Looking at the enlarged side view pic, those appear to be using 5050 chips, and with no direct line of sight LEDs, you gotta have well designed reflector bowls.
LED Mod Thread
- Thread starter Blckshdw
- Start date
Mounce
Member
To me they look like the 3030 or 2835 white leds like on this style of switchbacks which are supposed to be pretty bright. I know 5050's suck though lol.
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/closeouts/acme-3157-switchback-leds.html#.Vj_Nn3PnbqA
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/closeouts/acme-3157-switchback-leds.html#.Vj_Nn3PnbqA
triz
Member
- Apr 22, 2013
- 746
I bought these for my reverse lights. Really bright.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/311454662919?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
And these for my front turn signals.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amber-White...76468191?hash=item19e89827df&tag=gmtnation-20
http://www.ebay.com/itm/311454662919?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
And these for my front turn signals.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amber-White...76468191?hash=item19e89827df&tag=gmtnation-20
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Mounce
Member
Just bought these: http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=401022223138&alt=web&tag=gmtnation-20
Same as the front turn signals in the TB and Mustang but white. Got 'em a little cheaper than "retail" in an auction. Just needed something brighter than what I have now because when leaving work now it's dark and I've noticed for a while that my current reverse lights aren't bright enough to do anything with my brake lights being many times brighter but not a usable light.
-as for the other bulbs I posted about earlier, I don't exactly feel like being a Guinea pig when I know these I bought will be bright.
Same as the front turn signals in the TB and Mustang but white. Got 'em a little cheaper than "retail" in an auction. Just needed something brighter than what I have now because when leaving work now it's dark and I've noticed for a while that my current reverse lights aren't bright enough to do anything with my brake lights being many times brighter but not a usable light.
-as for the other bulbs I posted about earlier, I don't exactly feel like being a Guinea pig when I know these I bought will be bright.
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warriorpluto
Member
- Apr 12, 2012
- 215
Mounce
Member
I remember talking about it somewhere, but it looks like I never posted pics (at least in here). 
But yeah, it is still unfinished, like my retrofit, and among many of the other bright ideas bouncing around in my head, that get pushed to the back burner, and eventually fall behind the stove.
Anywho, onto the good stuff. I ordered a couple of PCBs and opted for some Cree P4 (superflux) LEDs. Decided to step my game up in the quality department, and leave the cheap Ebay LEDs alone.
Took apart a donor bow tie, marked the pattern on one of the PCBs, sprayed it gloss black, and laid out the LEDs in sets of 4. The forward voltage of the LEDs was 3.x (don't remember exactly) This allowed me to not need to use resistors, as long as the alternator doesn't start cranking out more than it's usual voltage.
In hindsight, I should have at least used a small resistor, as insurance, but since it's unfinished, I can go back and change it if this gets jump started again.
I trimmed the PCB to the bow tie shape, and hollowed out the center area (didn't take pics, but I can take some at home later if people want to see it) Here's a low voltage test pic, just under 10V
Full power test pic, all of the living room lights are turned off. As you can see, it's bright as
Happy with the test results, at this point, the project stalled out. The plan from here was to build a silicone mold of the original bow tie, solder power and ground wires to the main traces, and have them pass through the mold where the bow tie's mounting studs are. Then fill the mold with a clear (possibly tinted) polyurethane resin. That would make it water proof, and give it protection.
Maybe after I get my retrofit done, I can look back into this. There were some people that did this on the OS, just took a different track. They'd take a piece of acrylic, and cut it down to the bow tie shape, sand the front to frost it. Then take a small LED strip, 3528s I believe, and run the strip around the edge of the bow tie area in the grille. Fit the acrylic piece in, and seal it. Then when the strip turned on, it lit up the acrylic piece.
The few that I saw were really good for viewing at night. But I wanted something that would be visible as a DRL during the day, that I could add a PWM circuit to it, to dim when the low beams come on at night, and be about as bright as the low power test pic.
