LED light problem

Just replaced the rear brake light / side light housings and bulbs on the back of the 90. Connected the wires as the colour determined (as you would). Fitted the LED bulbs (which are supposed to be direct replacement). Tested the brakes and the lights come on. Tested the side lights and they come on. The problem is, when the side lights are on and you press the brake lights, there is no change in the intensity of the light - no brake lights when the side lights are on!!!! Have I wired something up wrong or is it bulb related? Will put the old bulbs back in later as a test but in the meantime, does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

are they dual intensity lamps? ie, when you turn the sides on, are the dimmer than brakes. if the "brake" is dimmer than the side, the contacts on the bottom may have been reversed.

Took me ages to find some that were, alot of the LED "replacements" have the 2 contacts paralleled together, so don't work as stop/tail.

are they ebay/chinas finest lamps??

These bulbs in brand new Wipac housings

Land Rover Defender LED Bulb Set (Sidelight, Tail Light, Interior Light & More) | eBay

Obviously, I got the wipacs separately and put the bulbs in myself

doesnt give much away that...

Id try a lamp in it, and see what happens, if that doesnt work its a wiring fault, if it does, an LED fault...

I tried one of the old bulbs back in the left side and it does the same thing - so I must have wired it wrong :| I cant see how though as I just colour matched the wires or does that mean nothing?! Confused :| what do you suggest?

For starters fit good old fashioned incandescent lamps for these tests.

When you put the old lamp back in, which filament is illuminated in the lamp?

If they are BOTH illuminated under ONLY tail light operation or ONLY brake then there is probably an iffy earth back-feeding the other filament running them both no matter which circuit it live.

If the above is the case then it almost certainly will be sorted out with some earth tinkering, if not then I would still go down the wiring route first.

Does the light have a metal tab on one of the screw holes so that the light itself is earthed locally? Have you put a screw through it into the bodywork?

I don't know what electrical tools or supplies you have, but some basic tests needing no equipment include, taking the black wire from the light out of the loom and deck it to something other than the earth wire on the loom, such as a piece of BARE metal on the bodywork, or a bolt or something. Switch on your side lights, does the 5W filament illuminate in the lamp?

Thanks for the help, the lamps are just new versions of the old ones, just standard wipac ones. Yes, there is a metal tab on these lamps - I am guessing I should put the screen through it into the bodywork?

yep, try that and see what happens. then try as suggested by discomania, and run an earth to a known good point.

Right had another go at sorting it this morning. The side lights are brighter than the brake lights (with the old bulb at least). So as you say the contacts have been switched. Excuse my stupidity, which wires do I swap to sort this (cant just swap bulb around as only goes in 1 way). On the loom car side, I have 1 green / purple wire, 1 red, one black. Currently have black to black red to red and green to green/purple. Need me lights back! Thanks!

Not the first time that I've come across light clusters with the wiring the wrong way round.
Assume that the black is the earth (fairly safe assumption on most systems) and try switching the other two wires. Do it on one side and see what happens.

Thanks for the reply, is there a change that I will blow any fuses or anything like that?

Yep, you got it Dogsbody, it was indeed that! swapped them over and they work and with the LEDs as a bonus. Thanks for all the help guys.

Piccies

What yer want piccies for lol you got the same problem?

No, but I'm tempted to convert to LEDs...

Ah right, if you just change the bulbs, you wont have the problem I did. The lamps I used aren't any special ones, I just needed to change them because the old ones were cracked and so on. If you get the bulbs I linked previously and just swap them in its really easy. I got the full set and planned on doing the front side lights too but after unscrewing the side light lamps the wire / connector literally comes out about and inch giving no room to cut / connect the new ones. God knows how I am going to do that! Any tips