LED Lights

[dadrett]

OK, the resistors that i bought came from C and G electronics in Tacoma WA (www.candgelectronics.com). On their website, it doesn't seem that you can order them, but i think if you called them they could pull them off the shelf. I don't live near them anymore, otherwise i would get some for the group.

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I work ALOT with electronics and electrical things. I always do many electrical projects to any vehicle i drive. I'm happy to answer any questions.

Greetings, fb69. Funny how things happen. :o While U were responding to my post, I was running errands & bought a pair of NTE 5W285s for $1.59 + tax. I live sorta out in the boonies & I'm amazed there's this little electronic shop close by. Just got home & looks like I misread U'r post. Good news is I didn't leap outa the car, rip open package & start swapping. I'll have to exchange. Lotta difference between 8.2 ohms (5W8D2) and 8.5K ohms (5W285). :yup: I'll be back when I've got proper resistors (guy's holding them for me as I speak/type) & have substituted them for 50 watt, 3 ohm on my F-150 (only takes 1 for each side.) That'll be test #1. If they pass, then swap for 50 watt, 6 ohm on Edge (I'll use two on one side.) This should prove/disprove the theory. :shades:

PS: I like look of Taurus. I'm guessing tails look stock until lit up. I don't know why most mfrs. feel they have to tart them up by adding chrome & weird internal shapes. Just put an array of LEDs in there & I'm a buyer. I'm after instant on/off & intensity, not the package it's in.

Edited May 2, 2009 by dadrett

[imafordboi69]

ehrn

Edited April 22, 2009 by imafordboi69

[imafordboi69]

Greetings, fb69. Funny how things happen. While U were responding to my post, I was running errands this AM & bought a pair of NTE 5W285. Just got home & looks like I misread U'r post. Good news is I didn't leap outa the car, rip open package & start swapping. I'll have to exchange. Lotta difference between 8.2 ohms (5W8D2) and 8.5K ohms (5W285). :yup: I'll be back when I've got proper resistors & have substituted them for 3 ohm, 50 watt on my F-150 (only takes 1 for each side) & then for 6 ohm, 50 watt on Edge (I'll use two on one side.)

PS: I like look of Taurus. I'm guessing the tails look stock until lit up. I don't know why most mfrs. feel they have to tart them up by adding chrome & weird shapes. Just put an array of bulbs in there & I'm a buyer.

 

 

Sorry!! like i said i went out last night and looked at the writing and misread what they said, however the ones you bought should work just fine. The higher the resistance, the slower that the blinkers will blink. A difference of 3/10 of an ohm wont make any difference. If you can, put the resistors on the front turn signals so that they don't run all the time when the brakes are on.

 

Yes the tails do look like stock when they are not lit. Recently they made a set that has a clear lense and black filler so that the only thing that lights up red are the LEDs. I think they would look nice with my "discoball" style headlights. When i step on the brake i have 104 LEDs blinding the person behind me :P .

[dadrett]

Sorry!! like i said i went out last night and looked at the writing and misread what they said, however the ones you bought should work just fine. The higher the resistance, the slower that the blinkers will blink. A difference of 3/10 of an ohm wont make any difference. If you can, put the resistors on the front turn signals so that they don't run all the time when the brakes are on.

 

Yes the tails do look like stock when they are not lit. Recently they made a set that has a clear lense and black filler so that the only thing that lights up red are the LEDs. I think they would look nice with my "discoball" style headlights. When i step on the brake i have 104 LEDs blinding the person behind me :P .

We are both having trouble :read: ing. Difference is 8.49K ohms. I'm guessing the turns would blink reeeeeeaaaaallllllyyyyy slow. :hysterical2: If U'll re :read: my post #94, U'll know my experience with fronts on F-150. Someone suggested I use a #194 bulb in parallel up in high-mount area of cab for load because hi-mount controls cruise disengage. Plenty room physically. 194 uses only .27 amps. 161 may be even better; it's only .19 amps. Shouldn't get hot enuf to cause concern. That experiment is on my list.

