rhino
12-17-2013, 12:31 AM
I can't find any threads on this topic, so because I'll be undertaking the project in waves, I'll snap a couple pics along the way so anyone who wants the info can have it. This post will be updated as I do the rears, interior, and front (most likely in that order) lights of my EP... with as many LEDs as possible.
Let's begin... :typing:
Converting your car from using standard ol' filament bulbs to newfangled LED bulbs has a few distinct advantages and disadvantages, so your preference for this mod will vary greatly. By no means is this for everyone.
Let's go over some pros and cons for switching out your incandescent bulbs with LEDs.
Pros:
Less power consumption
Less heat
Snappier bulb response (think turn signal on/off)
Fancy new technology
+1 JDM point for every LED bulb
Cons:
Less power consumption (we'll talk about this in a second)
Can get pricey
More directional/less omnidirectional than standard bulbs
Let's handle these pros and cons in more detail...
As you've probably noticed, less power consumption is on both the pros and cons list. Why you ask? Well, because LED lights draw so much less current than conventional bulbs, the traditional flasher unit in our cars won't cause the turns signals to flash at the correct rate. Without compensating for the decreased power being pulled by the LEDs, your turn signals will flash faster than is psychologically tolerable. The best way to fix this problem is with electronic flashers. Because I haven't done this conversion yet I will not suggest any brands or explain how to replace these.
Heat:
Obviously, less heat is always a good thing... It's not called a cold air intake for nothing! Really, the heat produced from tradional or LED bulbs really is inconsequential, but it is a feature.
Snappier bulb response:
I think the best way to describe this is just for you to watch this video and understand.
http://youtu.be/1ZD-obsGm4M?t=23s
See how the standard bulb takes a lot longer to brighten up and then dim down compared to the LED? Not so noticeable without a direct comparison, but once you see it, you can't unsee it!
Can get pricey:
If you search for LEDs and go off of first-page google results, you'll see a lot of superbrightelds.com. While it probably is the best looking website, it doesn't necessarily mean their products are better than amazon or eBay products. That and their lights are incredibly expensive, with pairs of their higher-end bulbs going for $40.
More directional/less omnidirectional:
Here's the one that's make or break for most people, so let's explain.
Your standard, filament-based light bulb does a pretty good job of pushing light out nearly 360° around itself. LEDs, on the other hand, are significantly more directional. The single diodes that you'll find in most LED's made for vehicles really only put out about 60° of light. The best solution for this is to find bulbs with lots and lots of individual diodes on them to light those reflectors on up. It isn't hard to find bulbs with lots of individual diodes, but the quality varies wildly so it's important to choose carefully.
Really, though, the bulbs we're concerned about people seeing are the turn signals and brake lights. Those are kind of important.
With all that in mind, I've still opted to go for LEDs. They seem to offer a clearer white, a cleaner light, and it's been something I've wanted to try for a while now.
Stay tuned for updates!
References:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/carbulb_notes.php
http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?49529-Every-EP3-light-number
Let's begin... :typing:
Converting your car from using standard ol' filament bulbs to newfangled LED bulbs has a few distinct advantages and disadvantages, so your preference for this mod will vary greatly. By no means is this for everyone.
Let's go over some pros and cons for switching out your incandescent bulbs with LEDs.
Pros:
Less power consumption
Less heat
Snappier bulb response (think turn signal on/off)
Fancy new technology
+1 JDM point for every LED bulb
Cons:
Less power consumption (we'll talk about this in a second)
Can get pricey
More directional/less omnidirectional than standard bulbs
Let's handle these pros and cons in more detail...
As you've probably noticed, less power consumption is on both the pros and cons list. Why you ask? Well, because LED lights draw so much less current than conventional bulbs, the traditional flasher unit in our cars won't cause the turns signals to flash at the correct rate. Without compensating for the decreased power being pulled by the LEDs, your turn signals will flash faster than is psychologically tolerable. The best way to fix this problem is with electronic flashers. Because I haven't done this conversion yet I will not suggest any brands or explain how to replace these.
Heat:
Obviously, less heat is always a good thing... It's not called a cold air intake for nothing! Really, the heat produced from tradional or LED bulbs really is inconsequential, but it is a feature.
Snappier bulb response:
I think the best way to describe this is just for you to watch this video and understand.
http://youtu.be/1ZD-obsGm4M?t=23s
See how the standard bulb takes a lot longer to brighten up and then dim down compared to the LED? Not so noticeable without a direct comparison, but once you see it, you can't unsee it!
Can get pricey:
If you search for LEDs and go off of first-page google results, you'll see a lot of superbrightelds.com. While it probably is the best looking website, it doesn't necessarily mean their products are better than amazon or eBay products. That and their lights are incredibly expensive, with pairs of their higher-end bulbs going for $40.
More directional/less omnidirectional:
Here's the one that's make or break for most people, so let's explain.
Your standard, filament-based light bulb does a pretty good job of pushing light out nearly 360° around itself. LEDs, on the other hand, are significantly more directional. The single diodes that you'll find in most LED's made for vehicles really only put out about 60° of light. The best solution for this is to find bulbs with lots and lots of individual diodes on them to light those reflectors on up. It isn't hard to find bulbs with lots of individual diodes, but the quality varies wildly so it's important to choose carefully.
Really, though, the bulbs we're concerned about people seeing are the turn signals and brake lights. Those are kind of important.
With all that in mind, I've still opted to go for LEDs. They seem to offer a clearer white, a cleaner light, and it's been something I've wanted to try for a while now.
Stay tuned for updates!
References:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/carbulb_notes.php
http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?49529-Every-EP3-light-number