View Single Post
Old 03-20-2013, 02:57 PM   #27 (permalink)
Blue Angel
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Blue Angel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada
Posts: 190

Previous Car - '12 Chevrolet Cruze Eco MT
Team Chevy
90 day: 44.29 mpg (US)

535d XDrive - '16 BMW 535d M-Sport
Thanks: 17
Thanked 59 Times in 38 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard View Post
The good news is, that with pure DC, LED's should last virtually forever - or certainly longer than the car they are installed in.
You'd be right, if only cars offered pure DC!

The main reason cheap LED bulbs fail is that their drivers are not equipped to deal with the constant bombardment of noise and voltage fluctuations in the automotive environment. I've read articles suggesting that electrical filtration and component robustness should to combine to handle up to 120V spikes and numerous other energy fluctuations.

Perhaps someone here has experience in the OEM world of electronics supply who can comment further?

I bet comparing the schematic of a $5 aftermarket LED replacement bulb with the schematic of an OEM LED tail light assembly would be very telling.
__________________
2016 BMW 535d
4100lb XDrive Eco-Yacht
  Reply With Quote