 

I've said it before - "Damned emoticons are like peanuts: U can't use just one." Maybe I shud make that statement my signature.

 

fordboi, seems we're posting at same time. We'll have to go back over these posts to make shur we dint mis sumtin.

Edited May 3, 2009 by dadrett

[imafordboi69]

U and I are both having trouble :read: ing. Difference is 8.49K ohms. I'm guessing the turns would blink reeeeeeaaaaallllllyyyyy slow. :hysterical2: If U re :read: my post #94, U'll know my experience using fronts on F-150. Someone has suggested I use a 194 in parallel up in my high-mount area for load. Plenty room physically. 194 is only 2 candlepower. 161 may be even better; it's only 1 cp. Shouldn't get hot enuf to cause concern. That experiment is on my list.

 

Well you should be fine with those as well. The difference between those and mine is only 29/100 of an ohm, and really that's nothing. Another way of helping to combat the low resistance of the LEDs is to keep the dash board turn signals the stock 194 incandescents. What year is your F150? Could you utilize a LED capable flasher?

[dadrett]

Well you should be fine with those as well. The difference between those and mine is only 29/100 of an ohm, and really that's nothing. Another way of helping to combat the low resistance of the LEDs is to keep the dash board turn signals the stock 194 incandescents. What year is your F150? Could you utilize a LED capable flasher?

Truck is '05. A poster on F-150 forum I belong to uses electronic flasher on his '05, but I'm already $ into what I've got & heat thing doesn't bother me as much as at first. (Set-up in operation for 10 months on both vehicles & neither have burned to the ground.) I'm guessing by '05 they're using LEDs for turn indicators. If someone knows different please inform.

BTW, the lady in picture at left was born & raised in Snohomish.

Man this is a trip talking/typing back & forth. Sorta like IM, :yup: only in the dark!

Edited April 23, 2009 by dadrett

[imafordboi69]

2005 F-150. A poster on F-150 forum I belong to uses electronic flasher on his '05, but I'm already $ into what I've got & heat thing doesn't bother me as much as at first. I'm guessing by '05 they're using LEDs for dash indicators. If someone knows different please inform.

 

Man this is a trip talking/typing back & forth. Sorta like IM, :yup: only in the dark!

 

LED flashers from say Schucks only cost about 9-12 bucks. I cant really comment more on your perticular situation without being able to study a diagram of the wiring. Im sure if i could spend some time with one that i could solve your situation as iv done with my Taurus several times. The diagram for my Bull is over an inch thick, i cant imagine how thick the diagram for the Edge would be but i do want one.

[dadrett]

After 6 weeks of first resisting, :unsure: then being sorely tempted, I've succumbed to my desire & bought & installed an '08 LED high mount brake light in my '07. A look at Post #103, pg 6, this thread, shows it's been amended to include latest tweaking of old geezer's orange toy.

Edited May 3, 2009 by dadrett

[dadrett]

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Lotta difference between 8.2 ohms (5W8D2) and 8.5K ohms (5W285). :yup: I'll be back when I've got proper resistors (guy's holding them for me as I speak/type) & have substituted them for 3 ohm, 50 watt on my F-150 (only takes 1 for each side.) That'll be test #1. If they pass, then swap for 6 ohm, 50 watt on Edge (I'll use two on one side.) This should prove/disprove the theory. :shades:

