Jump to content

LED bothering


bezzabsa

Recommended Posts

so Pickarse has LED side lights, fekkin bright, so i have ordered, LED headlights, and front foglight bulbs...have some to throw in Number plate light and reverse lights..

Any one had experience with LED in Indicators? I know on motorciccles you have to throw a resistor inline to get the flash slower..

and are the MOT Legal (headlights mainly) 

cheers... will add piccies when new bulbs arrive

added new speakers and wind deflectors today, and have dual horns waiting to be fitted too...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got a cheapy set of LED headlights for Xmas. They are plenty bright but don’t project well and the alignment is all to pot. I meant to put the old bulbs back in for the MoT. When I dropped it off I mentioned the old bulbs were in the glove box. The tester just said as long as they come on it is ok! Not quite sure that is following the rule book. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought a flasher that's good for all LED bulbs, it doesn't go click but it does make the LED lights on the front and back blink at a normal rate.

Makes a bit of noise on the AM radio when it's flashing though.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DF5QXHP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_8ERG9GQFAC08F64XNYEJ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

That kind of idea, they come in 2, 3 and 4 pin flavors depending on what your car needs.

It'll also run regular light bulbs if you ever decide to change back. That was the easiest solution, don't have to mess about with resistors and junk, no wiring changes, just plug the flasher in and install LED bulbs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, bezzabsa said:

 

Any one had experience with LED in Indicators?

I have LED indicators on my Traction Avant (CItroen were ahead of the time...) - but only at the front. The rears are still regular filament bulbs. They still pull enough current for a normal flasher relay. When I fit LEDs at the back, which I have been threatening to do for a year, I expect the current to be too low to drive the relay. The fix is to use a solid state relay designed for LEDs or to wire another bulb ( or similar 7 ohm resistor) in parallel with one of the bulbs on each side. Changing the relay is easier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Three Speed said:

I have LED indicators on my Traction Avant (CItroen were ahead of the time...) - but only at the front. The rears are still regular filament bulbs. They still pull enough current for a normal flasher relay. When I fit LEDs at the back, which I have been threatening to do for a year, I expect the current to be too low to drive the relay. The fix is to use a solid state relay designed for LEDs or to wire another bulb ( or similar 7 ohm resistor) in parallel with one of the bulbs on each side. Changing the relay is easier.

OK, so would leaving the side repeater as a normal bulb draw enough to solve the quick flash problem?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, bezzabsa said:

OK, so would leaving the side repeater as a normal bulb draw enough to solve the quick flash problem?

For most regular flasher units no.

They need a power draw of 30 Watts+ to operate normally. A 5W side repeater won't work right unless you alter either the flasher or add dummy load.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, bezzabsa said:

...Any one had experience with LED in Indicators?....

I've always used LEDs in indicators; currently have them in both the CX (with a change to LED-specific flasher relay - red one in the photo) and the diesel Borat (which needed a modification to the original flasher circuit, which is built into the hazard switch)

20201031_140204.jpg

IMG_20190604_210300.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gil Keane who makes LED conversions for classics got a group together and lobbied against this (note that this is not the same as HID/Xenon conversions as those bulbs really do need different tech for the way they work and pattern of light); the MOT issue has been U-turned, so at least on older cars it shouldn't be an issue to upgrade to LEDs. I'll dig the press release out.

However, my experience of LED headlights that aren't adaptive hasn't been awesome and I've got my doubts about them - the beam may be bright, but the cutoff and contrast is horrid. My CLA's like driving into an abyss and the C-Class was the same. I'd go for raiding more modern examples/higher spec ones of the same car for Xenon (remembering you need washers and levelling sensors as well) if it were an option, over trying to fudge some LED bulbs into a complex reflector setup.

Having said that I know at least one car I'm planning on working on WILL be getting LED upgrades, but they are full sealed-beam style lights. I'd be tempted with the XJ6 but it has complex reflector halogens (not projector/Xenon) so I'll probably stick with 'expensive obnoxious snake oil halogen replacements' for it.

I did give the Twingo LED lights for the rear and though they were bright, they didn't have a nice illumination pattern and despite being red almost overpowered the red lenses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good link, that.

