LED Bulbs

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yargnits
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LED Bulbs

Post by yargnits »

In searching the forums I haven't come up with any definitive answers on LED bulb info. There's been talk about swapping out the entire rear light fixture and some talk about just replacing the rear bulbs. I want to go the LED bulb route but I can't find enough info before I purchase. Everything I dig up on flasher modules for our cars is keyed toward wig-wags, not turn signals.

So, are the turn signals BCM controlled, meaning they'll cause an error. The only fix for that would be adding load resisters and having LED tail lights isn't worth it.

Experience?
Dave B - Yargnits
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2011 Caprice 9C3
2018 Silverado LT
2005 John Deere (garden tractor)
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Fudgehog
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Re: LED Bulbs

Post by Fudgehog »

So I just used LED's to replace the reverse lights on my Caprice. They don't throw any warnings, however they were error free bulbs. They were about $10 on Amazon for the pair, I can link them if you'd like. I also purchased a pair of bulbs to replace the Stop light/turn signal, however they are not error free. As a result they blink normally for the first few clicks, then they cause the front and rear to hyperflash. So I will be buying error free bulbs for those, W21W.. I also replaced all interior lights with LEDs, no problems. Lastly, the parking lights and license plate lights (194 bulbs) and the sidemarkers, I have replaced with LEDs. Pictures are attached.

I suggest buying error free bulbs for the turn signals, that's what I will be doing. They cost more than regular LEDs, but no one should be putting load resistors just to have LEDs lol.
Attachments
Reverse & LL.jpg
Reverse & LL.jpg (2.33 MiB) Viewed 14425 times
Parking Lamps.jpg
Parking Lamps.jpg (1.29 MiB) Viewed 14425 times
Sidemarker.jpg
Sidemarker.jpg (1.1 MiB) Viewed 14425 times
13 Caprice 6.0L, Solo catback exhaust, 3.27 diff, VCM OTR and Volant throttle spacer, MSD coils plugs wires, transmission pan upgrade and widemouth filter. Camaro 18" rims.

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xcidmigs
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Re: LED Bulbs

Post by xcidmigs »

Sir you have to learn how to resize your pics... This gianormo size isn't working for us
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Fudgehog
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Re: LED Bulbs

Post by Fudgehog »

xcidmigs wrote:Sir you have to learn how to resize your pics... This gianormo size isn't working for us
Just trying to be helpful. I will keep that in mind next time.
13 Caprice 6.0L, Solo catback exhaust, 3.27 diff, VCM OTR and Volant throttle spacer, MSD coils plugs wires, transmission pan upgrade and widemouth filter. Camaro 18" rims.

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yargnits
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Re: LED Bulbs

Post by yargnits »

Fudgehog wrote:I suggest buying error free bulbs for the turn signals, that's what I will be doing. They cost more than regular LEDs, but no one should be putting load resistors just to have LEDs lol.
Thanks. I'm not sure what error-free LEDs do for our cars. Please let me know if that stops the hyper flash.
Dave B - Yargnits
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2011 Caprice 9C3
2018 Silverado LT
2005 John Deere (garden tractor)
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Fudgehog
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Re: LED Bulbs

Post by Fudgehog »

yargnits wrote: Thanks. I'm not sure what error-free LEDs do for our cars. Please let me know if that stops the hyper flash.
Yes most of the time it does, European cars are much harder to run LEDs without any errors. GMs not so much. As stated previously when I put non error free bulbs in for the signal lights in the rear, they flashed normally for a while then hyper flashed. An error free bulb has a certain resistance reading that the computer reads as a normal bulb. Basically the measurement of the resistance for the computer is called the CANBUS system. You can also get LED relays that plug into a fuse panel to aid non error free bulbs with resistors already attached. That's what I did with my 03 Silverado. I'll link the lights for you (last one hasn't been delivered).

194s -Domes, sidemarkers, parking lights https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRZ0OZN/re ... Ozb7TYM6HD" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

W16W - Reverse lights https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0193ISBUA/re ... Ozb1VF3RPB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

W21W - Front signal and rear brake/signal bulb.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M7QIIDD/re ... OzbS2DSZHT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

However with this last one they haven't been delivered yet so I can not confirm if they are error free for our Caprices.
13 Caprice 6.0L, Solo catback exhaust, 3.27 diff, VCM OTR and Volant throttle spacer, MSD coils plugs wires, transmission pan upgrade and widemouth filter. Camaro 18" rims.

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yargnits
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Re: LED Bulbs

Post by yargnits »

The last link is for white LEDs which isn't a great idea for brake lights. I'm still curious if the error free CANBUS solution works for our cars. I think they will but would rather you try it first. :D
Dave B - Yargnits
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2011 Caprice 9C3
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xcidmigs
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Re: LED Bulbs

Post by xcidmigs »

yargnits wrote:The last link is for white LEDs which isn't a great idea for brake lights. I'm still curious if the error free CANBUS solution works for our cars. I think they will but would rather you try it first. :D

What he said it definately true PLEASE dont use white bulbs on brakes and I'm not a fan of using them on the turn signals that are supposed to be amber either.

I tried to find brake bulbs a year ago and ended up almost causing a fire bs the way those AU lights are wired up is not the same as how the US cars are, I believe the ground and + were switched somehow and while a bulb will plug in and work its basically running wrong and starts to generate a huge amount of heat every time its on, so when you stand on the brakes at a stop it starts to melt the connector. I found this out after I saw smoke in my rear view mirror at a light one day and opened the trunk to find the bulb connector melting.. Bulbs I bought from superbrightleds.com were listed as correct and did that.
GOod luck
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Fudgehog
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Re: LED Bulbs

Post by Fudgehog »

yargnits wrote:The last link is for white LEDs which isn't a great idea for brake lights. I'm still curious if the error free CANBUS solution works for our cars. I think they will but would rather you try it first. :D
I will try them out for sure. When I put my non-error free bulbs in for that signal/brake it looked fine to me. The red reflector makes it red. Just like on the front the amber sidemarker covers, behind it the bulb is still white. I suggest buying a 10 pack of those 194s at least because I haven't had any issues, and especially for the parking lamps they look fantastic! Reminds me of the BMW led strip on the top of the headlamp. I would rather go with white in the front behind the amber reflector because amber will never be as bright as white, but it will still show amber because of the reflector.

I'm at work and the bulbs at home, otherwise I'd show you that the white LED looks fine as the taillight in my opinion.

To each their own, and I will keep that in mind sir with the rear taillights. So far none of my exterior 194s have burnt out or stopped working (total of 6) and the interior one works fine as well.
13 Caprice 6.0L, Solo catback exhaust, 3.27 diff, VCM OTR and Volant throttle spacer, MSD coils plugs wires, transmission pan upgrade and widemouth filter. Camaro 18" rims.

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xcidmigs
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Re: LED Bulbs

Post by xcidmigs »

I don't know if you understood what I meant about the LED tail light bulbs, the bulbs I had purchased did not burn out themselves, they were working just fine, the actual plug in housing the wiring connects to was melting to the point that smoke was being generated. I ended up having to cut out and replace after realizing this was due to the way the OEM connector is set up. Good luck
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