LED lights

Tony8470

Registered User
Just got done outfitting the entire car with LED “bulbs”. This was primarily to reduce the electrical load on my under driven alternator, rather than the cool factor. I opted not to do the corner lights as I found the resistor that was required got extremely hot, very quickly. I should note that I got what appeared to be the proper LED lights where the LED is oriented where the halogen filament would typically be. As opposed to a bulb which has tiny LEDs covering the entire surface area.

Does anyone else have experience running LED lights throughout the car with under drive pullies?

I did find the driver fog light harness was reversed polarity, and had to correct that. Is it even worth changing the corner lights, considering the soldering and resistors which need to be added?
 
Just got done outfitting the entire car with LED “bulbs”. This was primarily to reduce the electrical load on my under driven alternator, rather than the cool factor. I opted not to do the corner lights as I found the resistor that was required got extremely hot, very quickly. I should note that I got what appeared to be the proper LED lights where the LED is oriented where the halogen filament would typically be. As opposed to a bulb which has tiny LEDs covering the entire surface area.

Does anyone else have experience running LED lights throughout the car with under drive pullies?

I did find the driver fog light harness was reversed polarity, and had to correct that. Is it even worth changing the corner lights, considering the soldering and resistors which need to be added?

What resistors?

You don't need resistors.

But first, what year is your SC?

1st Gens will take some custom wiring to support a LED flasher, but the good old Novita EP27 will do the job if you wire a new socket in for it.

On the 2nd Gens, just buy a EP34 and swap that.

Can we get a picture of the light pattern against a wall from, say, 10 to 20 feet away?

RwP
 
It’s an 89.

The resistor functions to add a load onto the flashers. It prevents rapid flashing. It looks like I can just replace the relay though? That would be nice.

The car isn’t movable at this time. But I do feel the headlight beams are going where they should be.
 
I got some LED headlight bulbs for my 94 from a thread over on TCCoA. Much better brightness. I will try to get a pic up.
 
It’s an 89.

The resistor functions to add a load onto the flashers. It prevents rapid flashing. It looks like I can just replace the relay though? That would be nice.

The car isn’t movable at this time. But I do feel the headlight beams are going where they should be.

The only problem is there's not a plug in LED compatible flasher; there's a FUNCTIONAL identical unit to our flashers, though, so I rewired to use the EP27 flasher module (it plugs into a 5 pin Bosch relay socket, so they're fairly cheap; if you're paranoid, you can even take the Bosch socket, put male FastOn(tm) type quick connects on the wire, and just plug that into the factory socket).

I'll have to dig up the wiring, though; it wasn't quite a plug 1 into 1, 2 into 2 etc. job. (It's a 1 for 1, but not in the exact same order.)

RwP
 
So it sounds like the EP27 module is made for LED flashers? If that’s the case. Do you have any pictures of your setup?
 
Any chance you can share part numbers for LED's you've installed? The flasher info is great - interested in the bulb choices.
 
9005 High Beam - CougarMotor LED Headlight Bulbs All-in-One Conversion Kit - 9005-7,200 Lm 6000K Cool White CREE - 2 Year Warranty https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H6NZ6F2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ylNiDbMX412E7

9006 Low Beam - CougarMotor LED Headlight Bulbs All-in-One Conversion Kit - 9006-7,200Lm 6000K Cool White CREE - 2 Year Warranty https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H6NZ7BA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CsNiDbESH0XPY

Those came in the same packaging. I don’t think there was a difference.

880 Fog - BEAMTECH 880 LED Headlight Bulb, 50W 6500K 8000Lumens Extremely Brigh 885 893 899 CSP Chips Conversion Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XHF7YVR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xtNiDbY9Z0VK8

The 880 fog light heat sinks had to be cut in half. They wouldn’t go in all the way otherwise. I don’t think any LED light will work there without some sort of modification.