I pass a Transit on my morning commute and see it most days.  I've no idea what ebay special bulbs he's fitted, but it's like two bright white circles heading towards you (and blinding every single person coming the other way).  There seems to be no cut off in any direction.  I'm sure they're pretty useless from his point of view. too.  Surely they would fail an MoT? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, rainagain said:

I’ve used LED head lamp bulbs for years. This test explains which type you should buy

https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/blog/are-led-headlight-bulbs-the-brightest/

never had any problem come mot time either  

ABD are careful to say that they are not legal to use on the road.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the indicators the ballast resistors are ok but the led compatible flasher units are better.

BUT in more recent cars the flashing feature is often controlled by the BCM and emulates a “fast flash” if a bulb is out (or if resistance is too low because LEDs). If you have a tool to adjust BCM settings you can often switch off this function, avoiding having to splice resistors into the loom.   I’ve done this using Forscan on a couple of recent (2010 >) Fords. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

ABD are careful to say that they are not legal to use on the road.

I think to be road legal they have to be E marked? I’m sure some of the Phillips ones are but the Chinese specials I used certainly weren’t. If you get the more expensive ones with the concentrated LED in the same shape as a filament, the beam pattern is just like a halogen but brighter and sharper. They also put less strain on your wiring and connectors as they draw less current than a halogen bulb. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, rainagain said:

I think to be road legal they have to be E marked? I’m sure some of the Phillips ones are but the Chinese specials I used certainly weren’t. ... 

Philips are probably the only company that have done any research into aftermarket LED bulbs, but even theirs aren't E-coded.

The Chinese ones I wouldn't touch with a long bargepole.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not in reflectors / lenses that were never designed with them in mind.
Sorry, should have been more specific.
Pre April 1986 cars will not fail with LEDs, as long as aim and beam pattern are correct.
Post April 1986 will fail.
All motorcycles presented for MOT with LED bulbs will not fail as long as aim and beam pattern are correct.e34bef438475f188a5f9d8561dc80390.jpg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I hate dragging old shite up and this is a bit of fred necrophilia, but I'm guessing here that LED lamps are OK for sidelights, rears, indicators, fogs and DRLs?

This is just about main headlights I believe.

Had an argument with a guy over the weekend who has changed all his bulbs, including dipped and full to LED and is adamant that there will be no issue come MOT time (despite me pointing him in the direction of the legislation that came into play earlier in the year).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, TheOtherStu said:

I hate dragging old shite up and this is a bit of fred necrophilia, but I'm guessing here that LED lamps are OK for sidelights, rears, indicators, fogs and DRLs?

This is just about main headlights I believe.

Had an argument with a guy over the weekend who has changed all his bulbs, including dipped and full to LED and is adamant that there will be no issue come MOT time (despite me pointing him in the direction of the legislation that came into play earlier in the year).

You are correct, LED's retrofitted to the headlamps will be an instant MOT fail.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, TheOtherStu said:

.....Had an argument with a guy over the weekend who has changed all his bulbs, including dipped and full to LED and is adamant that there will be no issue come MOT time (despite me pointing him in the direction of the legislation that came into play earlier in the year).

He might end up severely disappointed at MoT time, but he'll likely get round that by putting in the original halogens just for the test, then swapping to LEDs after getting the test pass. A bit like people with dodgy numberplates.

Alternatively he knows that the tester he uses won't pick it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, chaseracer said:

Unless, as upthread, the vehicle was first used prior to 1/4/86.  Or it's a motorcycle...

It's a 2001 MR2 🤣

 

Going back to it, I take it sidelights etc. are all OK as LED?
I'm not looking to go any brighter, but LEDs not only last longer, but are a cleaner colour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, TheOtherStu said:

...., I take it sidelights etc. are all OK as LED?

I'm not looking to go any brighter, but LEDs not only last longer, but are a cleaner colour.

Depends on your MoT tester. I had my Borat's LED side/marker lights fail a few years ago because the tester at the time thought the colour shade was wrong - the white had too much blue element in it. His predecessor never had any problem with LEDs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...