LED Bulbs

[perple76]

I haven't seen this question posted anywhere so I'm gonna ask it.

Has anybody seen/used/installed the 1157 or 1156-style LED Bulbs that are now being offered on ebay and through some on-line retailers? Are these bulbs a legitimate alternative to the LED boards offered by digi-tails and others?

Reason I ask - I'm doing a 77 Nova Pro Touring project and given the general lack of popularity of these cars in the market no company I am aware of makes a specific LED-conversion for my car (I think they go up through 72 Novas). I don't have the budget to have these worked up custom, and given the cost of the digi-tails set-up I am disinclined to "make 'em work" on my car. I'm thinking about something a little less involved.

I'd very much like to switch to LEDs for the brakes/back-up lights. These bulbs appear, on the surface, to be a reasonable alternative, as they basically just replace the 1156 and 1157-style bulbs I'm already using - my Nova uses one 1157 bulb for brakes/turn signal and one 1156 for backups on each side.

From what I can tell, I wouldn't even need to change sockets or flashers, just plug and play. I know they wouldn't be sequential but that's not really critical to my application - I just want the LEDS.

I'm a novice in the wiring/electrical arena, so if anyone has any experience or thoughts, good or bad, on these bulbs I'd like to hear it.

Thanks,

J

[GetMore]

To keep the flashers working properly you need to install a resistor, or the car will think the bulb is out.
The LED bulbs do not radiate light in all directions like the incandescent bulbs do. This will make it harder to see your lights, unless you are stright on to them. The lens will not be filled with light, it will have a small spot of light.
Basically, it is not an upgrade. From a safety standpoint it is a downgrade.

[perple76]

The bulbs I am referring to actually have multiple LEDs all around the "bulb" area, in some cases more than 30 individual LEDs. I think this allows for the bulb to radiate light in all directions, so I think they would emit sufficient light inside the housing.

I'm not sure if I understand why a resistor is required to make them flash, when a resistor isn't needed to make them flash with standard incandescent bulbs. As these bulbs are specifically marketed as replacements for brake/turn signal bulbs, I would think that the manufacturers would have overcome this issue. Thanks for the tip, though, because this is the type of information I'm looking for.

J

[barno68]

The bulbs I am referring to actually have multiple LEDs all around the "bulb" area, in some cases more than 30 individual LEDs. I think this allows for the bulb to radiate light in all directions, so I think they would emit sufficient light inside the housing.

I'm not sure if I understand why a resistor is required to make them flash, when a resistor isn't needed to make them flash with standard incandescent bulbs. As these bulbs are specifically marketed as replacements for brake/turn signal bulbs, I would think that the manufacturers would have overcome this issue. Thanks for the tip, though, because this is the type of information I'm looking for.

J

Unless a resistor has been designed into the 1157 bulb, it will need to be added or an electronic flasher unit will be needed. The reason is that LED draw next to no current to run, and incandescent does. The flasher unit will not recognize the bulb unless there is a load, so it will not flash. Hope that helps.

[SamHatco]

Check out these guys http://www.superbrightleds.com/led_prods.htm
I used them on my 84CJ a few years ago. The bulbs have resisters built into them and they worked perfectly. Hope this helps

Sam

[perple76]

Thanks for the tip. I will check those guys out.

J

[JMarsa]

Unless a resistor has been designed into the 1157 bulb, it will need to be added or an electronic flasher unit will be needed. The reason is that LED draw next to no current to run, and incandescent does. The flasher unit will not recognize the bulb unless there is a load, so it will not flash. Hope that helps.

I've had a few basic electronics classes and the bulb itself is considered a resistor. Your right on the other points too.

--JMarsa