LED Tailights

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 26 Dec 2009, 4:23 pm

#754148

I installed some led tailights the other day and they didnt work at all, i removed them put the old incandescents back in and both work fine. I then took one out and bent the contacts outwards and put the le back in and it works fine for driving lights but then the brake light partdoesnt work. But then when i put the other led in both dont work, but if its one of each the both work and only the incandescents work as brake lights.

Why is this and how can i fix it.

Cheers fr any help you can give me i know mst are trying to relax about now.

colonel mustard Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,829 posts · joined Feb 2009 · 26 Dec 2009, 7:17 pm

#754161

The led's would be single element/circuit. Thus you cant have both.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 26 Dec 2009, 7:20 pm

#754162

hes got duel contact stop/tails like i got

josh just make sure the contacts in the the taillight are reaching the base of the bayonette

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 27 Dec 2009, 7:38 am

#754204

Okay, so i check that they are touching the contacts and one was and one wasnt, so i made them touch, it works as a tailight but now when i put the brakes on it goes completely off?

What does this mean

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 · 27 Dec 2009, 7:46 am

#754205

I was thinking of putting LED's onto the bugeye, I think of lots of things to do to it but they don't call me "guna" for nothing 🤓, an auto electrician told me I had to add some other part or make some other mods to the electrics to make them work, I stopped listening about then as it sounded like more trouble than I was prepared to get into.😵‍💫

I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 27 Dec 2009, 12:08 pm

#754228

Im in need of any help, any ideas, ive got two incandescents in there now any they are working fine, what would be causeing this problem?

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 27 Dec 2009, 2:48 pm

#754239

ahh make your own , just go to one of those leco shops . like dick smith etc and buy little led separate

http://www.customlights.co.uk/page70.html

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Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 27 Dec 2009, 6:13 pm

#754268

donn wrote:I was thinking of putting LED's onto the bugeye, I think of lots of things to do to it but they don't call me "guna" for nothing 🤓, an auto electrician told me I had to add some other part or make some other mods to the electrics to make them work, I stopped listening about then as it sounded like more trouble than I was prepared to get into.😵‍💫

the only area theres any mods needed are with the indicators

everything in my bug now is LED, the only 2 incandescent bulbs left in the car aside from the H4s are the oil and gen lights, theres a drop in plug and play LED for every bulb in a bug

the indicators just need a LED style flasher relays which is easy with 71 on cars, there even availble at supercheap FFS...🙄
other problem i struck is the single speedo blinker was causing feedback, easy fixed with some diodes

Josh, if they're not working its just the contacts in the tail light bases need bending out further

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 27 Dec 2009, 7:12 pm

#754282

Okay, so now ive got the contacts bent out so that its near beaking the bulbs trying to get them in.

Now i have one incandescent in and it works fine on its own but then i will put the led in the other side and then the incandescent one get brighter because the brake light is on but no one is pushing on the brake pedal.
And the led still doesnt come on and ive taken it out and tried 180degrees around and same thing happens?

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 27 Dec 2009, 7:57 pm

#754287

71-BEETLE-SEDAN wrote:Okay, so now ive got the contacts bent out so that its near beaking the bulbs trying to get them in.

Now i have one incandescent in and it works fine on its own but then i will put the led in the other side and then the incandescent one get brighter because the brake light is on but no one is pushing on the brake pedal.
And the led still doesnt come on and ive taken it out and tried 180degrees around and same thing happens?

some el cheapos led just don't work.
A good one you'd pay about $30 each.
and they dont seem to even have a brighter light🙅

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car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 27 Dec 2009, 9:43 pm

#754296

ian.mezz wrote:some el cheapos led just don't work.
A good one you'd pay about $30 each.
and they dont seem to even have a brighter light🙅

Light Emitting Diodes work fine in some lights..
depends on the Diodes and what brightness they are..
and how many are used... and what direction they face..

You can get really bright ones now...
and the prices are coming down...

the prices you pay at Auto Shops are way too expensive..
better to buy off E-bay....

You really need an electronic blinker relay to use LED Blinkers
as normal blinker units use the 2 x 21 watt bulbs to activate the relay...

as an LED Lamp is going to be under 1 watt..

I have been buying LED lights for my House...
3 watt LEDs are Now available to work off 12V DC or 230Volts AC and they won't break the bank...
as they would have 6 months ago... lol

I have been using them in sensor lamps in My backyard..
work great...

cheers

LEE

PS: Rose's tail/stop lamps would work OK with LED Bulbs made for the job.. not good for later model tail lamps..

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68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 27 Dec 2009, 9:56 pm

#754298

Hi Joel,

I used 10mm bright white LEDs 12v DC [resistor in leads]
[bought from Hong Kong via E-bay]
in My speedo...
they just fit in perfectly...

the only bulb I'm using is the Alternator bulb as the alternator needs the bulb to work...

