LED running lights at Walmart

[PaleMelanesian]

Superbrightleds.com has good quality bulbs. I've been running them for a year and a half now with no burnouts. They list specs, including lumens, and the lumens they quote are actually true. Side by side with the OEM bulbs, they match.

I didn't touch the turn signals. One, they hyper-flash. Two, they're only rarely used so the power draw is insignificant.

Even Honda and Toyota use incandescent turn signals beside their LED tail/brake lights.

[redpoint5]

I replace all lights with LEDs with the exception of headlights and turn signals.

The LEDs run significantly less current and should last much longer than the incandescent. They're also brighter. I've purchased most all of the lights from Amazon after reading reviews to see which perform the best. About the only things I buy from brick and mortar stores now is groceries.

As Nemo pointed out, the LED emitted color needs to match the lens color. White LEDs do not contain yellow or orange light like incandescents do. A yellow or orange lens will filter out any light that is not yellow or orange, and what is left is very dim.

I especially like to replace incandescent bulbs that illuminate interior switches. They last longer, have a more pleasant color, and draw less current. Switches and back-lit panels are usually more difficult to get to, so you only want to have to replace bulbs once.

[Cobb]

Wow, another led bulb for sale that isnt as bright as a regular bulb, doesnt work for a flasher and costs several times the price of a regular bulb.

I had used leds from those online led bulb companies, after 16 months or so they flicker and die. I since went back to regular bulbs, silver start bulbs or hid.

For now the best you can do is hid over halogen.

[Chrysler kid]

Sorry its hard to use my phone at night. I did the dash in my civic with all LEDs. Even blurry but shows the hyper white



This picture is over exposed



I get all of my LEDs on amazon and I have never received a dud for an interior bulb

Regular incandescent bulbs are not polarity dependant so if you have dud led try reversing its position in the socket

[redpoint5]

The lights on the right side are LED compared to standard bulbs on the left. My photo skills aren't so great, but it gives you the impression that they are about equivalent in light output.

The LED backup light is much brighter than the standard bulb.


Brake lights off.


Brake lights on. The standard bulb is just a tiny bit brighter, but not noticeable to the eye.


Brake lights


Tail lights


Backup lights. I paid $12 at the time, not $37.


Front corner lights


As you can see, there are quality LED options out there, but it will cost you. I expect in the next 5 years auto manufacturers will phase out incandescent bulbs in favor of LED. The industry tends to be 10 years behind what I'm doing.

I made these in 2003.

Turn signal - front. Perfboard is painted white on the front so that it isn't visible through the clear bulb cover.


Turn signal - rear


LED is on the right, standard bulb on the left


License plate light


Tail light


Brake light


The brakes have 144 LEDs and over 300 solder joints. I won't be making LED lights this way again.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by oldtamiyaphile

You'll find all modern cars control their lights from the body computer.

Not the Prius (2013), and not my previous 7th-gen Civic (2005). And not the Viper (which was a 2002, the same year, I believe, that the Chrysler switched to TIPM control of lighting on some models). On all those cars I ran/run LED turn signals and simply swapped out the flasher. In fact, on the Prius everything is LED, including headlights.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

Superbrightleds.com has good quality bulbs. I've been running them for a year and a half now with no burnouts. They list specs, including lumens, and the lumens they quote are actually true. Side by side with the OEM bulbs, they match.

I didn't touch the turn signals. One, they hyper-flash. Two, they're only rarely used so the power draw is insignificant.

Even Honda and Toyota use incandescent turn signals beside their LED tail/brake lights.

But instant-on LED turn signals look cooooool!

I've had similar experience with superbrightleds.com, and also V-LEDs out of Bellingham, WA.

[redpoint5]

One of the main benefits of LED brake lights is safety.

A typical incandecent bulb takes 0.2 seconds to illuminate compared to an LED, which is practically instantaneous. At 55 mph, this translates to about 20 feet of extra stopping distance.

Here is a report on how LEDs and Center High Mount Stop Lamps can increase safety and reduce economic loss.

[Cobb]

Your license plate lights work year after year? I use to loose those the fastest til I learned a trick. Once I pass inspection unplug them til next year.

I have been using the same bulbs for 3 years and they still work!!!!

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Cobb

Your license plate lights work year after year?

I made my first license plate bulbs in 2003, when white LEDs were relatively new. I crushed the glass out of a burned out bulb and soldered in the 3 LEDs and a limiting resistor. They are still going 11 years later. I've only had LEDs in my car 2 years now, but so far so good. I expect them to last the life of the vehicle.

My first LED conversion was a headlamp back around 1998, when each white LED cost about $8. It was a small fortune to a highschooler, but I was able to go from a battery life of 2 hours to 20.