Topic: Map light upgrade and other LED bulb replacements

[Critterman]

depends if the lights are on or off.  Can't remember which is which, but they flash with the lights in one mode, and oposite in the other mode.  I would have to uncover the car and check

[TomatoSoup]

UPDATE: Converted my trunk lighting with new LEDs from a new LED source! 

First the teaser shot... this was after the conversion:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

I got the LEDs from DealExtreme (.com) which, by the way, is a great site to browse... they have everything from Game hacks to lens hoods to LEDs to lighters etc, etc - all with free shipping.  BUT, WARNING this is a Chinese (Honk Kong) site, with all the caveats that implies in terms of fakes etc.  Plus the shipping will take a minimum of two weeks generally and possibly up to four!  Having said that, I've got stuff from them for years and always been happy, and the one time something was bad, I returned for refund with no problems (to a Florida address).

So... these were the two LEDs I got for this.  This to replace the current lamp near the floor:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13433

... and this to be added up high on the trunk lid lip (to shine down):
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12742

The former 6-LED device is cheaper but not quite as bright as the latter, but it's a nicer setup with the built-in heatsink, and I just ordered two more to use in the hood for the engine bay (stay tuned).  I had hoped this would fit behind the lens of the factory light, but it was just a bit too big.  So I just took out the factory bulb and lens, made/bent some thin aluminum to act as a holder behind the metal plate that the lens clips into, and then just stuck the LED to that with the supplied double-sided tape.  This method insets the LED assembly out of the way of the content in the trunk, but a much simpler alternative would be to get a flat piece of metal or plastic and slide it sideways in-between the metal plate and carpet material and stick the LED to that.  NOTE: if you decide to remove the lensholder metal plate, you must cut off the 3 plastic rivets, and replace with some suitable clips.

Here's my jury-rigged holder setup, showing the removed lensholder plate:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]


And here's everything in place before re-install (sorry for the blur):

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]


And finally in place:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]


The upper light was easier, apart from having to fish a wire from the original light up through the concertina tube and up behind the trunk lid liner.  The LED assembly is just stuck behind the reinforcing lip at the front edge of the trunk lid, again with supplied tape.  Here it is in place (cant see the individual LEDs 'cos of the glare):

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]


That's all.  Next stop is to wait for the extra 6-LED units and mount in the hood, plus I also ordered some more bulbs to try for the license plate light.

[Brad Kenny]

Like the mod but think I am going in more of the direction of using our previous supplier with the larger bulbs and the DDM trunk light.  Nice writeup as usual TS, see you at SMMM7.

[Kelu]

Looks nice, thank you for sharing especially the experiences with the vendor. 

[TomatoSoup]

Like the mod but think I am going in more of the direction of using our previous supplier with the larger bulbs and the DDM trunk light.  Nice writeup as usual TS, see you at SMMM7.

Perfectly reasonable.  For the trunk light, I think DDM's solution may well be more reliable, and not too much more expensive. 

What was the "larger bulb" you were referring to though?

[Brad Kenny]

LED w12 bulb instead of the stock setup that is in there now.  Probably red in color. Just haven't bought the bulb and tried it yet.  Are you bringing an extra to SMMM7? I will be willing to trade/buy and attempt install.

[TomatoSoup]

LED w12 bulb instead of the stock setup that is in there now.  Probably red in color. Just haven't bought the bulb and tried it yet. 

Ahhhh.  Well all I can say is DON'T!  

The x12 bulbs are forward-firing, whereas the trunk light is oriented sideways and doesn't even have a reflector.  You'll get no useful light from an x12 in that location.  I also had tried an x5 but they just aren't bright enough either. You need a (preferably one-way) side-firing bulb.  Hence my choice in the earlier post.

Are you bringing an extra to SMMM7? I will be willing to trade/buy and attempt install.

All I have is a spare x5, but that's not bright enough for most applications.  I'll bring it anyway, but not much use to you I think.

[Critterman]

DDM will probably have some of their trunk lights there.  It is what I have in my car.

[Brad Kenny]

Would like to use the x5 in the license plate light??? Bring it, we can fiddle... 

John, already working with DDM to do a trunk light and hood light installation... POST-SMMM7

This is a good way to pick up parts. ME LIKEY LIKEY   

[TomatoSoup]

Next phase complete! ... LED Hood and License plate lights.

Continuing with trial LEDs from DealExtreme, I got a pair of the six-LED blocks (like I used to replace the trunk light in my earlier post) to use under my hood.  Wired with a breaker yard-sourced mercury tilt-switch, works great and plenty of light.  (No photos, y'all know what these things look like by now).