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Philosophical question. If several criteria in a new situation are better than previous, but one is no worst than previous, is new a complete success? imafordboi69’s resistors (NTE #5W8D2) failed test #1 when I replaced rear 50 watt, 3 ohm resistor on F-150. But when I also “installed” one in front, I had normal turn blink rate. So, revised test was successful. When I replaced both 50 watt, 6 ohm resistors on one side of Edge, they passed their test. Yeah, so what? 5W8D2 ceramic resistor appears to be better choice :yup: than those everyone else & I use. They're smaller (3/8”” x 3/8” x 7/8”) so they’ll fit in more locations. They'r lighter, so U may be able to “dangle” (imafordboi69, Post #125) them from brake/turn & ground wires (at least in front) & not need bracket to mount. They're less expensive. I paid over $32.00 (S&H inc.) for 4 Edge resistors & over $12.00 (S&H inc.) for 2 F-150 resistors. So far we’re three for four, positive, on criteria. Fb69,U must have thicker calluses than I do, because U’r resistors still get way too hot :extinguish: for me to touch for more than a couple seconds. I’d still be cautious of location because of heat. I tested resistor using turn signal on Edge for about 50 min. & notice it got hot enough to burn off lettering & melt/burn :unsure: red shrink tubing. If U need/want to mount them, U might use small hose clamp to attach to bracket U make. Only thing left of concern is wires (no soldering lugs) which are pretty delicate so U have to handle with care. I have two (front & rear) “dangling” on right side of F-150 for longer term test. By using #161 bulb (Posts #129 & #135) for cruise control load in high mount, I’m able to move 50 watt, 3 ohm aluminum resistor (Post #94) to left front.

(1) Two pk. NTE #5W8D2, (2) Resistor "dangling" in RF corner of Edge (notice orig. 50 watt, 6 ohm install), (3) Resistor after 50 min. test, (4) Notice leads soldered to lugs under shrink tubing on 50 watt, 3 ohm on F-150 rear

Edited May 22, 2009 by dadrett

[dadrett]

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If U :read: my post #94, U'll know my experience with fronts on F-150. Poster on F-150 Forum suggested I use a 194 in parallel up in high-mount area of cab for load because hi-mount controls cruise disengage. Plenty room physically. 194 is only 2 candlepower. 161 may be even better; it's only 1 cp. Shouldn't get hot enuf to cause concern. That experiment is on my list.

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In Post #129, I talk about using a #161 incandescent bulb as load for high mount circuit on my F-150. If this worked, I’d be able to move my 50 watt, 6 ohm resistors back up front so I wouldn’t be generating heat :unsure: in resistors when brake is on for long periods. I bought a Ford (‘72-’95) side marker socket for #194 bulb (Dorman #85814) & installed #161 bulb. Still being concerned about heat, I used test leads to light bulb & after an hour, I could hold onto bulb comfortably. Attached male tab connectors to socket leads & plugged into back of existing high mount bulb socket. As stated previously, there is plenty of room up in roof behind high mount unit. So, #161 bulb, rather than resistor, provides load & cruise works properly. Socket & bulb more expensive ($7.11 inc. tax), but virtually no heat involved. Ah, sometimes a plan works out!

Edited May 3, 2009 by dadrett

[dadrett]

Hey, wait a minute!! Why didn't this occur to me before? Why can't we use a 161 or 194 bulb as load for turn signal? If it works, that'll really "revolutionize," "evolutionize," "sanitize" load resistor situation/dilemma. OK, I've got some running around to do this AM. I'll pick up parts & test theory. Be back with results. :speedie: Well, maybe not that fast!

 

15:06 - OK, sometimes U’r windshield, sometimes U’r bug. :heartbreaker: We can’t use 161 or 194 bulb for turn signal load :stop: because it doesn’t work. It would appear small bulb not enuf load to "trigger" flasher. Looks like we’re going to have to be satisfied with evolutionary step of NTE #5W8D2 resistors. :yup:

 

Emoticons = peanuts

Edited May 2, 2009 by dadrett

[imafordboi69]

" I tested resistors using turn signal on Edge for about 50 min. & U'll notice they got hot enough to burn off lettering & melt/burn :unsure: red shrink tubing.

