Your experience with LED bulbs? Options

[lagos]

I've tried a few cheap led replacement 194 bulbs, only to have them burn out after just a few days of use.
Anyone have better luck with theirs? Any specific brands to stick with?

Im looking for something that will work well for the rear license plate, not to illuminate the gauge cluster.

This post has been edited by lagos: Aug 22, 2009 - 11:05 PM

[Tom_SS2]

i've had nothing but problems, they are cheap you end up paying more for P+P then you do for the bulbs and they never seem to last the 100,000's of hours quoted in their guarantee but who is going to waste time sending back defective bulbs?

[Seztor]

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/EnKMall__W0QQ_armrsZ1
Use this seller.
Bought from him about 10 times know and they work perfectly

[Tigawoods]

as long as you dont mess with the dimmer on the ones hooked up to the interior lights they should last a while.
i dimmed my clusters on a extra set to see what happened and burned them out

[Culpable04]

LED are design for an specific Voltage, if they are not getting that voltage they'll die.

even cheap ones will last as long as they get the right voltage, that means, no messing with the dimmer switch and making sure you have good grounds.

[Random_Stranger]

^^ I agree with the man above.... No, not GOD! With Culp! LOL

[808celica]

what kind of leds did you get?? invert cone style? 360 3mm refractor, SMD chip type, simple 5mm led?? I noticed when i bought 194 from my friends shop ($10 a pop) they were really good for awhile, until my tach bulb started dimming more that the others. asked my friend, shop owner, he said my dimmer switch might be on full crank and its reacting like how led turn signals would. Ahhh frick its too early in the morning for me forgot the exact words he said If your gonna just do your plate lights you prolly want something shooting down, not forward, cuz i used diff. types and the 360` type works best.

[lagos]

LED are design for an specific Voltage, if they are not getting that voltage they'll die.

even cheap ones will last as long as they get the right voltage, that means, no messing with the dimmer switch and making sure you have good grounds.

You are correct, however there is one problem.
Say for example we are talking about the gauge cluster. The power at the cluster alone can range anywhere from 14v all the way down to 11v depending on how many after market accessories your car has, as well as your alternators output. Even if you never touch the dimmer (im planning to by pass mine in general) there is a wide range of voltage that the bulbs will see naturally. The really cheap ones tend to be very sensitive to these normal changes in voltage and quickly blow out.
This is at least my experience with cheap LEDs that I've tried before.

[lagos]

Im thinking about trying these for plate bulbs.. 12leds in one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...RK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

[Tigawoods]

i thought you fixed the problem so that the voltage doesnt fluctuate as much due to your electronics

[samir0189]

Mannnn. I was just gonna get some white leds for my gauge cluster. crap!!!!!!!!


On second thought, these people say the dimmer switch works with theirs?! http://www.superbrightleds.com/carbulb-notes.htm

This post has been edited by samir0189: Aug 23, 2009 - 10:25 PM

[2bcelica]

Mannnn. I was just gonna get some white leds for my gauge cluster. crap!!!!!!!!


On second thought, these people say the dimmer switch works with theirs?! http://www.superbrightleds.com/carbulb-notes.htm

I just bought a bunch from them for the gauges - so we'll see how well they work when I get them.

This post has been edited by 2bcelica: Aug 23, 2009 - 11:04 PM

[samir0189]

Mannnn. I was just gonna get some white leds for my gauge cluster. crap!!!!!!!!


On second thought, these people say the dimmer switch works with theirs?! http://www.superbrightleds.com/carbulb-notes.htm

I just bought a bunch from them for the gauges - so we'll see how well they work when I get them.

please let me know!

[lagos]

i thought you fixed the problem so that the voltage doesnt fluctuate as much due to your electronics

Yes I did, but you have to remember that normally your voltage will not always be the same. When you start the car up cold, you normally see 14.4v. Then it settles to around 13.7. Then when your roll your windows down, or your fans come on, it dips down to around 12.7. This is all normal, but I think its what blows out the cheap LEDs.

[lagos]

Mannnn. I was just gonna get some white leds for my gauge cluster. crap!!!!!!!!


