Cheap/basic LED interior lights

[Chris4099]

The resistor is very much needed, tried not using one with LED bulbs in my Mustang, but it seems that the car does not work well without one..

Newer cars have much more sophisticated electrical systems where even the lights are controlled by computer. They also do things like monitor electrical loads to insure the system is working properly. By changing those loads with LEDs, you trick the computer into thinking something is wrong.

The DeLorean on the other hand is pretty basic. The only need for a load resister on the turn signals is because the analog blinker flash rate is based on load. Replace the blinker with a digital one, and the need for a load resister goes away.

[Bitsyncmaster]

The resistor is very much needed, tried not using one with LED bulbs in my Mustang, but it seems that the car does not work well without one..

Make sure the socket wired the bulb correctly. +12 to the center pin and ground to the socket case.

[SIMid]

Thanks Ozzie! I'll have a play this weekend and check them all out and see what's in her.

[Ryan King]

For the instrument cluster, don't you need the first ones on this page for the illumination?

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...ini-wedge.html

.79 cents each right? And i believe you need 5 for the illumination? I have LED's in mine now..but they don't give enough light

[Ryan King]

For the instrument cluster, don't you need the first ones on this page for the illumination?

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...ini-wedge.html

.79 cents each right? And i believe you need 5 for the illumination? I have LED's in mine now..but they don't give enough light

Ignore my post

Nevermind, I found the right size. I just ordered a ton of LED's myself. I bought 3 of the 48 bulb panels. 2 for under the dash, and 1 for the trunk. Order 2 festoon bulbs for the existing dome lights. Bought a 10 bulb kit for the binnacle and I also bought two 12 led panels for some partial shelf lighting. I only paid 17 dollars with shipping. So. Freakin. Awesome.
Pictures to follow after installment.

[TTait]

Ryan, keep in mind that the plastic and metal versions of the dome lights may take different size festoon bulbs, check both to make sure you got the right lengths...

Tom

[Ryan King]

Ryan, keep in mind that the plastic and metal versions of the dome lights may take different size festoon bulbs, check both to make sure you got the right lengths...

Tom

I'll post photos up once I get everything installed. They should be the correct size.

So I finally got most of my LED's in the mail today. Some good and bad things about them though...

So here is how they arrived in the mail today straight from Hong Kong
LED 1.jpg

Here is most of what I got. I am still waiting on getting X2 12 LED SMD Panels
LED 2.jpg

So I was able to install the festoon bulbs very easily. For comparison, the one on top is from Houston's LED Update Kit back from a few years ago. Below is a 12 LED SMD Bulb. The courtesy light units are Martin's new ones which he sells on his site.
LED 5.jpg

Here is before with the Houston Bulb -
LED 3.jpg

And after with the Chinese SMD 12 Bulb -
LED 4.jpg


I love them so far. My only issue at this point is I ordered 10 new White LED bulbs for my Instrument Cluster. I already had LEDs in there before and was never satisfied with the amount of light they put out...so I thought new bulbs would change the problem.

Except now I still have poor lighting. They are very dim and not all the bulbs are lighting up. Which leads me to believe that my circuit board is just too far gone. The contacts for the plugs have been bent 1 to many times, so I think its time for a new one. Anyone else have this same issue?

Here is a photo of my Instrument Cluster prior to me putting in new LEDs. Notice how dim they are...

My friend Chris has LED's in his cluster and his shine so much brighter then mine. I don't understand it.

Any ideas? 283085_10150713459325268_864320267_19493421_3102115_n.jpg

[Ozzie]

Here is a photo of my Instrument Cluster prior to me putting in new LEDs. Notice how dim they are...

My friend Chris has LED's in his cluster and his shine so much brighter then mine. I don't understand it.

Any ideas? 283085_10150713459325268_864320267_19493421_3102115_n.jpg

I'll take a swing at it.

The LEDs that you need for the cluster's illumination, need to duplicate an incandescent bulb's much wider light beam coverage. LEDs individually have a very narrow field of light, so on larger bulb like a 1506 (tail lamps), they put LEDs not only at the end, but around the circumference to attempt to simulate a wider field of light coverage.

If you look at the cluster and how the bulbs fit in, and specifically the illumination (not indicator) bulbs, you'll see that they rely on the light to be pushed out the sides of the bulb, more so than straight forward.

I've redone my dash in LEDs, and used Superbright's 220 degree (which for LED bulbs is very wide) versions and they've worked great (picture below: incandescents on top pic, LEDs on bottom). I believe it was Justin who alternatively used wide angle SMD versions which also produced good results for him as well.

[Ryan King]

I'll take a swing at it.

The LEDs that you need for the cluster's illumination, need to duplicate an incandescent bulb's much wider light beam coverage. LEDs individually have a very narrow field of light, so on larger bulb like a 1506 (tail lamps), they put LEDs not only at the end, but around the circumference to attempt to simulate a wider field of light coverage.

If you look at the cluster and how the bulbs fit in, and specifically the illumination (not indicator) bulbs, you'll see that they rely on the light to be pushed out the sides of the bulb, more so than straight forward.

I've redone my dash in LEDs, and used Superbright's 220 degree (which for LED bulbs is very wide) versions and they've worked great (picture below: incandescents on top pic, LEDs on bottom). I believe it was Justin who alternatively used wide angle SMD versions which also produced good results for him as well.

Well I played around with my cluster a bit more tonight and have found that those little copper contacts for the plugs on the cluster are just so bend out of shape that I am going to need to get a new one.

Back to my Interior LED lights..

I tapped a 48 bulb SMD panel into the door plungers tonight, only to find that the circuit wasn't strong enough. The door lights would dim wayyyy down and it wouldn't allow me to run them at the same time as the festoon bulbs??? Weird. So what do I need to tap them into again to have them operate with the doors opening/closing?

hmm252000 - Do you mind taking a photo of underneath your dash of the way you wired things up? I am n00bish at this sort of thing.

[Chris4099]

hmm252000 - Do you mind taking a photo of underneath your dash of the way you wired things up? I am n00bish at this sort of thing.

The way I wired it up was a little more complicated become my wire harness is a little odd apparently. The easiest way is to tap into the wires coming down from the B pillar (these feed the front dome light). I've attached a picture of mine, but as you can see it's completely wrapped up in tape. Hopefully you won't have this and can easily tape the purple and purple/white wires. Just follow the passenger side door switch wiring up and it should be the first set of wires to join with it.

DSC_7334.jpg

If yours is like the picture above where you can't really access the purple and purple/white wires coming from the pillar, let me know and I'll try to post more detailed pictures of my install.