LED bulb options for my iS?

[320touring]

Looking at getting some LEDs and uprated dipped/main beam bulbs for the iS

Also interested in getting indicator/brakelight LEDs too.

Car is not a canbus setup, so no resistance issues.

I've been looking at these for sidelights

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

but what about these (6 LED?)

XENON WHITE 6 LED SIDELIGHT BULBS 168 W5W T10 501 | eBay

Additionally looking at these for indicators:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/581-24-LED...item1c19e1934c

Any advice re loadings/ issues would be great,

thanks

[320touring]

501 4 SMD LED WHITE BULBS BMW 3 SERIES E21 E30 E36 E46 | eBay

these were another option..

[3dplane]

The little push in bulbs look like the ones they call 194 bulb in the US.
If so, the original 194 bulb pulls around 280 mA of current. The LED version should draw only about 15mA. So how ever many your car has (my car only had two of these for the rear side markers) you can calculate the savings.

The other larger bulb (1156) with the round base and 24 LEDs in a bulb,well it stated on the ebay ad less than a watt so that's probably around 80mA vs the original bulb's current draw which I'm just guessing around 2 amps. (brake light bulb?)

I only had an 1141 bulb to test and it pulled 1400mA (1.4A).

I saved a total of 3.6A just when my parking lights are on between tag lights,tail lights,rear side markers,and front corner lights converted to LEDs.
I also did my brake lights, (3rd brake light included),trunk light,interior dome light too.
Leaving the turn signals alone as they are not on enough to justify the efforts for me. Even though I do have an electronic flasher needed to blink LEDs.
Barna

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by 320touring

Car is not a canbus setup, so no resistance issues.

Please explain this to me. Does this mean you don't get fast flashing due to the low current draw?

I think Plane has me convinced not to muck with the turn signals, but I'd like to convert the marker, brake and interior lights . The savings will come in handy if I decide to install an alternator switch.

[3dplane]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Please explain this to me. Does this mean you don't get fast flashing due to the low current draw?

Two different issues! 1,if the vehicle is equipped with a warning system to tell the driver that there is a bulb blown will throw the warning (I guess this is the can bus ) This is for any bulbs that the vehicle is designed to monitor!

2, conventional flashers work by routing the turn signal circuit current right through them,through their bimetallic contacts which bends/curles from the heat opening the circuit then quickly cools re-gaining it's original shape and making contact again and the cycle repeats. This is calibrated to work with the current draw of the original bulbs.With LEDs in the turn sig.circuit, the current draw is so much less that it will never brake contact and flash.

Barna

[320touring]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Please explain this to me. Does this mean you don't get fast flashing due to the low current draw?

I think Plane has me convinced not to muck with the turn signals, but I'd like to convert the marker, brake and interior lights . The savings will come in handy if I decide to install an alternator switch.

The "CANBUS" system is like a more advanced version of the OBDII diagnostics system found on cars after 1996. Essentially it means that most things (bulbs/abs/engine sensors etc) are all monitored and generate error codes if issues are detected. The low draw of LED's can cause false error codes. Remedy seems to be via inserting resistors into the circuits.

Thankfully, my 1994 car doesnt have such issues

Originally Posted by 3dplane

Two different issues! 1,if the vehicle is equipped with a warning system to tell the driver that there is a bulb blown will throw the warning (I guess this is the can bus ) This is for any bulbs that the vehicle is designed to monitor!

2, conventional flashers work by routing the turn signal circuit current right through them,through their bimetallic contacts which bends/curles from the heat opening the circuit then quickly cools re-gaining it's original shape and making contact again and the cycle repeats. This is calibrated to work with the current draw of the original bulbs.With LEDs in the turn sig.circuit, the current draw is so much less that it will never brake contact and flash.

Barna

The more I hear, the less I like the idea of the indicators