LED + DRL make-over

[FireFly90]

Ive seen so many cars nowadays that have white lights and LEDs that i feel like i want a piece of the action.

Here's what i was thinking:-

• Fitting DRLs in the bottom corners of the lower grille and LEDs in the recesses above the indicators like I've seen on a few Pumas on here.
• Fitting white LED bulbs in place of the HB3 dipped and main beam bulbs and 501s in the side lights
• Replacing the front indicators with LED arrays and same again for the rear light clusters
• Replacing the interior lights with red LEDs and foot well lighting.

There's a couple of things that might complicate things. I actually had some LEDs in the side lights and i loved them, but they burnt out after about a month just before my MOT, so will i need to wire in some resistors into the circuits?

I want to wire the Headlight DRLs so that they dim when the indicators are on, and same again when the head lights come on but also turn off when indicators come on.

Also, all the white LEDs (DRLs, Sides and Headlights) should be the same brightness at max and same temperature/colour. The rest is just choosing LEDs suitable for road use i.e. everything should be road legal.

Help/Ideas/Suggestions?

 

[oilburner]

I think you'd struggle to get LEDs to give a good beam pattern,certainly one that's capable of passing an MOT

 

[CherryVimto]

Some cars have the bright DRLs which then dip when the headlights come on, so they then act as normal side lights.

Also, if the DRLs is of such a brightness or in such position that they may interfere with the visibility of the indicators, they have to dim when the indicators are on.

 

[FireFly90]

I think you'd struggle to get LEDs to give a good beam pattern,certainly one that's capable of passing an MOT

Okay, so it would be better to use normal bulb that gives out white light?

I've seen one somewhere that is 6000k temp which I think is around white colour, but not sure how bright it is compared to Halford ultra bulbs.

Edit: it might actually be around 5000k for white light.

 

[CherryVimto]

I think I've read your post and understood that you want to replace the main headlamp bulbs with LEDs?

Like already pointed out, you may struggle on the beam pattern.

If you go ahead, be careful which LED bulbs you buy. Don't go for the HB3 ones that have loads of SMD LEDs round them as they are too big to fit through the holes in the headlight fittings. I've tried them. Also, they are nowhere near as bright as a halogen bulb!

Other headlights may look 6000k colour because they could be HIDs.

 

[FireFly90]

I'm really just after a nice LED white that is bright enough to compensate for the headlight flaws. I've seen some bulbs that say 4200k gives white light and some that say 5000k gives white light so does it vary between brands?

Edit: would these do the trick? http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/HB3-OSRAM-Night-Breaker-Unlimited-110-Upgrade-Xenon-Headlight-Bulbs-Pair.html?nosto=productpage-also-bought" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[YOG]

Colour Scales

• YOG
• Apr 7, 2015

 

[FireFly90]

I've been reading up on some stuff. Apparently bulbs can only be E-marked if they are replacing the same type of bulb i.e. halogen for halogen, led for led etc. so does that mean any LED bulbs and home-made LED arrays wouldn't technically be legal? Or does it just depend on how arsey/picky the MOT tester/police officer is?

 

[Wilge]

They sell the controllers for DRL Lights on eBay have a look at item 161596128250 they are from China but there cheap as chips

 

[coachwhip]

I've noticed that most of the led bulbs you can buy cheap tend to burn out pretty quick or just start to work intermittent. I had front side lights in mine but they would stop working at random intervals. When I put back ones in they worked initially but then gave up completely when the fronts gave up. Not good to have no rear lights. Also be careful of brake lights as most I've seen tend to have very little difference between the rear lights and the brakes being on, so not very noticeable that you are braking.
I did change the dash lights but again these burnt out. Got another set in that seem better but time will tell.

 

[CherryVimto]

I've had LED tail/brake bulbs fitted to my Thunder for around a year and were still working when I removed them.