I was thinking of using an LED in there and just putting a bulb in the engine bay...

LEDs are Light Emitting Diodes so Use one for the blinker indicator lamp..
May need a resistor in series as it is VERY BRIGHT... lol

I just bought a couple of LED lights..
round about big as a 20 cent piece with two wires coming off them.. about 20 LEDs on them.. 12volts DC..
could be used in lots of places...

Lee

PS: I put blue LED bulbs in first but couldn't read the speedo at night.. lol.. the plain white LEDs are much brighter..
these Bright White LEDs do have a blueish light... as do all white LEDs..

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Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 28 Dec 2009, 8:32 am

#754329

71-BEETLE-SEDAN wrote:Okay, so now ive got the contacts bent out so that its near beaking the bulbs trying to get them in.

Now i have one incandescent in and it works fine on its own but then i will put the led in the other side and then the incandescent one get brighter because the brake light is on but no one is pushing on the brake pedal.
And the led still doesnt come on and ive taken it out and tried 180degrees around and same thing happens?

when they start doing funny stuff like that its nearly always an earth problem, follow a VN-NP commodore one night, theyre shocking for it

have a look at the sides of your engine bay make sure the earht wires are still connected to the lugs ok and not painted over or rusted off.

duel filament bulbs/LEDs only fit in one way, have a look youll notice the pins are offset

Lee, i havent had a problem with LEDs lighting up big elephants feet taillights

a guy on thesamba wanted to see how well they worked which was why i had to make this silly vid

i used wide angle LEDs for the indicators

i went the lazy way with the speedo and just got some BA7S LEDs, they fit the stock holders

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 28 Dec 2009, 12:22 pm

#754355

I wouldn't waste my money on Leds as a normal globe has been ok for years and they cost about 30 cents each🤪
They are ok for new cars and lens like Joels with clear lens covers the car makers saved money by using the cheap thin lens cover and just a coloured globe..

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car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 28 Dec 2009, 12:30 pm

#754361

you know i like shiny things 🤪

it was an electrical load thing as well for me
LEDs use 1/10th the power of the equivelent bulb so by the time the whole car is swapped over it makes a hell of a difference

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 28 Dec 2009, 1:50 pm

#754366

My globes dont have offset pins,

will check the eraths now

its alos an electrical load thign for me, not a cooler look.

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 28 Dec 2009, 2:03 pm

#754368

Joel wrote:you know i like shiny things 🤪

it was an electrical load thing as well for me
LEDs use 1/10th the power of the equivelent bulb so by the time the whole car is swapped over it makes a hell of a difference

Uno I dont like shinny things🙅
Its good to see that you are doing your bit for the world by saving power🤪

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car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 28 Dec 2009, 2:07 pm

#754369

71-BEETLE-SEDAN wrote:My globes dont have offset pins,

will check the eraths now

its alos an electrical load thign for me, not a cooler look.

you could just have two faulty globes. It happens
Try them in someone else's car,
If the old globes work fine. its not the earths.

hear are some pictures of pin offset
http://narva.com.au/products/browse/stoptail-indicator

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car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 28 Dec 2009, 2:20 pm

#754370

Im now believing that the globs are faulty cause like ian pointed out the old ones work fine.

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 28 Dec 2009, 3:00 pm

#754380

Okay, so ive looked on the net and it seems that leds with offset pins are bay15d, while ba15d are the ones with the same level pins.

I have got ba15d's, do i need bay15d's.

And what gobes is in the numberplte housing?

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 28 Dec 2009, 6:28 pm

#754405

ian.mezz wrote:Its good to see that you are doing your bit for the world by saving power🤪

yep, i save in a year enough power to start a 6volt 36hp bug once

Josh, for stock beetle stop/tails u want this kind

double contact with oppsite pins and one higher than the other

for number plate light u need a ba15s with really small LED head, cos theres not alot of room in there and the bulb sits sideways too which doent help

ATM i forgot what i have in there

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 28 Dec 2009, 6:39 pm

#754408

Okay then ive got the rong ones, these are the ones ive got.

I will get those ones i need asap.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 28 Dec 2009, 6:44 pm

#754409

thats why your having dramas, that one earths through one of the bottom contacts not the outter base part

got me stuffed what those ones would be used in 🤪

maybe positive ground pommy cars or something whacked

71-BEETLE-SEDAN AKA Josh

1,058 posts · joined Mar 2009 · 28 Dec 2009, 6:50 pm

#754412

Yeah now i see that,oh well, will be checking that out before i do that again.

Ive ordered new ones so should be all good.

Just gotta find some for the speedo