LED Replacement

[phosty]

Hmmn I got the single element LEDS for the interior (didn't read the links above closely enough).

1pc 31mm 3022 3175 High Power LED (White) Festoon Bulb

They seem pretty bright - and the delay / dim feature works too. But are they brighter than the 9 element bulbs?

1pc 31mm 3022 3175 9 LED (Xenon White) Festoon Bulb

I didn't realise there were two types - and I only ordered 4 of the single element type so .... I will get the 9 element one for the rear light and compare.

[I-S]

Phosty - the single element may well be brighter. The 9 LED parts use 5mm LEDs, which are very limited in power output by their plastic packaging. High power LEDS (1W+) have back contacts which allow significant heat transfer out of them (Yes, LEDs still get hot even though they're much more efficient than filaments) and allow MUCH brighter chips - easily more than 9 5mm LEDs. 1W LEDs leave seriously strong after-images... 3W and 5W LEDs have health and safety implications - do you remember seeing burning magnesium at school in chemistry? They're sort of like that but brighter.

[Nice But]

Just to resurrect an old post........ I'm putting together a spreadsheet of all the bulbs on the car for reference. Does anyone know what bulbs are used for the map lights on a car with the sunroof. I havn't got round to ripping mine apart yet.

TIA

[n13l pm]

Just to resurrect an old post........ I'm putting together a spreadsheet of all the bulbs on the car for reference. Does anyone know what bulbs are used for the map lights on a car with the sunroof. I havn't got round to ripping mine apart yet.

TIA

There that same as the two rear corner ones, dome 31mm.

[Nice But]

Thanks, I know what to order LED wise now........ those were the 2 I havn't dismantled yet.

[HMG1K]

I am stumped with changing my front side-lights to LEDs.

Just back from the Motor Show and bought new LEDs for my sidelights - the guy tested them for me on a battery and they worked. Now trying them on the car they DON'T work!!!

I've tried swapping the bulbs around in their holders and no luck. I changed my interior LEDs earlier this year with no hassles.

Are our cars different - as in the positive isn't on the bulb's base but on the side pins and the negative on the base?

If so how can I solve this - or get the correct bulbs for the reversed postive-negative feeds on the bulbs.

Thnaks in advance

[phosty]

HMG1K, I had a similar issue - but it was when swapping headlight units between my legnums. Somehow the polarity was different between the cars? Maybe it was the previous owner (who had installed expensive Belloff LEDs with inline resistors) had swapped them but I found I had to reverse the polarity on my sidelights to get them to work. I just cut off the connector plug on the back of the headlight unit and crimped bullet connectors on both sides of the cut wires enabling me to swap polarity as I need.

[HMG1K]

HMG1K, I had a similar issue - but it was when swapping headlight units between my legnums. Somehow the polarity was different between the cars? Maybe it was the previous owner (who had installed expensive Belloff LEDs with inline resistors) had swapped them but I found I had to reverse the polarity on my sidelights to get them to work. I just cut off the connector plug on the back of the headlight unit and crimped bullet connectors on both sides of the cut wires enabling me to swap polarity as I need.

Thanks Phosty

Sounds complicated and something I'd balls up - is it a quick job? May get the auto-elec guy who wiring my front-turn lamps to do this job. What do you think?

[N9nebar]

slightly off topic, but i just replaced the highbeams with halfords rally bulbs 100w
, is there any issues i should be aware of......? if there isn't i'd recommend them they light up the whole street, i know they say they're for "off-road use only" but its the high beam.
And just to keep on topic i had a multi-colour festoon light in my corolla totally impractical but it entertained the kids ......" look Dad its blue, no its green..... no its red.... its blue again..." hours of fun!!!!

[phosty]

HMG1K - well, it only took me about 7 mins to do the second side, but the first side took me a bit longer as it was the first attempt. You just need a wire cutter/stripper, a crimping tool and 2x male & female bullet connectors (I think I used the small red ones). I just cut the two wires about 1.5 inches from the plug, stripped off about 5-6mm insulation from both sides of both wires and then crimped on the bullet connectors. Then just connect up to suit your polarity requirements.

Before you do it though, just confirm for definate that you do have a polarity issue (and not something simple like a dirty plug connector or bulb holder contacts).

[I-S]

N9nebar - There's a few issues....

1) Legality. They're not.
2) Heat - they may cause damage to the headlamp housing because it is now having to deal with twice as much heat.
3) Electrical - demanding twice as much current may cause arcing in switches/relays, as well as overheating wiring and blowing fuses. Bernmc suffered significant issues with 100W bulbs.

[Turbo_Steve]

And to append: lens age. Isaac mentions the housing will be dealing with more heat, but if yours have plastic lenses then they will be dealing with more UV and Infrared with a 100w filament bulb. As it's a clear lens, the UV is unlikely to do all that much damage, though it will gradually frost and age the plastic whilst the infrared (effectively the sheer heat of the bulb) is likely to gradually turn the lens brown.

If you're going to be illegal, you'd do better to fit HIDs: very narrowband light output (fair bit of UV, almost no Infra red) and massive numbers of lumens.

Have them in my foglights, and they allow me to turn off the headlamps completely in fog (which is how foglights should be used: shining "under" the fog at the road, instead of illuminating it).

[Turbo_Steve]

Anyone know what type of bulb goes in the VR-4 MAP lights (not the front festoon light, but the little highly focussed ones). It's the round glass envelope with wire contacts at the bottom. The problem is going to be that I would like an LED version with the LED at 90degrees to the fitting, instead of pointing straight forward....anyone seen anything like this?

[phosty]

Not sure which light you mean Steve? Where is it located?

[HMG1K]

Not sure which light you mean Steve? Where is it located?

It's the map reading lights among the front courtsey lights - I think you only got these if you have a sunroof... My 6G had map reading lights and they were fab, but I haven't got them on my 8G as it hasn't a sunroof.

[ANTHONY]

It's the map reading lights among the front courtsey lights - I think you only got these if you have a sunroof... My 6G had map reading lights and they were fab, but I haven't got them on my 8G as it hasn't a sunroof.

yep i need those as well, what ones are they?

[HMG1K]

yep i need those as well, what ones are they?

Stupid - I know - but have you checked the handbook? I know it mentions about bulbs in there... it may do for the interiors too

[Turbo_Steve]

Handbook? On a jap import? It probably says, but I wouldn't understand it, would I?

[HMG1K]

Handbook? On a jap import? It probably says, but I wouldn't understand it, would I?

Ah! Didn't realise you had one in Japanese!

[Turbo_Steve]

Something about honouring the care of glass, fitment is not to be dreamt upon those who dwell without (outside) the interconnectedness of the star.

Perhaps it's telling me to go to a dealer?