There was a good distinction between the tail/brake lights but the only 'issue' with them was that the brake and tail lights weren't actually electrically separated. This meant that whenever I applied the brakes, the voltage would beck feed to the side light circuit and turn the lights on.
I got round that by wiring diodes in to the tail light wiring which stopped the lights turning on with the brake lights.

I really liked those bulbs and won't hesitate in putting them in my current Puma.

As for the legalities with these bulbs.....
For the MOT as long as they turn on, are the right colour, bright/noticeable when they should be, there shouldn't be a problem. I'm pretty sure the MOT testers aren't allowed to remove car parts to find out if they have any specific markings or not.
On the other hand, if you to get stopped by VOSA and they decide to inspect the car, then they may decide what's legal or not.

 

[FireFly90]

Well so far I've got a list of bulbs to replace the existing ones i have at the moment, but i'm still trying to read up on making the LED arrays for the others.

Headlights x4
OSRAM Nightbreakers or Philips WhiteVision HB3

This is probably going to be the closest to white using conventional bulbs i'll get whilst still retaining brightness and beam pattern. The nightbreakers are more powerful in terms of light but the Philips are whiter at 4300k.

Edit: There are cheaper versions of these bulbs too **Link**

Sidelights and numberplate lights
Phillips 501 (W5W) LED or OSRAM 501 LED

Both of these are 6000k but most importantly both are E marked and should last longer than cheapy ebay ones. If the sidelights burn out sooner than they should i could use Philips Whitevision 501 4300k bulbs instead (they'd match Philips headlights)

Centre Brakelights
Philips 501 (W5W) LED 4000k

These I've chosen due to them being closer to the normal colour of bulb whilst still being LED, which should reduce the chance of them turning the centre light pink.

Interior lights
ABD T4W bulbs LED and 264 LED (501 too?)
I thought i'd go for something less conventional for the interior since i figured it wouldn't matter as much. These are SMD LED bulbs.

(Side Indicators)
ABD Amber 501 LED bulb

I'm not sure about these ones yet as they are not 'E' marked

The only bulb i can think of is the rear fogs (front too when i get round to fitting them) but i'm leaving them till last.

 

[CherryVimto]

If you use LEDs in you indicators you'll probably have to swap the relay to an LED one otherwise the indicators flash like they're on steroids!

Putting white LEDs in the brake lights could make them light up pink.

 

[SOOB]

Hi Daylight driving lights should at least have a switch to knock them off at night, new cars do it automatically of course. But what I wanted to say is the best place for them is in the headlight unit itself, high up about 10cm strips of LED lights (one per side) put into one of the in-built grooves (longest one at side). not only do they look good but they can be seen slightly from the sides when you poke your nose out :x You could wire them to go off within the headlight itself if you are an auto electrician, but I use a manual swith and only use them in daylight hours. Dead cheap as well from the Far East these days. Just something to consider?

 

[John Woodward]

I've used a 5 terminal relay on one of my other cars, so when the sidelights are turned on, the DRL's go off, it was fairly basic wiring, the sidelight feed turns off the feed to the DRL's.
As the Puma sidelights, even with Led 501's are pretty poor, I'm planning on fitting DRL's into the lower grill, but I'll maybe wire them so they go off when the headlights are on, instead of the sidelights.

 

[SOOB]

That is the sort of wiring you would need, sounds like a good idea. beats driving round like a sitting duck, and brings lighting into the 21st century :grin: Good luck with that, better do it soon, these dark days.

Looks like this:

 

[John Woodward]

I've fitted single bright white Led's as DRL's
I decided that they will be on all the time, as the side lights are so feeble.
I found a switched live in the auxiliary fuse box under the bonnet, used an add a fuse, so its fused at 3 amps, had to cut some of the reinforcement from the fuse box lid, so it would fit. If with them being on all the time is an MOT problem, then I'll use a relay to turn them off, when the dipped beam is switched on.
I used these from Ebay,
Mounted them in some silicone hose, as I don't want to drill any holes, as the car can be reverted to standard if needed.

 

[Antxs]

That’s a pretty clever solution!!
I like the look of it