 

Jebus chrystlers!!! Why on earth would anybody leave a turn signal on for darn near an hour!?!? The only people iv ever seen use a turn signal for more than even 15 min are orientals and old men wearing hats. :P But eventually long before an hour is up even they get the hint. LOL When i said that i tested my resistors, i meant that i tested them under NORMAL conditions. My resistors are sitting directly on the plastic bulb socket backing and iv had them there for over a year now. My resistors still have their lettering, and they have not melted the plastic they are sitting on even one little iota.

[dadrett]

Jebus chrystlers!!! Why on earth would anybody leave a turn signal on for darn near an hour!?!? The only people iv ever seen use a turn signal for more than even 15 min are orientals and old men wearing hats. :P But eventually long before an hour is up even they get the hint. LOL When i said that i tested my resistors, i meant that i tested them under NORMAL conditions. My resistors are sitting directly on the plastic bulb socket backing and iv had them there for over a year now. My resistors still have their lettering, and they have not melted the plastic they are sitting on even one little iota.

Hey, watch it buster. I have a hat & I'm not afraid to wear it! Have U noticed how everything is extreme these days? Extreme mountain biking, extreme bass fishing, extreme pizza eating. :yup: I thought I'd do an extreme resistor test. I was interested in performance as well as how much heat was generated. (the real truth is, I hooked resistor up & got busy w/something else (I've admitted elsewhere to being blessed w/OCD & I would also have been ADD, had that condition been invented in late '40s - early '50s) :hysterical2: & proceeded to forget it was cooking. As my post states, I think U'r resistors are better size, weight, value, etc. FWIW, I recommend them & I would not hesitate to use in future. :D In fact, as indicated in Post #134, I'm using resistors from test (even one w/faded lettering) on right side of F-150 at this very moment.

Edited May 2, 2009 by dadrett

[imafordboi69]

Hey, watch it buster. I have a hat & I'm not afraid to wear it! Have U noticed how everything is extreme these days? Extreme mountain biking, extreme bass fishing, extreme pizza eating. :yup: I thought I'd do an extreme resistor test. I was interested in performance as well as how much heat was generated. As my post states, I think U'r resistors are a better size, weight, value, etc. FWIW, I recommend them & wouldn't hesitate to use in future. :D

 

I make fun of you guys now, because i am well aware that one day i too will have my hat issued to me. I already wear one from time to time, but i figure that if i wear it backwards or slightly to the side, that i can pretend i don't know whats coming.

[dadrett]

Anyone else here having their LED bulbs start to flicker and go bad after say about a 6 months to a year? In the last month I have had 2 LED bulbs go bad and the guy is trying to tell me I need resistors.. that would be like 10 different resistors and where do you place them in dome light or map light or license plate light given spacing. I have always 100% understood you need them for turn signal applications, but not just when switching out bulbs in the car like I have..

anyone else had LED bulbs NOT in turn signals start to flicker after extended use?

I had two do this on my license plate but nowhere else.

I remembered this post being somewhere (doesn’t everything have to be somewhere?) Didn’t pay much attention when I first read it ‘cause it didn’t affect me. But LED gods said, “Just wait, U’r time is near.” :yup: Sure enough, I’ve got 3 flickerers (real word?) out of a totel of 19 (Edge - 12, F-150 - 7). Two 194 (5-LED) white, 1 in license & 1 in front map light of Edge. Bought around 3-2-09. Another 194 (6-LED) white, in front map light of F-150. Bought around 4-12-09. E-mailed EnKMall (5-02-09) in Hong Kong. His reply: ”Hi, sorry, we will send the replacement to you tomorrow, please using our same envelope to send back the items after received the replacement. Thanks, EnKMall." How’s that for service? Sure his quality is a tad low, but he’s got great prices, he doesn’t charge shipping & his stuff gets here in 6-8 days. Check it out: http://stores.ebay.com/EnKMall. Another example of his service – ordered two 3157 bulbs w/36 LEDs. LEDs were very small & bulb was not at all bright, even at night. E-mailed him to get OK & returned them via USPS. It took long time & seems they may have gotten “lost.” I e-mailed, he replied & issued refund before he got bulbs. I’m not sure he ever did get them. His 31mm festoons are perfect fit (no tweaking required) in puddle lamps & 42mm festoons are perfect fit in Edge dome & reading (2nd seat) & courtesy (cargo) lights & in F-150 dome (2nd. seat) light. Anyway, point of all this is, YES, there are blinkin' (bloomin', bleedin') LED bulbs around. Do the math - if U pay 1/3 the price & it lasts only 1/3 the time, U've gotten fair value. Yeah, I know, it's a pain dealing w/returns, but if 16 out of 19 "cheap" things hold up, U'r money ahead. So far we’ve only heard from Lex, jpeckinp & U'rs truly. BTW, all U’r LED bulbs will have resistors as part of their construction even if bulb is so small U can’t see innards.

