LED Bulbs

[AlexJet]

I need some advice on LED bulbs.:awais:
I have an ARB bumper and was looking to change my DRL lights in it to LED. I come out to 2 options: Tower bulb or Matrix bulb. I've been using Matrix bulb for a while on my truck and so far they work and look fine. But I never had any experience with Tower bulbs.
Have anyone use them? How do they compare to Matrix?
Here are some pictures for reference:

Tower Bulb:

Matrix Bulb:

 

[<<<<]

I've been using LED in my corner front lights. I got 6-LED 194 bulbs and i've been changing them more frequently than engine oil. Damn things kept going strobe-like glimering around after every 5 month. I'm switching to stock orange incandencent bulbs soon. Interior LED's work fine, but outside ones suck.

 

[nserpa9248]

The only advantages i can see with those is lower operating voltage, lower power consumption, and mayb looks?

I cant imagine they would be all that much brighter than halogens...

 

[loner]

Alex, This isn't an answer to your question, but you may be interested:

I installed a pair of the 36 LED boards below in each of my ARB's signal housings (so, four LED boards total). The ARB housings are exactly the same height as the LED boards, so it was a snap to install them.


http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/pcblamp.htm

I'll upload a photo tomorrow. The look is really nice, although the light output is no match for the usual incandescent DRL bulb. As turn signals and running lights, they look great, but as DRL's they are a bit weak.

 

[AlexJet]

Alex, This isn't an answer to your question, but you may be interested:

I installed a pair of the 36 LED boards below in each of my ARB's signal housings (so, four LED boards total). The ARB housings are exactly the same height as the LED boards, so it was a snap to install them.


http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/pcblamp.htm

I'll upload a photo tomorrow. The look is really nice, although the light output is no match for the usual incandescent DRL bulb. As turn signals and running lights, they look great, but as DRL's they are a bit weak.

That is very interesting. I'm going to put LED exactly at those housings. This might be an alternative.

 

[Light_Mania]

LEDs are sensitive to the brief high voltage spikes found on alternator charged 12v systems. Whenever a high load is switched off (like you turn off the headlights) there is a brief spike in voltage from the alternator until it can reduce output. Automotive electronics are protected from this, and incandescent lights are not affected by such brief spikes, but unprotected LEDs, which are commonly overdriven to begin with, don't handle it well. That is why cheap LEDs frequently fail. Poor disposal of heat from an LED cluster is also a contributor.

 

[AlexJet]

LEDs are sensitive to the brief high voltage spikes found on alternator charged 12v systems. Whenever a high load is switched off (like you turn off the headlights) there is a brief spike in voltage from the alternator until it can reduce output. Automotive electronics are protected from this, and incandescent lights are not affected by such brief spikes, but unprotected LEDs, which are commonly overdriven to begin with, don't handle it well. That is why cheap LEDs frequently fail. Poor disposal of heat from an LED cluster is also a contributor.

Is there any way to protect them from those spikes? Does anyone know any "surge protector" for LEDs?

By the way, those spikes from headlights may be a cause for burn-out LEDs in wedge lights in headlights and of course heat issue too, at least for some members here.

 

[Light_Mania]

Putting a 20 volt 1 or 2 watt zener diode in parallel with the LED string should work to reduce big forward voltage spkes.

If that turned out to be not quite enough, it could be due to reverse voltage spikes, in which case adding a a MURS160 fast recovery diode in series with the string should stop those.

As for heat issues, the key is to avoid overdriving the LED. Little 5mm LEDs last longest with something under 20 mA of current. The lower the drive current, the more efficient they are and the less heat they produce.

If you want lots of light, then use a high power LED like a Luxeon and a current regulated driver circuit designed for automotive applications, like the ones at www.taskled.com These circuits have spike/overvotage protection built in.

Good luck!

 

[AlexJet]

Putting a 20 volt 1 or 2 watt zener diode in parallel with the LED string should work to reduce big forward voltage spkes.

If that turned out to be not quite enough, it could be due to reverse voltage spikes, in which case adding a a MURS160 fast recovery diode in series with the string should stop those.

Very good to know. May I'll give it a try when will do some electrical work.

As for heat issues, the key is to avoid overdriving the LED. Little 5mm LEDs last longest with something under 20 mA of current. The lower the drive current, the more efficient they are and the less heat they produce.

If you want lots of light, then use a high power LED like a Luxeon and a current regulated driver circuit designed for automotive applications, like the ones at www.taskled.com These circuits have spike/overvotage protection built in.

The heat issue I was refering to is actualy from headlight bulbs. This heat is "killing" LEDs in the headlights from my point of view.

 

[iRCaDiKz]

Ordered LED bulbs from autoillumination lastnight
and not sure if i ordered the right or exact quantity of 194/168s

i ordered 5 194/168s (6 led) and 1 (9 LED) Festoon Bulb
194/168 - door, dome and license plate.

 

[Koz]

This company has one of the best assortments of automotive LED bulbs at reasonable prices. I replaced almost every bulb from them. They specialize in sizes that allow you to use multiple LED bulbs where most of the other ones won't fit (the 194 in particular).

http://stores.ebay.com/Velocity-LEDs

Koz