The A3/S3 LED Bulb "how to" Guide!
- Thread starter tobycruse
- Start date
I have done the puddle ones, as above, didn't have any problems with them. also didn't have to bend any contacts.
What problems are you having?
Staz. Where did you get the refractor led's from. The puddle lights are narrower than the footwell lights so when I try to fit the refractor wedge they will not fit properly as the contacts are shaped to hold the standard wedge festoon. The other problem I have is when I try to replace the boot bulb with an led it will not light at all. Fitted a 150 Ohm resistor and it comes on flickers and goes off again. Also tried it with a 220 Ohm resistor and it was the same. Should I have fitted the led's in the puddle lights first? as the above problem is with the puddle lights standard and trying to fit the boot led first.
I got all the bulbs via the links Toby posted above. I used the same flank bulbs for the footwells as I did for the puddle lights. Exactly like these. I used 2x 220Ω resistors, one in each side.
The boot light and footwells are on different circuits so they won't affect each other.
I haven't done the boot light as I didn't see the point but as the combined resistance for the 2 footwell LEDs is 108Ω I would try a 100/110Ω on it's own for the boot mate.
The boot light and footwells are on different circuits so they won't affect each other.
I haven't done the boot light as I didn't see the point but as the combined resistance for the 2 footwell LEDs is 108Ω I would try a 100/110Ω on it's own for the boot mate.
Thanks mate. Thats shed a bit of light on the matter. I will order some of the leds you mentioned. I have been using the ones with the 4 leds spaced around and 1 on the end. They are too wide for the bulb holder which is why I have been having problems. Do you get good enough light out of them for the puddle lights?
Aha no these ones are just a bit of 1mm board with the LED soldered on, fit in nicely!
The light from them isn't more than the bulbs they replace, it's just white. They don't need to be any brighter anyway!
Excellent tutorial thanks. I'll give this a go for the rear number plate bulbs as I have really wanted to do this for a while. Does anyone know if 37mm bulbs will fit? I always order LED bulbs from www.ultraleds.com as I have had problems with cheap LED bulbs off eBay.
Thanks mate, I'll let you know how I get on. I may attempt some others in the future too!
martyboy
Registered User
excuse my ignorance, but i see you have to solder only one 150 ohm resistor in parallel for the rear interior lights when replacing with led bulbs, but what about the front festoon light?
mine is the basic one with only the one main light,
so do i need to solder a 150 ohm resistor in parallel with one bulb, two bulbs or no resistors?
cheers
mine is the basic one with only the one main light,
so do i need to solder a 150 ohm resistor in parallel with one bulb, two bulbs or no resistors?
cheers
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If you don't have the map reading lights and just have the main light you shouldn't require any resistors. The only reason you have to fit resistors in the rear map lights is to prevent them staying on dim when you are driving. The only other resistor is required for the footwell lights as they will only stay on for 5 seconds if you don't fit one
martyboy
Registered User
thanks for clearing that up matey!
wasnt sure after reading about the issues with 'bulb-out' warnings on the DIS
as the led's dont draw as much current as the old bulbs. i thought resistors had to be added to all the led replacements for this reason!
cheers :icon_thumright:
wasnt sure after reading about the issues with 'bulb-out' warnings on the DIS
as the led's dont draw as much current as the old bulbs. i thought resistors had to be added to all the led replacements for this reason!
cheers :icon_thumright:
I didn't fit a resistor for the map reading lights by the way and don't have the dim bulb problem.
martyboy
Registered User
martyboy
Registered User
fitted my leds to the front and rear interior lights today, and no probs with rear lights staying on dim or bulb out warnings on the dis! so all in all pretty chuffed! 
now does anyone know if changing the glove box light is just as easy, old bulb out, new led bulb in!!!
now does anyone know if changing the glove box light is just as easy, old bulb out, new led bulb in!!!
gixxer600k4
Registered User
it should be like that with every bulb in car, obviously you may need to wire up some resistors, but should be fine! i think the glove box and boot light are the same bulbs you have in ur side lights
fitted my leds to the front and rear interior lights today, and no probs with rear lights staying on dim or bulb out warnings on the dis! so all in all pretty chuffed!
now does anyone know if changing the glove box light is just as easy, old bulb out, new led bulb in!!!
