LED update

[Derek Mc]

OK progress so far (sorry due to rain last night,no pic's, I will add some today)

I now have all six interior lights changed, I was going to do the vanity mirrors too but the better half wanted filament bulbs left in them for their warmer colour!
but,
front door puddle lights
map lights
rear door units all replaced

Front side light's I originally swapped in 6 chip 1 watt ultra white LED withg an in built heat sink, but yesterday from V-leds on ebay I got a paitr or 4chip 5 LED one forward facing four in a cross shape and fitted them. the result is the whole housing is illuminated in stunning bluey white, the only issue is that they are whiter than the Xenon's so now plan on getting 6000K or 8000K D1R's to replace them.

Final mod is the rear number plate bulbs. Again some ultra white LEDS and all I have left is the rear/brake turn and reverse to replace and I am 100 % LED externally lit.

Pic's as I say to follow.

[Derek Mc]

http://links.pictures.aol.com/pic/17...Fd3Ig=_l .jpg
I replaced my 6 chip single ultra white with these 4 chip x 5 units in a cross with one forward facing.

http://links.pictures.aol.com/pic/17...Fd3Ig=_l .jpg


http://links.pictures.aol.com/pic/17...Fd3Ig=_l .jpg
These are 6 chip ultra white LED's amazingly bright

[Just]

Nice work Derek!

Which bulbs did you use for the door bottom lamps, was it the 44mm festoon bulb with loops at either end, and were these easy to fit.

I've just replaced my number plate bulbs, as one of the original stock bulbs had failed, with some single leds I'd originally sourced for the rear courtesy lights, but they weren't really bright enough for that. They're not quite as bright as I'd hoped, but they'll do the job.

Have you had any thoughts on the tail brake & turn leds - I got a pair for the tail / brake last year from autolumination that flash when braking quickly, but I thought the tail looked too bright in the centre if you see what I mean, and they didn't really project back enough light to light up the reflectors. I also didn't like the flashing effect much. I really think that the achilles heal of the exterior of the 300cs, especially at night, is the rear light clusters. The stock tail lamps are fairly pathetic from any angle.

Roll on a nice looking led rear lamp cluster suitable for the UK.

I noticed whilst in the US last week that many 300s seem to have 2 red tail lamps showing on each side, I think due to the regulation over there that allows a red to flash as a turn signal.

Cheers

Justin

[Derek Mc]

Just,
The door puddle lamps are
eBay Motors: HI POWER 3 LED WHITE DOME LIGHT BULB 561 562 564 212-2 (item 280168189345 end time Nov-28-07 1814 PST)

They also do a flank lamp for the rear but I am using a small 9 led cluster with good results.

eBay Motors: 2 V-LEDS HID WHITE HIGH POWER FLANK BULBS 194 168 2825 (item 280164336586 end time Nov-17-07 0555 PST)

The rear lamp can be converted by changing the connector to a three wire one and connecting the middle wire to the rear light supply in the round normal rear, however it then becomes "only slightly" illegal as it will also function as a rear fog lamp and in normal legal term cannot be dual function. I do intend to carry out this mod' too once I buy connectors from here,

Tail Light Brake Light Turn Signal LED Bulbs

The pigtail conector isat the page bottom.

[watsonofearnock]

Hi Derek,
Other than too much disposable income is there a reason for changing all the bulbs to LED's? Seems a lot of money and a lot of effort for very little return - unless you can tell me different? You never struck me as someone who would throw money away on a whim so I assume there must be a good reason - gonae fill me in - as they say in this part of the world?
Cheers John

[Derek Mc]

Reason is winter! when you unlock the car morning or home time, it literally glows pure white inside instead of a dull yellowy white like all other cars, same with the LED rear number plate lights, and front side's they are pure brilliant white, but the most important reason is simply,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
vanity

It never fails to get comments driving a 300C now in the dark it still shine's

[watsonofearnock]

Ah well, each to their own - too much disposable income as I said in the first place
Cheers John

[Just]

Originally Posted by Derek Mc

The rear lamp can be converted by changing the connector to a three wire one and connecting the middle wire to the rear light supply in the round normal rear, however it then becomes "only slightly" illegal as it will also function as a rear fog lamp and in normal legal term cannot be dual function. I do intend to carry out this mod' too once I buy connectors from here,

Tail Light Brake Light Turn Signal LED Bulbs

The pigtail conector isat the page bottom.

Derek

Word of warning if you haven't already bought the "pigtails". They don't fit our lamp cluster - the tags on the OEM bulb holder are in a different place.

Back to the drawing board.

Do you think we can we get hold of an OEM bulb holder? The hole for the fogs is exactly the same as the hole for the tail / brake bulb.

Also my rear courtesy leds which I bought from VIP300C about 6 mths ago have started to pack up on one side, It is a 9 led cluster. and 3 of the leds either don't work at all, or flash intermittently - v. annoying.

Here's some pics of the cluster socket & pigtails:

[Derek Mc]

I'm sadly not going to be visiting the folks at Hartleys for a week or so but when i do I will run a search on the rear cluster harness as it should be avaialble in US configuraration with ease. once I have the info i will post it here as i think the additional rear light and the side pass through in the fog light to give a side marker illumination would look great, plus be reversible for an MOT by swapping back in the OEM harness

[Just]

Originally Posted by Derek Mc

I'm sadly not going to be visiting the folks at Hartleys for a week or so but when i do I will run a search on the rear cluster harness as it should be avaialble in US configuraration with ease. once I have the info i will post it here as i think the additional rear light and the side pass through in the fog light to give a side marker illumination would look great, plus be reversible for an MOT by swapping back in the OEM harness

Derek

That would be great - I was looking forward to getting that second tail working. I was going to put a bullet connector in for "MOT purposes".

Let us know how you get on. If you can't get the US harness, it would be quite feasible to cut up the UK one with no probs - but I wonder how much it costs??

Just