Guide: Fitting LED's to side lights and yellow side lights

[amarshe]

Originally Posted by jcwacky

Any idea how I can get them out!?

I've tried driving up steep bumpy hills with no joy.

Failing that, where can I buy a new bulb holder from?

I have the same problem - a lightbulb has been rattling about inside the boot lid for two years. now! It doesn't bother me enough to remove and shake it out though.

[jon1985]

Originally Posted by m1tch1987

Ok, Im thinking of replacing the 501s with LEDs as they are more reliable, just don't want to get pulled over and get told to remove them etc.

I have put led's in my front sidelights of my 97 reg s40 and have had no issues with police or mot. I only have the led's that have 4 led's on each bulb though. They look a little blue but do emit white light. I will try get some pics if anyone wants.

I have osram nightbreakers h4's as my headlights.

[m1tch1987]

Thanks for everyones help on this, I think I will get some LEDs all round, I guess they won't melt anything?

[Biotoxic]

Originally Posted by m1tch1987

Thanks for everyones help on this, I think I will get some LEDs all round, I guess they won't melt anything?

No, they wont melt

[GaryS40]

Originally Posted by m1tch1987

Ok, Im thinking of replacing the 501s with LEDs as they are more reliable, just don't want to get pulled over and get told to remove them etc.

Hi mitch, I have been using 501 LED replacements for my sidelights and side markers for months and never been approached by the police.

Regards reliability - I still believe you can have a more trouble free life with the incandescent bulbs, as the LED's can start to flicker, sometimes after even a few days.

Mine seemed to be sorted out, after replacing the flickering ones, with more new ones and then one of the sidelights has some intermittent flickering issue.

Gary

[GaryS40]

Originally Posted by m1tch1987

Thanks for everyones help on this, I think I will get some LEDs all round, I guess they won't melt anything?

LED's have much less of a heat output than the normal bulb, so there should be no melting issues.

[GaryS40]

Originally Posted by jcwacky

So after my issues above, today I received some 5 SMD LED bulbs.

I decided to try these in the interior lights, as I throught the 9 SMDs were a bit too bright, so I popped one in, and the first thing I noticed was how white it was compared to the 9 SMD ones I'd previously bought, which were quite blue in comparison:


(New 5 SMD on left, prevous 9 SMD on right)

So hopefully these new ones won't look quite so odd against the less white Night Breaker H7s when used in the sidelights, but I'll have to wait until it's dark to find out!

I know the colour has got nothing to do with the number of SMDs, just a shame it can be difficult find out their temperature before buying.

I tried the 5 SMDs in the side markers too, but not even these fitted.


So I then decided to do the number plate bulbs. After faffing around trying to work out why I couldn't get the bulb holder back in, I eventually got the light casing out, and discovered it was due to the plastic melting a bit, so a screwdriver helped scrape off the excess plastic.

But then I made a stupid mistake, and dropped the bulb holder including bulb, and it fell inside the boot lid:



Any idea how I can get them out!?

I've tried driving up steep bumpy hills with no joy.

Failing that, where can I buy a new bulb holder from?

Have you tried a 50mm holesaw, in the corner of the boot?

No really, DON'T try that, for a bulb holder.

You could get lucky with a wire coat hanger, with some sticky tape wrapped around the end of it.

Gary

[jcwacky]

Originally Posted by GaryS40

Have you tried a 50mm holesaw, in the corner of the boot?

No really, DON'T try that, for a bulb holder.

You could get lucky with a wire coat hanger, with some sticky tape wrapped around the end of it.

Gary

Lol! Though your coat hanger idea is a good one, hadn't thought of that. I gave up and got a couple of bulb holders off eBay in the end!

[GaryS40]

Hi guys

I have attached a photo of my HID conversion, on the dipped beam. Along with my half finished car port and repaired shed roof - ruddy weather!!!

Considering getting the reflective caps that fit in front of the bulb, like the proper Volvo Xennon type. My mate got the conversion done on his IS200 and his headlights are fitted with this type of cap, too. I think these will reduce any glare, but I haven't been flashed at by oncoming drivers at all, so far.

Gary

[m1tch1987]

The 'normal' single bulb HIDs are ment for projector style headlights, but there are specific ones designed for reflector headlights so that they don't dazzle drivers, there are also some clever H4 sort (where normally there is just 1 bulb for main and high) that has a motor that physically moves the bulb to change the beam pattern.

My headlights have a shroud around them already but havn't got HIDs - not sure if I can have HIDs, although I do have the headlight washers etc

Has anyone fitted those H7 LED headlight bulbs yet?