Someone was asking about this the other day, they thought the glove box was on the same circuit as something else as they were getting a warning. I can't remember who or where though!
There's only one way to find out for sure though.....!
That was me mate. Wasn't the glove box, it was the boot though. I thought the boot and door puddle lights were on the same circuit. Have now done all the lights with led's except the boot. Only actually used one resistor and that was for the footwell lights (150Ω in one side)
Aha yes! Sorry I forgot.
So you don't need one in the glove box then? And is it the same as a sidelight bulb?
martyboy
Registered User
martyboy
Registered User
could someone clear this up please, do the resistors need to be in parallel or series?
ive just been told of some smart **** at work they need to be in series, but i thought parallel?
ive just been told of some smart **** at work they need to be in series, but i thought parallel?
could someone clear this up please, do the resistors need to be in parallel or series?
ive just been told of some smart **** at work they need to be in series, but i thought parallel?
Parallel mate! If you put them in series the voltage would be dropped across the resistor and not the LED.
martyboy
Registered User
thanks for clearing that up matey! :icon_thumright:
its not often im wrong, but im right again!!!
its not often im wrong, but im right again!!!
thanks for clearing that up matey! :icon_thumright:
its not often im wrong, but im right again!!!
It's not the first time I've had to help out one of your kind with some basic electrics
martyboy
Registered User
It's not the first time I've had to help out one of your kind with some basic electrics
electrics? what are they?
here is what this guy is quoting, help me prove him wrong, PLEASE?
"Every commercial led light made has a current limiting resistor. To figure yours add the forward voltage, subtract from 12 (for 12 v system) and divide by .02 (20ma). This is simple Ohms law. For 3 super-bright leds there is a 10.2 forward voltage drop (series wiring). So 1.8/.02 gives a resistor of 90 ohms. For 13.8 volt supply a 3.6/.02=180 ohms. Super-flux leds are slightly higher voltage so 3.6(typical) is used for each led. For 2 on a 9v battery it is 1.8/.02=90 ohms. If you don't have the exact value, always go to the next higher fixed resistor. This will work fine w 100 ohm resistor or even higher, and gives a small margin for safety. For questions consult ohms law............."
he is a tosser by the way!!!
electrics? what are they?
here is what this guy is quoting, help me prove him wrong, PLEASE?
"Every commercial led light made has a current limiting resistor. To figure yours add the forward voltage, subtract from 12 (for 12 v system) and divide by .02 (20ma). This is simple Ohms law. For 3 super-bright leds there is a 10.2 forward voltage drop (series wiring). So 1.8/.02 gives a resistor of 90 ohms. For 13.8 volt supply a 3.6/.02=180 ohms. Super-flux leds are slightly higher voltage so 3.6(typical) is used for each led. For 2 on a 9v battery it is 1.8/.02=90 ohms. If you don't have the exact value, always go to the next higher fixed resistor. This will work fine w 100 ohm resistor or even higher, and gives a small margin for safety. For questions consult ohms law............."
he is a tosser by the way!!!
Easy to prove him wrong... the LEDs we're talking about already have the resistors built into the circuit to enable them to work with an input voltage of 12v.
All we're trying to do with the parallel resistor is fool the car into thinking there's a normal bulb there as the current draw on the LEDs isn't enough and the car things the bulb has blown. It then kills the power to the LED.
For questions consult STFU law.......
electrics? what are they?
here is what this guy is quoting, help me prove him wrong, PLEASE?