Yeah, I get tons of great ideas in my head, but after I run into a couple of roadblocks, I lose my momentum and stall out.
But hey, my retrofit is back on track and almost done. (see build thread updates) 
Since there's nothing to do at work, I started planning the control circuit. Instead of building my own PWM, I'd get a pair from DiodeDynamics and use one of those with a mosfet (have some already) to act as a switch between high power during the day, and pulsed power when the headlights come on.
Reading the spec sheet, those PWM controllers have a 1.5V forward voltage, which would drop what the bow tie sees from 14.4 down to 12.9, so the LEDs would all be well under their max rating.
Mounce
Member
Those dimmers are awesome. I've got them running my taillights in the Mustang because of the common lack of contrast issue that pnp bulbs have.
Not waterproof though so idk how they'd fair in your application unless you remotely mounted them...
Not waterproof though so idk how they'd fair in your application unless you remotely mounted them...
Not waterproof though so idk how they'd fair in your application unless you remotely mounted them...
Yeah, I noticed that in their pictures. That's partially why I opted to use a mosfet as the switching logic instead of getting a relay. Since that wouldn't be water proof either, put then in a small project box. Plus it would be WAY smaller. Apply silicone where necessary.
Mounce
Member
Add a switch in the cab and you could switch between eye scalding bright and subtle accent with the hi/lo wiring the dimmers have.
Got to swapping dash lights over to LED... Cluster today, after messing with it about 15 times I finally eliminated most of the hot spots on the face, but now I'm stuck with some needles bright and some dim. Overall it's much more dim than the rest of the interior leds. Not happy with it at all, ugh
Attachments
Did you have the bright LEDs tilted and pointing towards the stepper motor or something? You can even see a little glow at the hub on those ones.
Yeah, the only way I could stop the hot spot on the face was to lean the LEDs down...
Hmm, then I'm assuming you have some pointed towards the needle, and others pointed away, and that's what's causing the needle brightness discrepancies. In hindsight, might have been easier to just run an LED strip around the perimeter of the gauge face, and tap into one of the backlighting pads. A few people have gone that route with good results and no hot spots.
That is my plan when i get around to converting everything to LED. The non working lights in the PDM and SWC have not annoyed me enough yet. Also plan on de-blueing the back of the face plate so i can do some funky color like purple or green.
It's funny that you brought that up... I bought a roll of it long ago specifically for this mod. When I opened the cluster I wasn't sure there would be enough clearance for the strip... or that it would effectively illuminate the center.
Looks like I'll be going back in
Midnyteryder196
Member
Also i know that it sux
I highly suggest 3528 smd strips.. Especially if you decide to go with any other color than blue.. I have 5050 smd strip in mine and it is BRIGHT!! haha
check back in the post for mine.. there are others farther back.. may03lt is one that did the strips too..
http://gmtnation.com/forums/threads/led-mod-thread.922/page-39#post-412423
Mounce
Member
Been wanting to go back to switchbacks for a while, have had my eye on this style..
http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=331590585754&alt=web
Also available is a nearly identical looking version from trs, but I'm not sure that they're the AO flash type that I'm looking for whereas the JDM ASTAR ones are.
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/closeouts/acme-3157-switchback-leds.html#.VqRaCXNMHqA
TRS is cheaper, until you account for shipping... Plus no warranty whatsoever.
Edit - however, them being so bright, I'm concerned that they might be insulting to oncoming drivers at night. Hell, had someone flash me the other day when waiting to turn with my turn signal on, I know my current ones are bright but really? Then again, my brake lights are on the insulting brightness level and I love it lol.
Also noticed my driver side front signal has failed to blink a couple times with signal on, both times I noticed it started working a couple seconds later though. Gotta figure out if it's the bulb or wiring/flasher relay.
http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=331590585754&alt=web
Also available is a nearly identical looking version from trs, but I'm not sure that they're the AO flash type that I'm looking for whereas the JDM ASTAR ones are.