3157 Corner - Yorkim Super Bright 3157 LED Light Bulbs White Pack of 10, 3157 LED Brake Lights, 3157 LED Backup Reverse Lights, 3156 LED Reverse Tail Lights, Turn Signal Led - 3056 3156 3057 3157 4157 LED Bulbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A4Z3FOS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3sNiDb153WEXZ

3157 Corner (amber) - Yorkim Super Bright 3157 Amber LED Bulb, 3157 LED Brake Lights, 3157 LED Backup Reverse Lights, 3156 LED Tail Lights, Turn Signal Bulb with Projector - 3056 3156 3057 3157 4157 LED Bulbs, Pack of 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KZVM2KN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VuNiDb17TXYGH

3156 Reverse - iBrightstar Newest 9-30V Super Bright Low Power 3156 3157 3057 4157 LED Bulbs with Projector Replacement for Back Up Reverse Lights and Tail Brake Parking Lights, Xenon White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDUEBX1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XtNiDbDWRNSJP

194 Interior - Yorkim 194 LED Bulbs Xenon White 6000k Super Bright Newest 5th Generation, T10 LED Bulbs, 168 LED Bulb, LED Bulbs for Car Interior Dome Map Door Courtesy License Plate Lights W5W 2825, Pack of 10 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JRE38EA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-BNiDb081ERQ0

These 194 interior lights I had installed a few years ago. A few are flickering. I would highly recommend using dielectric grease on these (on all for that matter) to reduce oxidation at the contacts. I believe that’s what the issue is. I even went so far to replace the dash lights with these. All still work except the high beam, which I’m just lazy to get back to again.

1156 Interior - HOTSYSTEM 10pcs 13-SMD 1156 Ba15s 12V Backup Signal Blinker Tail Light LED bulbs White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LBVV7AO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eFNiDbH98YMWV

I think there’s only two of these in the car. These illuminate next to rear seat heads.

A few notes. I went through the routine of sourcing appropriate bulbs about 2-3 years ago, and many of those manufacturers no longer exist. As well, this is all obviously Chinese Amazon stuff, so your mileage may vary. Oh, and I just realized I still have to replace the turn illuminator lights...
 
part numbers for LED's - interested in the bulb choices.

I haven't made the leap to LED head/tail, cluster yet, but I've tried to do the rest. I did the backup lights first, back in 2011, and they were the most expensive but a big improvement. There weren't a lot of choices then, but today it seems like most everything has an LED equivalent. I tried using the Sylvania bulb listings for #s but found that some in my Anny were different. The bright white for the map (tricky to install) and courtesy lights is a big help.

Note that you can find different lights with same part number where there come with more or less SMDs. There more there are, the brighter the light, but also the longer the bulb. I used the ones with the most SMDs I could find for the courtesy lights in the upper rear and under dash; medium length for the courtesy lights in the doors; shortest I could find for the single light inside the center console. I tried a longer one, which fit, but it went right up against the lens and created a bright spot that looked out of place. YMMV so be flexible.

They all illuminate quicker and generate much less heat, a bonus with our aging wiring. This list is from 2014, reflects my 1990 SC Anny, and should still apply.
  • Rear license plate - 2 - 194?
  • Center high brake - 2 - 194 or 921?
  • Trunk interior - 1 - 194
  • Cornering - 2 - 3157a (?)
  • Under hood - 1 - 194
  • Glove box - 1 - 194
  • Map lights in mirror - 2 - 194
  • Center console - 1 — 1895 (used SMD 4, shorty)
  • Upper rear interior courtesy - 2 — T89
  • Under dash courtesy - 2 — T89
  • Fog lights - 2 — 880
  • Backup lights - 3156 - 2
  • Door courtesy - 2 — 194
 
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Has anyone tried replacing the bulbs in the HVAC controls? I’ve tried twice now with no success.
 
I've done LEDs on other cars, and just replaced the flasher module. I'd highly recommend doing that if you can (swap over the socket for the relay). I've got LEDs in the reverse lights because I had them left over from the last time I did that and one was burned out. I've also swapped out the fog lights with and entire new assembly on my '89. I think I might have them upside down, cause they will light up the neighbors house when I flip them on (to high of beam) but they will light up a dark road. I'd love to hear if anyone has replaced the bulbs in the HVAC. Half of mine is dark, but I haven't pulled it out to see if they are even replaceable.
 
Custom lights

Any chance you can share part numbers for LED's you've installed? The flasher info is great - interested in the bulb choices.

I can't really help on that. I designed some completely new headlights and eliminated the factory front turn signals for something different so none of my numbers would help. It's been a long-running project I only just finished...sort of. I'm trying to get the finishing touches done in time for a big all-Ford show at the end of the month.
 
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