LED lighting

[Splat]

We took the four cars (that we're taking down to the LeMans Classic) for a spin last week. One hundred miles in rather changeable weather! Even without the cloudburst it was comical how period-correct Jon's lighting was. Both his tail lights and indicators were almost unnoticeable. Of course, when I commented on this, I was informed that mine were exactly the same! Ken, with his recently rebuilt MGB, was running with LED bulbs in all his secondary lights, and most effective they were too.

Upgradeing is very straightforward...... once you've found the correct bits. You'll need to upgrade the flasher relay as the current draw of an LED bulb is so low that a standard unit can't "see" it. The result is high-rate flashing (just as if you've blown a bulb). With LEDs all round, it won't flash at all!

The Eleven (or, at least my later car with hazard lights) uses a slightly unusual flasher relay. Whilst looking like a common 3-pin relay, one is earth. The pins are labled 31, 49 and 49a. It's not so easy to find a regular relay in this config, let alone one suitable for LEDs. After a bit of hunting around, I found just one supplier in the UK. I also bought most of the bulbs from him. His diffused amber indicator bulbs and red tail/brakelight bulbs are really bright and "smooth", by which I mean that the light output is cohesive, appearing to come from a single conventional bulb, rather than an array of LEDs. Basically, it looks "standard" but much brighter! To help decode the bulb nomenclature see the attached diagram at the foot of this post. Indicators are usually BA15s, and tail/brake lights are usually BAY15d.

http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.c ... ds-etc.php

If you have standard front indicators, then you'll have no problem (again, BA15s). Mine, however, are in Lucas 1130-type bullet sidelight units mounted in front of the headlights. The bulbs are double-contact ones (BA15d) more usually found on boats! Diffused amber bulbs to suit are simply not available, so I've used white, surface mounted LED bulbs instead and whilst bright, it doesn't look particularly good (five seperate pinpoints of light). To fit diffused amber bulbs requires me to change the bulb holder inside the 1130 unit to BA15s spec, but I'm on to that!

I've also swapped the sidelight bulbs (pilot-light type, T10 wedge fit) within the headlamp bowls for LEDs which are much more effective. I've yet to decide whether or not to upgrade the H4-type headlamp bulbs to LED. I rarely drive the Eleven in the dark and the bulbs require small drive units (waterproof with waterproof flying leads) to be mounted near the headlights. But they're VERY effective!

[Westfield 129]

Really useful. I may be changing to some LED lighting as well.

My car has old style sealed beams, and I have the little Lucas sidelights in front of the headlights.

My first task is to change the headlights to halogen type which I found were much better than the emaciated firefly-like output of my 40 year old sealed beams.

Hopefully, Painless Performance will have a replacement plug in flasher that fits their fuse block for the LED tail lights.

Moss has LED bulbs that they are selling through their catalog locally. I will check them out against your information.

[jonclancy]

Awesome post, Splat! Thanks!

I will get these ordered ASAP. For the headlights, I have had a lot of success with Philips Night Breaker bulbs on the W124, and think I may have them in the XI. Night driving is a lot of fun, and I have never found the headlights lacking.

Pre CLM oil-change next week!

[Splat]

Just a quick update.

I mentioned that I wasn't happy with the front indicators. LED bulbs are available in many forms; multiple LEDs, SMDs and diffused LEDs. Multiple LED bulbs are just that; little domed LEDs mounted in an array. The more individual elements, the brighter the bulb. However, it's often possible to discern the individual LEDs through the lens (especially if you use white LEDs behind a coloured lens). You may have seen them on that blinged-up supermini with the baked-bean can exhaust. SMDs are surface mounted diodes; small, flat chips, again mounted in arrays. Usually more widely spaced on the bulb, they're even less convincing on a classic car than the previous type.

The ones that best replicate a filament bulb are the diffused type. In fact, once installed behind the lamp lens you can't tell that they're LEDs, except for them being much brighter than filament bulbs. And because LEDs are so much brighter than filament bulbs, it's desirable to use bulbs of the same colour as the lens.

Because my front indicators are mounted in Lucas 1130 sidelight units, originally designed to be combined sidelight/indicator units, the standard bulb is a 21w filament bulb with a BA15d fitting. Diffused amber LEDs are simply not available in this fitment. In fact, the only LED bulbs that I could find with BA15d fitment were SMDs, and once fitted behind the amber lens they looked quite wrong.

The recourse was to change the internal bulb holder of the 1130 unit to BA15s. They're available, but I couldn't find many stockists. I bought mine here (and not only was he the cheapest, but delivery was next-day):

http://www.vintagemotorspares.com/page6.htm

They only have a positive lead, but fitting an earth return was very easy. They're now installed, with diffused bulbs from the source in my first post. Once again, it looks totally original but much brighter.

I've yet to decide whether or not to fit LED H4 headlight bulbs and their associated drivers.......

[jonclancy]

I have L516 style front indicators. I'll need to get the lights apart to see what I need.

For the rest...

Flasher unit. DD2A for LED only, or CF13/14 for hybrid systems of mixed LED/bulbs. The website is a bit confusing, so take your time or give them a call...

(Update: I was rushed and ordered an LED only flasher. I killed it! CF14 ordered from eBay for £6.79 delivered).

Rear indicator. CC2A

Rear tail/stop. CB2A

The old bulbs will form my spare bulb kit!

[jonclancy]

T10 wedge pilot lamps now installed. The Wipac holders were very brittle, so genuine replacements were obtained.

The 5W builds are very while, and the lights seem much more noticeable. The bulbs are not expensive, the performance is excellent!