Pictures of my Firebird's LED lights (All welcome to post their pics as well !)
#1
Pictures of my Firebird's LED lights (All welcome to post their pics as well !)
Hi fellow third gen owners ,
Recently , two TGO members PMed me asking about my LED lights . First things first , Sorry for taking so long to respond and I figured rather than typing out a response to each I'd start a thread dedicated to pictures of LED use in our cars . I do still have Halogen "Silverstar" headlights but every other exterior light is an LED . The bulbs themselves are really easy to install , they fit right in the original sockets are were bought from Rock Auto along with the special flashers (one for turn signals , one for 4 way "emergency" lights) that are required for LED use . I bought an extra flasher unit for a spare so when I dig that out of the spare parts storage I'll post up a picture of it . The flasher plugs in right where the original did , and has an "extra" wire coming out of it , that needs to be grounded for the electronic circuit to operate (these flashers use a timer to drive a relay instead of the thermal bimetal element in standard flashers) .
Ok , so here's my first set of LED Firebird pics . In a future post I'll enclose the photos of the third brakelight that one of the gents asked me for . Just an FYI , all the LEDs are clear white light , even though they sell LEDs themselves that light up amber(front) and red(rear) the red and amber LEDs look washed out behind the red & amber lenses already in the car , and the bright white LEDS looked the closest to normal illumination to me .
Recently , two TGO members PMed me asking about my LED lights . First things first , Sorry for taking so long to respond and I figured rather than typing out a response to each I'd start a thread dedicated to pictures of LED use in our cars . I do still have Halogen "Silverstar" headlights but every other exterior light is an LED . The bulbs themselves are really easy to install , they fit right in the original sockets are were bought from Rock Auto along with the special flashers (one for turn signals , one for 4 way "emergency" lights) that are required for LED use . I bought an extra flasher unit for a spare so when I dig that out of the spare parts storage I'll post up a picture of it . The flasher plugs in right where the original did , and has an "extra" wire coming out of it , that needs to be grounded for the electronic circuit to operate (these flashers use a timer to drive a relay instead of the thermal bimetal element in standard flashers) .
Ok , so here's my first set of LED Firebird pics . In a future post I'll enclose the photos of the third brakelight that one of the gents asked me for . Just an FYI , all the LEDs are clear white light , even though they sell LEDs themselves that light up amber(front) and red(rear) the red and amber LEDs look washed out behind the red & amber lenses already in the car , and the bright white LEDS looked the closest to normal illumination to me .
Last edited by OrangeBird; 01-30-2018 at 03:28 PM.
#3
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Re: Pictures of my Firebird's LED lights (All welcome to post their pics as well !)
Using the "colored" LED behind the lens is a much richer color than with the white behind the lens, you lose a lot of the light coming through the lens with the "white" bulbs.
Also, there are two post flashers, you don't have to get the 3 wire ones to work with LEDs
They lose a little of the color from the camera, but they are VERY red and amber
Also, there are two post flashers, you don't have to get the 3 wire ones to work with LEDs
They lose a little of the color from the camera, but they are VERY red and amber
Last edited by scooter; 02-01-2018 at 02:30 PM.
#4
Re: Pictures of my Firebird's LED lights (All welcome to post their pics as well !)
Thank You for the reply Scooter .
I guess it's just a personal taste kind of thing , or maybe the difference in housings accounts for the different experience we both have with our LEDs , I found the colored ones far too dim & washed out looking and the clear look plenty bright (and red or amber depending on if your looking at the front or back) . Now bear in mind that my front & rear housings are not from 1989 , more like 1984 so that right there may be the difference .
Also , WRT to 2 VS 3 wire flasher ;
If you use LED units with a built in resistor to mimic the draw of an 1157 (or an external resistor) then yes of course you can use the two wire current dependent flasher , BUT , you defeat one of the major reasons for using LEDs in the first place , namely that they draw less , FAR less , power than the regular bulb . If you use LEDs like I did that have no internal resistor then yes indeed you most certainly do need Rock Auto's $10 3 wire flasher because the LEDs draw so much less current than a regular bulb that there isn't the current flow required to activate the regular 2 wire unit .
I guess it's just a personal taste kind of thing , or maybe the difference in housings accounts for the different experience we both have with our LEDs , I found the colored ones far too dim & washed out looking and the clear look plenty bright (and red or amber depending on if your looking at the front or back) . Now bear in mind that my front & rear housings are not from 1989 , more like 1984 so that right there may be the difference .
Also , WRT to 2 VS 3 wire flasher ;
If you use LED units with a built in resistor to mimic the draw of an 1157 (or an external resistor) then yes of course you can use the two wire current dependent flasher , BUT , you defeat one of the major reasons for using LEDs in the first place , namely that they draw less , FAR less , power than the regular bulb . If you use LEDs like I did that have no internal resistor then yes indeed you most certainly do need Rock Auto's $10 3 wire flasher because the LEDs draw so much less current than a regular bulb that there isn't the current flow required to activate the regular 2 wire unit .
Last edited by OrangeBird; 02-01-2018 at 03:56 PM.
#5
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Re: Pictures of my Firebird's LED lights (All welcome to post their pics as well !)
If you use LEDs like I did that have no internal resistor then yes indeed you most certainly do need Rock Auto's $10 3 wire flasher because the LEDs draw so much less current than a regular bulb that there isn't the current flow required to activate the regular 2 wire unit .
This is what I have in my car flasher
#6
Re: Pictures of my Firebird's LED lights (All welcome to post their pics as well !)
I meant to say you don't have to buy a 3 wire electronic flasher. I have 2 wire electronic flashers in my cars
This is what I have in my car flasher
This is what I have in my car flasher
So there ya go , LED interested readers , two different options of electronic LED flashers and both well under $15 with no silly "ballast resistors" involved .
#7
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Car: 84 TA orig. 305 LG4 "H" E4ME
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Re: Pictures of my Firebird's LED lights (All welcome to post their pics as well !)
Do you have an approximate dollar amount for converting the whole car to LED using the RockAuto parts?
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#8
Re: Pictures of my Firebird's LED lights (All welcome to post their pics as well !)
Using 2 of these for my signal & flasher.Plus LED panels all around.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Auto-2-****...53.m1438.l2649
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Auto-2-****...53.m1438.l2649
#9
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Car: 92 Firebird
Engine: 4.8 LR4
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.45 9 Bolt
Re: Pictures of my Firebird's LED lights (All welcome to post their pics as well !)
Using 2 of these for my signal & flasher.Plus LED panels all around.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Auto-2-****...53.m1438.l2649
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Auto-2-****...53.m1438.l2649
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