Edited May 5, 2009 by dadrett

[imafordboi69]

I remembered this post being somewhere (doesn’t everything have to be somewhere?) Didn’t pay much attention when I first read it ‘cause it didn’t affect me. But LED gods said, “Just wait, U’r time is near.” :yup: Sure enough, I’ve got 3 flickerers (real word?) out of a totel of 19 (Edge - 12, F-150 - 7). Two 194 (5-LED) white, 1 in license & 1 in front map light of Edge. Bought around 3-2-09. Another 194 (6-LED) white, in front map light of F-150. Bought around 4-12-09. E-mailed EnKMall (5-02-09) in Hong Kong. His reply: ”Hi, sorry, we will send the replacement to you tomorrow, please using our same envelope to send back the items after received the replacement. Thanks, EnKMall." How’s that for service? Sure his quality is a tad low, but he’s got great prices, he doesn’t charge shipping & his stuff gets here in 6-8 days. Check it out: http://stores.ebay.com/EnKMall. Another example of his service – ordered two 3157 bulbs w/36 LEDs. LEDs were very small & bulb was not at all bright, even at night. E-mailed him to get OK & returned them via USPS. It took long time & seems they may have gotten “lost.” I e-mailed, he replied & issued refund before he got bulbs. I’m not sure he ever did get them. His 31mm festoons are perfect fit (no tweaking required) in puddle lamps & 42mm festoons are perfect fit in Edge dome & reading (2nd seat) & courtesy (cargo) lights & in F-150 dome (2nd. seat) light. Anyway, point of all this is, YES, there are blinkin' (bloomin', bleedin') LED bulbs around. Do the math - if U pay 1/3 the price & it lasts only 1/3 the time, U've gotten fair value. Yeah, I know, it's a pain dealing w/returns, but if 16 out of 19 "cheap" things hold up, U'r money ahead. So far we’ve only heard from Lex, jpeckinp & U'rs truly. BTW, all U’r LED bulbs will have resistors as part of their construction even if bulb is so small U can’t see inside.

 

 

I have had LEDs burn out in my Taurus as well. I had a 194 go bad in a door panel socket that turned into a strobe light for a while (kinda cool) and i also has a festoon doom light just quit working one day. The hype for LEDs is great, however i have seen on more than one occasion that they go bad. Iv even had expensive LED Christmas lights go bad two days out of the box.

[KMAN]

Ok call me a noob but what is the BEST leds is it the WLED Miniature Wedge Base bulbs or WLED Miniature Wedge Base bulbs with High Power SMD LEDs

So I want to make sure of what I buy is not to dim of a light ,I am asking anyone here what type did you go with.

I emailed them ASKing for help and I gave them all the numbers for the interior lights. And this is their response

 

> License Plate: 168 x2

>

> Front Map Lamps: 2825 (W5W ford) x2

>

> Second Row Map/Dome Lamp: 578 (578 ford) x3

>

> Rear Courtesy Lamp Cargo Area: 2825 (W5W ford) x1 Thank you Kelly

 

 

Hello,

Please use the cross reference guide on this page to look up these

bulb part numbers: http://www.superbrightleds.com/bulb_cross.htm

Cool white is always brighter than warm white.