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/closeouts/acme-3157-switchback-leds.html#.VqRaCXNMHqA
TRS is cheaper, until you account for shipping... Plus no warranty whatsoever.
Edit - however, them being so bright, I'm concerned that they might be insulting to oncoming drivers at night. Hell, had someone flash me the other day when waiting to turn with my turn signal on, I know my current ones are bright but really? Then again, my brake lights are on the insulting brightness level and I love it lol.
Also noticed my driver side front signal has failed to blink a couple times with signal on, both times I noticed it started working a couple seconds later though. Gotta figure out if it's the bulb or wiring/flasher relay.
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SnowBlazer
Member
Havent bought yet since I've been dealing with school finances but www.superbrightleds.com slaps a two year warranty on their switchbacks and has both styles for around the same price range. These LED's will most likely always fail after 6 months but you can't go wrong with that good of a warranty.
Mounce
Member
Already looked at them tonight about some 194's because I'm tired of tearing my dash apart replacing them but for $5 a pop for the style I use, I'll just keep replacing the cheap ones.. Also looked at their switchbacks, not interested in their style of bulb, decent price on them actually but I just don't like how they look. The ones from JDM have a year warranty though.
Mounce
Member
NateDG
Member
The ones from JDM are the ones I used in my front and rear both. About 9 months I've been running the ones I have in the front and haven't had a single issue. I also have a poorly sealed PS taillight housing and somehow it's always getting crap in there, and there hasn't been any issues with this bulb in about 4 months or whatever it's been since I did reverse /signal mod. They're solid. Love em.
Mounce
Member
I got these and just put them in today. Can't speak for longevity but pleased thus far.
http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=321819976004&alt=web
NateDG
Member
Mounce
Member
Same leds, much different design. I was after some like those but stumbled across these which are cheaper and have more leds.
NateDG
Member
Oh wow, yea, I see how many more chips are in those now. It's packed! I've been trying to find some mini switchbacks for the clear corner markers I intend to install but I can't seem to find any that aren't the type 1 style (A/W).
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
Going to try led reverse lights again cause the ones I got are not so good.
So which is best bet?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-Super-W...ash=item419cb7f906:g:EnIAAOSwEetV-jcU&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-12V-24V-...1880520&tpos=top&ttype=coupon&talgo=undefined
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-X-Super-W...ash=item2ee3b56ba2:g:ADQAAOSwDNdVxYsv&vxp=mtr
So which is best bet?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-Super-W...ash=item419cb7f906:g:EnIAAOSwEetV-jcU&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-12V-24V-...1880520&tpos=top&ttype=coupon&talgo=undefined
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-X-Super-W...ash=item2ee3b56ba2:g:ADQAAOSwDNdVxYsv&vxp=mtr
Matt
Member
- Dec 2, 2011
- 4,035
You don't want 1157 mate, 3157 are the right ones. I bought my new 5630 projector brake lights from dt-autotech on ebay and they happen to have reverse lights: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-3157-670...lbs-/191685779686?vxp=mtr&hash=item2ca15ce0e6
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-White-6...ash=item21076170d5:g:WwgAAOSwf-VWZR48&vxp=mtr
Sounds like a bunch of wattage.
or these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-ASTAR-2...ash=item35ed7530e7:g:0wQAAOSwMmBVnfWU&vxp=mtr
Sounds like a bunch of wattage.
or these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-ASTAR-2...ash=item35ed7530e7:g:0wQAAOSwMmBVnfWU&vxp=mtr
NateDG
Member
These are pretty redonkulous...
http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=231331786743&alt=web
HARDTRAILZ
Moderator
- Nov 18, 2011
- 49,665
I am using these 1157 based LEDs for my reverse light in my IPCW tails. Very bright even with the VHT. (33) 5630 chips.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PZXNOYQ/?tag=gmtnation-20