Club 80-90 Forums

any recommendations for who to buy indicators LED's from?

Don't forget you'll need to change the relay or the indicators will just flicker.
Don't think you need anything special for the bulbs.

campervanculture doing led's

have ordered the relay for the LED's,just have to source good quality ones

Keep us updated when you decide what to go for and how they perform. Sometimes LEDS are very directional and only make a small spot of light, so can actually be dimmer than a normal bulb. You'd be best going for a similar style to the rear lights CVC sell.

I've got them fitted. As has been said, lack of resistance makes relay tick-tock at twice the speed as if you've got a bulb out. I fitted a relay with resistor in and they work fine but no audio from relay.
Have since found someone who does a three pin led relay with buzzer in. Will find link later. Alternatively you can put in a piezo buzzer.

T3luestar wrote:Keep us updated when you decide what to go for and how they perform. Sometimes LEDS are very directional and only make a small spot of light, so can actually be dimmer than a normal bulb. You'd be best going for a similar style to the rear lights CVC sell.

Followed a new car the other day that had led indicators - damn near invisible. As said they were just a small dot of light which was outshone by the brake lights when they came on. Retrograde fitment a lot of the time I should think. Surprised the manufacturer could get away with such an ineffective light.

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Followed a new car the other day that had led indicators - damn near invisible. As said they were just a small dot of light which was outshone by the brake lights when they came on. Retrograde fitment a lot of the time I should think. Surprised the manufacturer could get away with such an ineffective light.[/quote]

i've noticed that once on a new car no idea what it was one of them that all look the same
that in bright sunlight indicators are completely invisible

With all of these LED 'bulbs' made in the far east and questionable reliability in pre-packaged solutions (tried several types), I've stuck with tungsten bulbs for indicators. They're only on intermittently. I can see the reasoning behind replacing bulbs that are on constantly like tail and sidelights (mine have been) but I'm sticking with tungsten for now on indicators. They're cheap, easy to buy (in any garage at a push) and last for a couple of years on average. They also have a slower on/off response which works better for indicators. Brake lights are better as LEDs because of their quick response time.

I play with LED circuits all the time (including cree versions) and I've found that a lot of 'ready-to-fit' LED bulbs I've tested on the bench are often ridiculously over-driven or in the case of cree insufficiently cooled which in both cases results in premature failure. There are often great big fibs about their rated output as well. When I fitted LEDs to the dash, I opted for individual LEDs from a good supplier with resistors calculated to run just short of, but not the maximum capacity of each LED. Still plenty bright enough but they're not working as hard. I'm afraid that there are too many replacements that don't even last as long as tungsten bulbs - testament to the poor quality that is rife in a fast growing business. I can't recommend any without testing them. Lottery I'd say. However, the very WORST are these:



If I were to fit LEDs to indicators, it'd have to be LED panels rather than singular bulbs. Or cree with a PROPER heatsink.

We made LED rear lights for GT race cars. It's not only the intensity it's the total design of the lights. The shape and patern of the LED's makes all the difference. Just changing the bulb for LED bulbs is not the same. Look at the lights on an eos you can see.
Even manufacturers can get it wrong look at the new Volvo, brake lights blind you you can't see the indicator.

Agree. That factor is even more relevant with indicators as they need to be visible from virtually all angles.

I think I will scrap that idea,thanks for the replies

No harm in experimenting though. The rub comes with the cost though. For now it doesn't make much sense when you consider how cheap tungsten bulbs are compared to good quality LED replacements. Definately worth looking at side/tail/brake lights though as it means if you do leave your lights on, you won't be coming back to a flat battery and the directional limitations of LEDs will be less important.

I have already got reverse lights,rear lights and internal warm white LED's from Campervan Culture,need to get the sidelights and number plate lights,will have a look around when at Busfest