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new style car lights bulbs LED ??
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:43 pm
by steptoe
I scored some really bright light bulbs to replace my glovebox globe, boot light and maybe front park lights. You know , the squished glass end bulbs with the wire contacts that fit into a socket? They do not look like a normal LED light. Knurled aluminium, ceramic, and where the intensely blue light comes from is a yellow flat face with two little dots on it. I know, a pic. I gotta take one, email it to myself to reduce it then uplaod from within my PC.....
what are these , surely not LEDs or new gen LED ? Got them from a roaming wholesaler who is Sydney based. Also had new festoon style for ceiling lights in L's in same style, flat yellow face and dot on face, two on the longer one., just a sample to wet me appetite.
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:49 pm
by steptoe
looks like they are called SMD Hi Power light replacements. Found a site ledsonline.com or similar. Wedge tail end globes is more techo name for the glovebox lights.
SMD ? Surface Mount Diode? Mate, they are hi powered.
Do these retail anywhere yet?
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:32 am
by Gannon
Yep its a high powered LED. SMD = surface mounted device.
Because LED's only emit light at one wavelength, it s impossible to make a white one, so a yellow phosphor filter is used over a bluish, almost ultraviolet LED to make white light.

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:30 am
by brumbee
They are bringing out new LED's every year or so and they are just getting brighter, I bought a few 3v luxon LED's about 3 years ago that are awesome for making helmet lights for riding. But they also have creed or something like that now. Just drop into your local Jaycar or Aztronics, and ask for LED's.
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:25 am
by steptoe
Gannon has found a pic of just what I have looked at. All the sales guy had was a sample - gauging what sort of sales he will make. Is the whole yella bit the light generator or the 2 little spots we see? The light out of one is just so great I can't look at it to see! I guess the catalogues can't kep up with the advancements. Good idea to just ask.
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 12:23 pm
by Thalass
I've got a LED Lenser torch for work that is insanely bright (P14 model), and it's not the brightest they've got. At the moment LEDs can replace every light in a car except the headlights, and even that will change in a few years I reckon. They're brighter and they're much more energy efficient than other lamps. I think the next best thing is HIDs, but man are they expensive! haha
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 2:42 pm
by Alex
had these leds in my parkers for over a year now. they kick arse. readily available on ebay for only a coupla bucks each
alex
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:50 pm
by Gannon
Apparently the latest Lexus and the new Audi A8 ( i think) both have LED lowbeam headlights
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:58 am
by username
http://www.dealextreme.com, dirt cheap for all electronics and free postage. i bought a few lights for my L, waaaaaaay better than the old ones
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:31 am
by steptoe
Curious as to whether my cheapy solar panel battery charger works, I hooked up its output to one of these wedge bulb replacement LED's and IT IS the two little circles about 1.5mm diameter that the light emits from not the whole 6 or 7 mm face. The trickle power NOT 12V of the solar unit allowed me to see this.
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:53 pm
by Gannon
I bought a heap of 3 watt, Cree LED's from dealextreme.com last week. These are ultra bright.
My plan is to put them in the map lights in the Outback.
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:56 am
by steptoe
you bought them last week and already got 'em? Aren't they in the US? They say no postage, was that also true for Aussie destinations? I saw the wedge bulb replacements at about $8 US? a pair. I paid $10 a pair to the roaming saleman who can be an effort to catch.
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:23 am
by fredsub
the 2watt feston
http://dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13428
but which is the 3w for map lights your looking at Suparoo ?
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:14 pm
by Gannon
I ordered them last week but havent arrived yet.
This is it
CREE P4 LED Emitter
Along with this driver
1*3W 320~350mA Constant Current Regulated LED Driver
Im not replacing the festoon globe with a LED package, im placing the LED in the above picture directly over the little lens of the map light. It should then focus the light nicely. (
the spacing and angle between the factory globe and lens wastes a lot of light, hence the redesign)
I'll be posting images when im done.
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:54 pm
by steptoe
the wedge replacements I fitted in the GLTA map readers don't spot any light - it is more like a flouro has ben turned on and fills front half of cabin with a bluish light!
Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 7:03 pm
by Gannon
I got em
This is the 3W CREE LED and driver
The driver is a more efficient way of supplying the LED with its rated current as opposed to a resistor, which wastes loads of energy as heat.
I mounted it on a heatsink to keep it cool (
LEDs dont like too much heat)
This is it on its side lighting up the rug (
the camera couldnt focus on the LED directly )
Although it looks like my finger is white hot, it is just the light shining through the flesh in the tip of my finger
Now i have to find a way to house it in the map light housing. It shouldnt be too hard, as you can see they are quite small
Will update in my other thread
LED interior light upgrade