8P side light bulbs.

[A19quattro]

Hi t8ups,
I have recently bought an 8p A3, 2005 model and would like to get whiter or bluey white sidelight bulbs. I am not that bothered about LEDs and I have some bulbs I used and liked in my old Golf Mk4 but I am not sure they would work. I did try them at one stage but it threw an error I think because I tried to do it with te ignition on. The Bulbs are the ones you get in Halfords, theyv'e sold them for years now but I forget the name, Prism I think, they look like nornal sidelight bulbs but with a translucent plasticky whiteish cover and come in blue or white, mine are white but have a blue tinge when on. They are polarity sensitive so having read more info on here I am wondering if I could use them by just switching the sidelights on (no ignition), remove old bulbs, then I could fiddle about to get them working and correct polarity before switching on the ingnition. Do you think this would work or should I just buy more up to date ones that don't effect the canbus? Next step will be headlamps and main beam, any advice on them would be appreciated too.
Cheers,
Vorshprungdork.

 

[t8ups]

Hi.

Did you say they turned on when you tried them but they bought up an error?

I can get them working in there for you, you would need to purchase the Error free loom that i have, have a look in my News section for this, really easy to use, plug and play and will let any bulb work error free.

The Prism bulb you have wont work as its not Canbus which is why it throws up an error.

Have the Loom from me and it will work perfectly

Trups

 

[A19quattro]

Wasn't an actual error, I think it thought the bulb had blown or there was some kind of fault and then killed the power to the circuit. Next day it ws fine with the old bulb back in and been a bit afraid to touch it since. I will have a look at the looms as you said, cheers.

 

[southylad]

Mine did same mate when I was getting my canbus led sidelights the right way round next thing no sidelights but after ignition on and of no probs so when I fitted the other side I did it while sidelights were off turned them on and if it doesn't come on turn them off turn it round and try again I didn't cause any probs, the canbus LEDs look good

 

[t8ups]

If the bulb is not canbus the system will turn it off and on your DIS will say the bulb has failed.

As you say the bulb is out your mk4 and is a prism from halfords i dont think they will be canbus. The loom will make it into canbus.

Trups

 

[A19quattro]

OK had a look at the looms, I take it the original bulbs a Halogen, so that would go in one holder outside the headlight and the Prism bulb in the other in the headlight, whits conector in the original bulb holder again outside the light, that right? Not against the idea and price seems fine but just to confirm I am making the right decision, tell me a bit about LEDs, pros and cons and why I would want them instead. Cheers.

 

[southylad]

Canbuss LEDs are crisp, bright, white light use less power and are a direct replacement for a few pounds

 

[A19quattro]

No extra wires, bulbs etc, I am tempted what's teh difference with the wattages and waht is Cree all about ( not American Indians I take it)?

 

[southylad]

Most are 5 watt and Cree is a type of led

 

[A19quattro]

5 watt is bright enough then?

 

[southylad]

Yes mate in led it is they are very bright light , I am half way through changing all my interior lights to led and also got the led number plate lights they look 100% better

 

[t8ups]

Hi.

A canbus sidelight Bulb will FAIL alot quicker than a normal non canbus bulb, i know this as i have been selling the lights for 2 years and am always coming up with differant ideas to resolve this.

The reason the Canbus bulb will FAIL is that the canbus resistors are bridged on the bulb, so when you bridge the + and - together it heats up, (not a bad thing as this is what tricks the system into thinking there is correct current coming in) which will then slowly move that resistor away from the bulb and fall off whens its really hot, they are soldered on, when solder is heating the part thats soldered will go and come away.

The reason for the Loom is is that the halogen bulb takes the "slack", it cancels out the error from the car and keeps the heating letting you use a non canbus bulb which will last long as it dont generate the heat the canbus bulb does.

The Cree bulb is like the Bentley of LED's they are bright and very long lasting, only downside is they are canbus so would need the loom to work in your car.

So having my canbus loom and any non canbus LED will last longer than just having a Canbus LED.

Also some cars canbus are stronger than others, you could use a canbus LED but still get an error so the loom again will come in handy.

Trups

 

[A19quattro]

OK, Good info, need to have a think though and decide what I want to do, Cheers for that.