Edited May 5, 2009 by KMAN

[KMAN]

Do you think these would be a good set to place in the Map lights ?

[dadrett]

Do you think these would be a good set to place in the Map lights ?

I’m using very similar bulb for map & license lights. Have red ones in rear side markers. FWIW, I recommend an eBay seller, EnKMall, for small LED bulbs. Post #140, this thread, has link. A 2 pack of white 194’s from him is $5.98 (free S&H) (5pk is $11.98.) Superbrightleds wants $12.88/$24.70. I’ve had some bulbs go bad, but he’s replaced them.

Edited May 20, 2009 by dadrett

[KMAN]

I’m using very similar bulb for map & license lights. Have red ones in rear side markers. FWIW, I recommend an eBay seller, EnKMall, for small LED bulbs. Post #140, this thread, has link. A 2 pack of white 194’s from him is $5.98 (free S&H) (5pk is $11.98.) Superbrightleds wants $12.88/$24.70. I’ve had some bulbs go bad, but he’s replaced them.

Thanks dadrett I order most of the ones threw EnkMall I will let you know how it goes .

[KMAN]

Well I got the LEDs I could of used 39 mm LED Festoon Bulbs in all the back 3 in the map and dome light and one in the cargo .. I went off the spec in the manual. But I ordered 36mm LED Festoon Bulbs. I also have the wedge ones I installed and took back out. They look great but at night you can see a Tiny small light emitting from the center led. Not sure if that is normal for those bulbs

 

I am thinking of seeing if I can of getting 39mm 239 C5W Xenon White 8 LED Festoon Bulb 12V cause the ones I have only have 6 LEds

 

The crazy thing is I put the stock ones in but pull one out and put in stock one back in it shut the low emitting light off ?

Edited June 4, 2009 by KMAN

[awake33]

Well I got the LEDs I could of used 39 mm LED Festoon Bulbs in all the back 3 in the map and dome light and one in the cargo .. I went off the spec in the manual. But I ordered 36mm LED Festoon Bulbs. I also have the wedge ones I installed and took back out. They look great but at night you can see a Tiny small light emitting from the center led. Not sure if that is normal for those bulbs

 

I am thinking of seeing if I can of getting 39mm 239 C5W Xenon White 8 LED Festoon Bulb 12V cause the ones I have only have 6 LEds

 

The crazy thing is I put the stock ones in but pull one out and put in stock one back in it shut the low emitting light off ?

 

I have a similar effect on my front map lights, but it is very, very faint. You have to look up with your head directly under it to see it, and only if it's dark out. This is caused by leaky voltage in the car's electrical system, you just don't notice it with filament bulbs since it's not enough to cause them to glow. The driver side map light is the hub for the rear lights, is that the one you put a stock bulb back in? My front map lights have 5 SMD LEDs each, 4 on the sides and one on top.

[KMAN]

I was saying that to my wife but I was just taking a guest at that .

[KMAN]

Put the leds Front Map Lamps: 2825 (W5W ford) had a few extra and found out that they fit in my License Plate ...Now that I did all the nice color leds my wife wants me to change the puddle lights. But I wanted to buy some new replacements just in case I mess up . I called a local ford dealer and they said $300 for the whole mirror and I could not get they separate.. !!

Edited June 25, 2009 by KMAN

[dadrett]

Put the leds Front Map Lamps: 2825 (W5W ford) had a few extra and found out that they fit in my License Plate ...Now that I did all the nice color leds my wife wants me to change the puddle lights. But I wanted to buy some new replacements just in case I mess up . I called a local ford dealer and they said $300 for the whole mirror and I could not get they separate.. !!

Buying whole mirror is unnecessary. In this forum (Pg 3) find my thread "LED Puddle Lamps?, Less $ Than U Thought". Lamp units are $26.12 + S&H from Tasca Ford. U might try U'r dealer's parts guy & see if he'll price match.

Edited June 25, 2009 by dadrett