"Every commercial led light made has a current limiting resistor. To figure yours add the forward voltage, subtract from 12 (for 12 v system) and divide by .02 (20ma). This is simple Ohms law. For 3 super-bright leds there is a 10.2 forward voltage drop (series wiring). So 1.8/.02 gives a resistor of 90 ohms. For 13.8 volt supply a 3.6/.02=180 ohms. Super-flux leds are slightly higher voltage so 3.6(typical) is used for each led. For 2 on a 9v battery it is 1.8/.02=90 ohms. If you don't have the exact value, always go to the next higher fixed resistor. This will work fine w 100 ohm resistor or even higher, and gives a small margin for safety. For questions consult ohms law............."
he is a tosser by the way!!!
OMG.....Does he do the vulcan salute and speak Klingon. I hate pointy headed people LOL
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Being somewhat indolent, and lacking in technical capability, can I (at any cost) buy a PIAA extreme white bulb that will look like the OEM ones, but deliver the super white light (OK, so not LED white).
I can't be @r$ed with soldering resistors and all that malarky despite it looking VERY trick.
Been searching t'internet and found some smoked festoon bulbs (12v 5w 42mm 264 type), but not upgrade ultrabright ones.
Also, does anyone have a part number for the reading lights in the overhead festoon? I was hoping they were going to be like the w5w's that go in the side lights (as I have a spare set of PIAA extreme's sat in the garage), but they're not
I can't be @r$ed with soldering resistors and all that malarky despite it looking VERY trick.
Been searching t'internet and found some smoked festoon bulbs (12v 5w 42mm 264 type), but not upgrade ultrabright ones.
Also, does anyone have a part number for the reading lights in the overhead festoon? I was hoping they were going to be like the w5w's that go in the side lights (as I have a spare set of PIAA extreme's sat in the garage), but they're not
"All we're trying to do with the parallel resistor is fool the car into thinking there's a normal bulb there as the current draw on the LEDs isn't enough and the car things the bulb has blown. It then kills the power to the LED.
For questions consult STFU law......."
Epic
For questions consult STFU law......."
Epic
If i didn't opt for the interior lighting extra for my car, will i still be able to do this modification? I understand that the puddle and footwell lights won't be there (is this correct?) but does that mean that the bulbs won't be fitted? or that i would have to cut holes and buy the light cases as well.
Cheers for the help
Cheers for the help
What a nightmare this all seems!
I have done this in my BM, and all I had to do was fit resistors to the numberplate lights, the interior ones worked without fault or resistors.
I mean who need bulb failure warnings on an interior bulb ***? You can see when its blown just as easily as you can see the warning notification, in fact you'd know as soon as you opened the door, before the ignition was even on, talk about over engineered... d'oh!
I have done this in my BM, and all I had to do was fit resistors to the numberplate lights, the interior ones worked without fault or resistors.
I mean who need bulb failure warnings on an interior bulb ***? You can see when its blown just as easily as you can see the warning notification, in fact you'd know as soon as you opened the door, before the ignition was even on, talk about over engineered... d'oh!
G"MAN
GONE LOW BUT GOING LOWER
would this mod work with the single led bulbs you can get from like maplins or any electronics store.. ??
G
G
G"MAN;782963 said:
I'm sure you could probably to get it to "work" with enough effort but would it look good? no, probably not - you need proper fitment bulbs really which send light in the right directions.
G"MAN
GONE LOW BUT GOING LOWER
umm ok then i will have a look anyway see what it looks like and will let ya know.. thanks buddy
G
Gryphon001
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If i didn't opt for the interior lighting extra for my car, will i still be able to do this modification? I understand that the puddle and footwell lights won't be there (is this correct?) but does that mean that the bulbs won't be fitted? or that i would have to cut holes and buy the light cases as well.
Cheers for the help
From what I understand the holes are already there but plugged. The wireing for the doors however is not, so you would have to run wires to the doors. There is a thread on the Fortitude forum somewhere about putting in some footwell lights but never found anything about pudle lights. All other lighting will work fine and for the interior you don't need resistors. That only applies to the outside lights like the plate light and the side markers.
Hope that helps...
