Tail light boards and LEDs

[Farrar]

What is the tallest unit that will fit? How many SMDs?

Looks Great Farrar!

Thanks, Josh! This was probably two years ago so I can't remember. I remember just putting a small ruler in through the light hole, then viewing the dimensions of various bulbs online. I know for a fact there are brighter units than the ones I use available now... so whatever you get will probably be superior. Just shop carefully and do your homework, as if I needed to remind you.

[ccurzio]

Ozzie's writeup is spot-on. I used his recommendations for all of the exterior bulbs on my DeLorean (sans headlights obviously) and they look and work great.

I did some of the interior bulbs too (everything except inside the binnacle) and the only problem I ran into was the glovebox bulb. The "replacement replacements" don't work, unfortunately.

[Ozzie]

Ozzie's writeup is spot-on. I used his recommendations for all of the exterior bulbs on my DeLorean (sans headlights obviously) and they look and work great.

I did some of the interior bulbs too (everything except inside the binnacle) and the only problem I ran into was the glovebox bulb. The "replacement replacements" don't work, unfortunately.

Thanks for the feedback, appreciated.

Yeah, my initial write up had a glovebox LED bulb that didn't work for this application (was only for 9V - either my mistake or the spec changed). Since then forum member Cory W. pointed out a better alternative, and E10 LED:


I've since also acquired that LED and it does fit and work great (relatively very bright); the blog posting was also updated to reflect that change. You can find these on eBay as "E10 LED" ...or, I have observed that they are listed for use in model railroad applications, so call your local hobby shops, as they may carry them as well.

[Cory W]

I read Ozzie's blog while investigating LEDs for my car, and I honestly don't remember finding or pointing this light out Doesn't mean I didn't do it, but are you sure it was me?

I have that light, though, lying in wait for when I uncover and prep the car for the new season.

[ccurzio]

Thanks for the feedback, appreciated.

Yeah, my initial write up had a glovebox LED bulb that didn't work for this application (was only for 9V - either my mistake or the spec changed). Since then forum member Cory W. pointed out a better alternative, and E10 LED:


I've since also acquired that LED and it does fit and work great (relatively very bright); the blog posting was also updated to reflect that change. You can find these on eBay as "E10 LED" ...or, I have observed that they are listed for use in model railroad applications, so call your local hobby shops, as they may carry them as well.

That's actually the "replacement replacement" I was referring to. Didn't work for me.

[Ozzie]

That's actually the "replacement replacement" I was referring to. Didn't work for me.

Really, as I said it fit and works fine on my car.
What was the issue fit?

[ccurzio]

Really, as I said it fit and works fine on my car.
What was the issue fit?

No, the bulb fits fine as far as I can tell. It just doesn't light up.

[Ozzie]

No, the bulb fits fine as far as I can tell. It just doesn't light up.

If you put back the incandescent one, and it lights up, you may have bad bulb from the get go. If it the incandescent doesn't light up, the wiring on the socket could have come loose which is easy for this to occur.

...or, are you sure the LED one is threaded all the way in? For this one LED, I found that it just couldn't be changed through the open glove box as it wasn't long enough to be able to fingertip grasp, to thread it into the socket. Instead I had to remove the cover off the socket, unscrew the socket ring from underneath, then pull the socket out just under the bottom of the dash and thread the LED bulb all the way in. Putting it all back together got me a bright LED in that spot.

[justlooking]

OK, Just about to order new tail light boards. I wondered if you can get LEDs for them or is it better to go with the traditional incandescents. I remember reading a while back that the LEDs didn't light up as brightly or as quickly which could be a problem especially for the brake lights. Is this still an issue? I looked for posts addressing this, but I couldn’t find anything that really answered this definitively. So, LEDs or incandescents?

......Mike......

Just wondering where you're going to get new tail light boards? Rob Grady no longer makes them.

[john 05141]

Last winter Welmoed and I replaced the regular blinkers to LED. (Welmoest takes all the credit for the design and research here) It was not as easy as one would think, especially if you want your front sidemarkers to play along. Welmoed was kind enough to help me install them after he did this to hir car first. If the sidemarkers are not involved, it is much easier.
I was driving in front of Welmoed, and they are not as bright as the normal bulbs. You have to compare 2 cars and in daylight. At night it will certainly look OK. No doubt you can see them, but they should be brighter to my opinion.
I have been thinking to modify the tail light boards so 2 LED's can be installed per board for the blinkers. That might solve the problem. The front blinker will be more difficult.

John