In the same shipment, I also got both these: and these to try for the license plate light location.  After trying both, the latter worked best/brightest so I kept it in (only one bulb from the pair is needed). Purchase link: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.21288  (all of $5.50 shipped!)

These photos were taken at the exact same shutter/aperture settings and give a very good representation of the brightness and color.  Now my only problem is with the added brightness, am I more susceptible to my local LEO's?

Before:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
After:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

CT, man, your turn!

[Helios]

Next phase complete! ... LED Hood and License plate lights.

Continuing with trial LEDs from DealExtreme, I got a pair of the six-LED blocks (like I used to replace the trunk light in my earlier post) to use under my hood.  Wired with a breaker yard-sourced mercury tilt-switch, works great and plenty of light.  (No photos, y'all know what these things look like by now).

In the same shipment, I also got both these: (Image removed from quote.) and these (Image removed from quote.) to try for the license plate light location.  After trying both, the latter worked best/brightest so I kept it in (only one bulb from the pair is needed). Purchase link: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.21288  (all of $5.50 shipped!)

These photos were taken at the exact same shutter/aperture settings and give a very good representation of the brightness and color.  Now my only problem is with the added brightness, am I more susceptible to my local LEO's?

Before:

(Attachment Link)
After:

(Attachment Link)

CT, man, your turn!

Just ordered these for my license plate. Thanks! They look great in your photos.

[Sly Bob]

Looks good TomatoSoup. I'm gonna order a pair of those right now as the old LED maplight bulbs that I tried in there at the mod meet didn't work out very well.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm going to change the title of this thread to better reflect the fact that we have discussed more here than just map light upgrades.

[reedred]

Sweet!  I also tried this with a variety of LED bulbs I had lying around and was dissatisfied with the results.  Thanks for the info on a suitable bulb!

[1LILNDN]

TS  how or what holds them in or do they fit the same socket?

[Sly Bob]

Same socket Bobby.

[Brad Kenny]

License plate lights.

CT, man, your turn!

Guess I better get HOT!!! Falling behind in the LED runoff.  I have seen a replacement LED tail light at PEP boys that has the resistor included in the bulb block. Thinking about giving it a try to see if it will work out.

CT

[Sly Bob]

TomatoSoup, I ordered those licence plate LEDs a while ago and they came today. Installed them and they look great. Nice even light across the plate compared to the LEDs that I was using there.

Thanks again for the heads up!

[1LILNDN]

TomatoSoup & Sly Bob , I ordered them and I even put one in the Trunk lite works GR8 .  I got 3 packs

[Sly Bob]

Trunk light! That's what I should do with the spare.  

[TomatoSoup]

Good job Bob and Bobby!  Glad to be of help.

Just as an update about DealExtreme, one of the three 6-LED arrays I ordered from them failed (I have 2 under the hood and one in the trunk).  Infant mortality I guess.  So I read their RMA instructions and filled in the online form to ask for a replacement.  Got an email back next day saying they didn't need me to mail anything back, another one was on it's way!  No questions asked.  (Got the replacement yesterday - took about a week.)

So despite being in Asia and selling stuff cheap, they stand by their products.  Just as an FYI.

[Sly Bob]

Bought 3 LED dome lights from DealExtreme and installed them in the trunk tonight. I installed 2 on the top edge as I wanted it to be symmetrical and one where the factory light used to be. The lights are smaller than most are using because there are 2 up top instead of the 1 that most install there. They fit well and don't hang past the holes up top.

In order to install the cluster where the factory light used to be, I slid a 2 3/8" square piece of aluminum between the carpet and the factory metal retaining bracket. Drilled a hole in the middle of the plate for the wires to pass through. The factory harness wasn't cut into in any way to do the install.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.21290

I'll take pictures tomorrow. Next up, glove box light!

[Sly Bob]

Pictures as promised. I love the look of the LEDs. As I said, glove box lights and the storage area between the seats is the next up for lights. Ordered them from Oznium the other day.

The Led in the factory position.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Upper LED twins.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Twins turned on (that doesn't sound right)

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
And the results are just what I was looking for and I couldn't be happier. Thanks to TomatoSoup for reminding me about DealExtreme. My son had mentioned the place some time ago but I had forgotten about it.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Kelu]

Looks so nice 

[TomatoSoup]

And the results are just what I was looking for and I couldn't be happier. Thanks to TomatoSoup for reminding me about DealExtreme. My son had mentioned the place some time ago but I had forgotten about it.

You're welcome.  I used the just one of 20-LED versions for my trunk lid, so yours should be even brighter!

I haven't done the glove/cubby lights yet, so please keep us posted on which LEDs you use and how you do the switches. Thanks!

[Critterman]

Turning twins on has always been a good thing.  Nice clean trunk.