On second thought, these people say the dimmer switch works with theirs?! http://www.superbrightleds.com/carbulb-notes.htm

Yeah someone else just recommended them to me and claims they dim just fine with no problems.

[lagos]

here is an interesting solution i found for those having issues with even coverage of their gauge cluster.

http://www.celica-club.ru/board/index.php?showtopic=13031

[Tom_SS2]

here is an interesting solution i found for those having issues with even coverage of their gauge cluster.

http://www.celica-club.ru/board/index.php?showtopic=13031

they are mega bright, you'd get sun burn off them driving at night

[lagos]

http://superbrightleds.com/specs/bulb_specs.htm

these have an operating range of 9-14.5v. I wonder what the official operating rang is of the cheap leds that always blow out.

[808celica]

maybe the resistors suck???

[BonzaiCelica]

hey 808 celica. your saying that the resistors on the cheap led bulbs suck. that why they have a tendancy to blow out if you dim cluster gauge lights...

and since lagos said our the dimmer can output anywhere from 11v-14v max. and those superbrightleds website specifies it that the bulbs can range from 9-14v then they will work great on the cluster gauge and will last a lifetime....

This post has been edited by BonzaiCelica: Aug 26, 2009 - 12:25 AM

[Hezz]

I've had the superbrightleds.com 5 way white 194 in my gauge cluster for a month now. They are bright but not shocking, and they do dim fine so far.

[2bcelica]

I just replaced my cluster bulbs with White HP5 LEDs from superbrightleds.com

Here is a photo and video of how they look. I think I might get two more that are bighter then these to replace the left and right gauge. The middle is bright enough.

[samir0189]

^^ 2bcelica, Are you sure the right and left gauges are even lighting? I think LEDs can only go in one way (polarity?), and maybe if you installed those two backwards, they are not lighting at all, and the two side gauges are being lit only by the indirect light from the center 194.

Reverse the bulbs in the socket and check! I dont understand how the bulbs can be the same and receiving the same power and light so poorly.

You can switch it around and plug in the harnesses and see if they light before you bolt it back in the dash.

This post has been edited by samir0189: Sep 1, 2009 - 8:41 AM

[95CelicaST]

I purchased mine from http://www.autolumination.com and they've been great. I've had them in for a couple months now without a reduction in light quality, and I've used my dimmer often with no ill effects.

[2bcelica]

^^ 2bcelica, Are you sure the right and left gauges are even lighting? I think LEDs can only go in one way (polarity?), and maybe if you installed those two backwards, they are not lighting at all, and the two side gauges are being lit only by the indirect light from the center 194.

Reverse the bulbs in the socket and check! I dont understand how the bulbs can be the same and receiving the same power and light so poorly.

You can switch it around and plug in the harnesses and see if they light before you bolt it back in the dash.

Yep, Checked and triple checked - before putting things back in - all three bulbs lite up, but doesn't come through very well on the beams gauge I guess, so might need more LED's on those other two bulbs

[samir0189]

mann that sucks.

and 95celicast, $9/bulb is CRAZZZZYYYY! Are they worth that? lol.

[95CelicaST]

Is it worth buying once and not worrying about it for a long time? Yes.

The 5LED matrix bulbs are what I have. They're $7 each. A hefty price? Maybe, but they're non-polar lights and they work well, hands down. I had them in my last gauge cluster (swapped between two Celicas) for way over a year and had zero problems, and if I hadn't sold the car I bet they would still be working fine.

[ChfNix]

Hey, I ordered some of the ones from superbrightleds.com, and they look amazing!! They were $5.95 apiece, but I think $18 is a fair price to pay for as good as they look!! However one of them didn't work, so we'll see how their customer service is...

[ChfNix]

So here is a pic of my gauges with the superbrightleds.com LED's installed on the left and center and a aftermarket "blue" 194 bulb on the right, look at the difference!!!


This post has been edited by ChfNix: Oct 11, 2009 - 11:41 AM

[ChfNix]

So here it is, I think the color I chose for the clock is still to dark, I think I'm gonna go one brighter...


This post has been edited by ChfNix: Oct 11, 2009 - 11:43 AM