ToplessPony94
01-14-2014, 03:01 PM
I recently did a complete replacement of all exterior bulbs with LEDs on my 94 GT vert. I'm very, very pleased with the results. I'll detail the information below on sources and part numbers.
First, I chose to replace the flasher with one that doesn't depend on bulb load to flash correctly. This eliminated the need to add load resistors to everything that flashes to eliminate "hyperflashing" like you get when one bulb dies. The load resistors are big, they get very hot and they must be mounted to metal and away from anything that doesn't like getting hot. They are a pain, and adding up the ones needed, they cost more than replacing the flasher, too. Also, without the load resistors the LED bulbs will draw much less power than the incandescent bulbs, leaving a bit more juice for everything else. :)
I did also replace the map light bulbs in the mirror. Those of you with hardtops will have a dome light, which takes the same bulbs. I did not replace the third brake light bulbs because I had already replaced that with an LED based unit years ago. I don't use my fog lights with the HID conversion I have, so I don't even run bulbs in those, just a blackout cover. I also did not replace any dash bulbs, mostly because I had installed Indiglo dash and climate panels years ago. Though it's probably time after 19 years to replace those warning bulbs... something for me to think about.
One important note here: If you are putting an LED bulb behind a colored lens you MUST use an LED bulb of the same color as the lens: Red behind a red lens, amber behind an amber lens. There reason for this: The colored lens will absorb most of the light from the bulb that is not the color of the lens, so it's much more useful to get a bulb that produces most of its light in the part of the spectrum that will actually get through the lens (duh!). The appearance will be dim and washed out if you don't follow this advice.
Since I run a clear lens on my front turn signal area, I chose the Raxiom SwitchBack bulbs for that location. This is VERY cool! When the parking lights are on this bulb shows white. When just the turn signal or flasher is on this bulb flashes amber. When the parking lights and turn signal or flasher is on, this bulb switches colors (white - amber - white - amber). You have to see it to appreciate how cool this is, and it's BRIGHT!
Here are the products I used:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm81/ToplessPony94/Misc/LED_Conversion_zpse06d960c.jpg (http://s294.photobucket.com/user/ToplessPony94/media/Misc/LED_Conversion_zpse06d960c.jpg.html)
# I didn't try this because it isn't a sealed bulb and I was nervous about putting it out at the plate
& DO NOT use this bulb - not very bright - use the SuperBrightLEDs 3156-CW3W-G bulb instead
(Thanks to Jay (Xerxeese) and Bob Comire for their able assistance and encouragement during the project.)
First, I chose to replace the flasher with one that doesn't depend on bulb load to flash correctly. This eliminated the need to add load resistors to everything that flashes to eliminate "hyperflashing" like you get when one bulb dies. The load resistors are big, they get very hot and they must be mounted to metal and away from anything that doesn't like getting hot. They are a pain, and adding up the ones needed, they cost more than replacing the flasher, too. Also, without the load resistors the LED bulbs will draw much less power than the incandescent bulbs, leaving a bit more juice for everything else. :)
I did also replace the map light bulbs in the mirror. Those of you with hardtops will have a dome light, which takes the same bulbs. I did not replace the third brake light bulbs because I had already replaced that with an LED based unit years ago. I don't use my fog lights with the HID conversion I have, so I don't even run bulbs in those, just a blackout cover. I also did not replace any dash bulbs, mostly because I had installed Indiglo dash and climate panels years ago. Though it's probably time after 19 years to replace those warning bulbs... something for me to think about.
One important note here: If you are putting an LED bulb behind a colored lens you MUST use an LED bulb of the same color as the lens: Red behind a red lens, amber behind an amber lens. There reason for this: The colored lens will absorb most of the light from the bulb that is not the color of the lens, so it's much more useful to get a bulb that produces most of its light in the part of the spectrum that will actually get through the lens (duh!). The appearance will be dim and washed out if you don't follow this advice.
Since I run a clear lens on my front turn signal area, I chose the Raxiom SwitchBack bulbs for that location. This is VERY cool! When the parking lights are on this bulb shows white. When just the turn signal or flasher is on this bulb flashes amber. When the parking lights and turn signal or flasher is on, this bulb switches colors (white - amber - white - amber). You have to see it to appreciate how cool this is, and it's BRIGHT!
Here are the products I used:
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm81/ToplessPony94/Misc/LED_Conversion_zpse06d960c.jpg (http://s294.photobucket.com/user/ToplessPony94/media/Misc/LED_Conversion_zpse06d960c.jpg.html)
# I didn't try this because it isn't a sealed bulb and I was nervous about putting it out at the plate
& DO NOT use this bulb - not very bright - use the SuperBrightLEDs 3156-CW3W-G bulb instead
(Thanks to Jay (Xerxeese) and Bob Comire for their able assistance and encouragement during the project.)