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Thread: Cheap/basic LED interior lights

  1. #1
    Formally hmm252000
    Join Date:  May 2011

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    Cheap/basic LED interior lights

    For years I've had the basic LED lights that was common a few years ago. Not the brightest solution out there, but it worked well for me. Well, recently I upgraded my daily driver with some cheap SMD LEDs from eBay (shipped directly from China). I had a spare 16 SMD bulb left over and I decided to pop it into the D. I wasn't sure if it would even fit as it's a 39mm, not 36mm like my originals, but it did! The light output was fantastic and way better then I imagined. The 16 bulb version was also just big enough to fit. Any larger and it would not fit in the bulb housing without serious modification. Below is a pic of the original LED I had and the SMD one. These should set you back no more then $2 each after shipping:

    DSC_7105.jpg

    After this, I decided to give my D a basic overhaul on the lighting. Nothing as major as what Farrar or Bill have done. I didn't want to spend hours pulling apart parts of the interior. Basically similar to modern cars with foot well lighting. So I ordered up some 48 bulb SMD panels. These come with various socket adapters and should also cost less then $3-4 each on eBay after shipping from China. They also come with double sided tape. I mounted one on each foot well. The passenger side was stuck directly to the glove box and the driver side I used a piece of plastic that was glued to the knee pad (I used caulking which is strong enough but easy to break off if I want to remove this later without damaging the knee pad).

    DSC_7115.jpg DSC_7110.jpg

    My original plan was to tap off the front dome light wiring as it ran under the dash. However, I noticed that it joined the main wire harness way up in the dash making it very difficult to tap. So instead I decided to tap at the main bundle of diodes in the driver's foot well for the switched ground. It was the blue diode on the side with the two wires (not the other side that has a single wire going to it). While I could have gotten the positive side from any source, I wanted to use the courtesy light circuit as that was shutoff by the new light delay module Dave made. This way when my doors are left open for a certain period of time, these will auto shutoff. So I decided to tap into the glove box light which has easy to access wiring. The end result is below and took me less then an hour to get it done without taking apart the interior!

    DSC_7099.jpg

    Finally, the trunk. I used the same 48 bulb array with the included festoon adapter. Simply plugged it in and used the included tape to stick it to the trunk lid. Easy to switch back later if I wanted to. While not bright enough for me to use for landing a plane or performing open heart surgery like Farrar's, it's more then bright enough for me to find my stuff in there at night.

    DSC_7112.jpg

    So now my interior and trunk are more then bright enough for me to find stuff and get in/out of at night. Total cost for the 2 dome light bulbs and 3 arrays was less then $15. Only downside was I had to wait a few weeks for them to arrive from China.

  2. #2
    Let's see if you bastards can do 90. dvonk's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Omaha, NE

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    i love LEDs; i recently upgraded the interior lights in my Jeep TJ to LEDs that i got from dealextreme.com. i am very pleased with the results, especially for the price! i got the 'cool white' 6500K temperature, and they are crisp and bright. they are based in China as well, so it takes a couple weeks to get them, but the shipping is free!

    i dont know how they compare to SuperBrightLEDs.com lights, but for a tenth the price, i dont really care. i plan on upgrading more (exterior, perhaps dash) later. maybe ill take some photos to post as well if anyone is interested...

  3. #3
    DeLorean Owner Since 2006
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    Location:  Waukesha, WI

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    Nice. I've often thought about adding some form of interior lighting to my car, but have always held off on it for one reason or another. When I get home, I'm going to have to look more seriously into it.

  4. #4
    "Former Delorean owning Guru" Spittybug's Avatar
    Join Date:  Jun 2011

    Location:  Hill Country, TX

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    I just got my shipment from DealExtreme as well. I am very impressed with the prices and the quality so far. I ordered 3 of the 9 LED festoon bulbs and they are just a smidge longer than ours in the overhead lamps. I simply had to bend a holding prong a bit. I did notice that they are just at the width to block the travel of the clear plastic lens and make the light flicker because the contacts aren't solid as a result. Easy, I simply scraped the top edge of the lens down a bit so that it doesn't touch the LED board. I also ordered a blue LED "rope" that I'm going to be trying out in the engine compartment to show off the engine through the plexiglass cover. Not too obtrusive, might give the right "glow" that I'm looking for. We'll see. I am planning on trying some more of their lights and supplement the footwell and other areas too. Neat site!

