used it. I had the maybe good/maybe bad idea to set up my tail lights like a later car, both lights on each side work together, so without cutting anything, I connected the adapter to the car wiring, and the now combined output to the cars lights and to the trailer harness. Everything is fine with the parking lights off, but I get a feed back with the parking lights on, probably a ground issue, did it with stock bulbs and LEDs too. Figure it out this week or go back to the old setup on the taillights.
I got these on Ebay, mostly to reduce the current draw with the trailer and put them in the Roadster taillights. Looked like very little difference from tail to brake standing by the car looking down, but from 20 ft back, like they would be seen from the car behind, it was fine. Nice and bright. Price was great, and got them in 2 days. Packaging was a bit beat/old looking but they are fine, fit well.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221031622506

led3.JPG

Dash LED's were harder, the ones I got were a bit too long for some of the gauges (66) and the diameter barely fit in the holes, but I got them to work. I bought 30 of them. Took a LONG time from China, but super cheap and look good. I would get smaller bulbs.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190707758103

led9.jpg

[roadsterdude]

Did you guys use the load resistor? Or will it work without them.

[Garm]

I just switched my front ones out for LED switchback bulbs. I wanted clear lenses, and this seems like a great combo.
The new bulbs had a ton of LED's all over them.

Here's a video of how they work, in broad sunny daylight:

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[dbrick]

With just the fronts, flasher was OK. I added an electronic flasher when I did the rear LEDs and trailer light harness. Trailer has standard bulbs.

[Garm]

When you guys say "cans" what do you mean exactly?

[bikermike]

The flasher relays are located under the dash on the driver's side. The traditional thermal ones are in metal cans roughly the size of a 35mm film canister.

[printner]

Has anyone tried bulbs from:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

they have several variations of the different bulbs.

??

[bikermike]

Did you guys use the load resistor? Or will it work without them.

Just to follow up on the flashers. RoadsterDude and I were working on his lights a few weeks ago. We put LEDs in the rears and had stock bulbs up front and everything worked. When we installed LED switchbacks up front they did not blink with the stock flasher cans. I suppose a load resistor work work. The flashers I noted above work for me.

Has anyone tried bulbs from:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
??

I'm not familar with them.