    ***Got the blue rope installed around the perimeter of my glass. It is bright enough to bathe the engine compartment while not so bright as to be obnoxious. I will try and post a pic, but my luck with low light stuff isn't good. I wired it to a lighted panel rocker switch that is mounted in one of the the blanks in the center console, next to the defroster.
    Last edited by Spittybug; 06-28-2011 at 10:13 PM. Reason: update
    Owen
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  5. #5
    Junior Member
    Join Date:  Jul 2011

    Posts:    3

    Quote Originally Posted by hmm252000 View Post
    For years I've had the basic LED lights that was common a few years ago. Not the brightest solution out there, but it worked well for me. Well, recently I upgraded my daily driver with some cheap SMD LEDs from eBay (shipped directly from China). I had a spare 16 SMD bulb left over and I decided to pop it into the D. I wasn't sure if it would even fit as it's a 39mm, not 36mm like my originals, but it did! The light output was fantastic and way better then I imagined. The 16 bulb version was also just big enough to fit. Any larger and it would not fit in the bulb housing without serious modification. Below is a pic of the original LED I had and the SMD one. These should set you back no more then $2 each after shipping:.
    i am confused. the photo makes it look like they are the same length. what is the length of the original interior dome light for the DeLorean? i am finding 12 SMD in 36mm on ebay and it seems like that would fit better but a little less light.
    Last edited by gtsmike; 07-08-2011 at 01:58 AM.

  6. #6
    Formally hmm252000
    Join Date:  May 2011

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    On the right side you'll see the 16 SMD bulb extends a few millimeters past the other bulb (I lined them on up the left side). Original courtesy light holders are designed for 36mm bulbs. But as I discovered, you can cram a 39mm long bulb which allows you to put in a brighter bulb. The 16 SMD bulbs I used were just big enough both in width and length to fit. Any bigger and it won't fit.

    Don't quote me on this, but I believe the replacement holders (with a silver not black trim around them) support 42mm bulbs.

  7. #7
    Junior Member
    Join Date:  Jul 2011

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    Quote Originally Posted by hmm252000 View Post

    Don't quote me on this, but I believe the replacement holders (with a silver not black trim around them) support 42mm bulbs.
    oh great. the front dome is black trim and the rear is silver. i guess it is time to take them off and then measure it.

    thanks

  8. #8
    Junior Member
    Join Date:  Jul 2011

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    Quote Originally Posted by hmm252000 View Post
    On the right side you'll see the 16 SMD bulb extends a few millimeters past the other bulb (I lined them on up the left side). Original courtesy light holders are designed for 36mm bulbs. But as I discovered, you can cram a 39mm long bulb which allows you to put in a brighter bulb. The 16 SMD bulbs I used were just big enough both in width and length to fit. Any bigger and it won't fit.

    Don't quote me on this, but I believe the replacement holders (with a silver not black trim around them) support 42mm bulbs.
    now i am really confused. i took the bulb out, i am not sure i did that right since it seems you have to take the bulb out from the holder from the side, and measured the bulb. this is a black trim on and it is 37.5mm not 36 or 42. any thoughts?

  9. #9
    Formally hmm252000
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Hillsboro, OR

    Posts:    476

    My VIN:    4099

    Club(s):   (PNDC)

    You measure them tip to tip. You may have some other size in there. Fortunately its not too critical. As long as it stays snug in there, thats whats important. Just know when buying a new bulb, you should be able to use anything from 36-39mm.

  10. #10
    I don't want to be part of the Human race Roman Legion's Avatar
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    I fitted my Mustang with some LEDs, but I need to add a load resistor to my rear lights and front turn signals to put LED bulbs in.. My trunk light, maplight and license plate light are pure white light and VERY bright. I have two bulbs for my reverse lights but the load resistor is needed. Can't wait to get that fixed so I can put LED tail light bulbs in!

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