have replaced all the inside bulbs and now wish to concentrate on the outside


this may sound a daft question but looking at led bulbs for the brake , reversing etc what was the number of leds that u got pleased

ie for a brake light it ranges from 10 x leds to 50 LEDs

the only orange ones I can see are for the rear and side indicator

they also do red led for the brake bulb but I can't see the advantage seeing they have red covers all ready

unless people have indeed put some red ones in the fog and brake instead of clear

thks guys and sorry as I know this has been done to death but can't find the amount of LEDs on each bulb that people have put in

if they are extremely bright can they fail an mot

cheers as always

won't fail an MOT on being too bright, and being LED, they are unlikely to overheat or draw too much current.

HOWEVER

this is the subject of much debate, including on this forum. Technically, the LED bulbs could be an MOT fail, as they are of the incorrect type against what the lamp cluster was designed and approved for. A standard filament bulb has a very different light output in terms of intensity and direction to an LED bulb.

It seems a moot point, I'm not sure I subscribe to either camp, but can certainly see for example with rear foglamp bulbs, that a large percentage of the light output of the whole lamp is due to reflected light. If the bulb fitted doesn't emit light in a backward direction (i.e. away from the lens) then it can't be reflected forward.

thks op

my reason is also asking that some have leds just on the end or end and sides so am thinking of having the brake , reversing just end led bulbs and the indicator both end and side leds

however as u say it's the distribution of the light spread and it's design

ref red leds for the brake and fogs but am thinking clear should be better

my other thought it as there classified as 21 watt and specify that on the leds

my mot is in April and my reasoning for mentioning this so that it doesn't fail

don't want to fit leds that will blind the person behind but wish to make sure people can see my lights

maybe companies like osram have resolved this issues opposed to the cheaper ebay leds

thks again

Gary. I would avoid led's from cheap Ebay seller's for important lighting. It's better to use Led's from a reputable supplier.
Ebay Led's are ok for interior lighting and stuff though.

Nodge68 said:

Gary. I would avoid led's from cheap Ebay seller's for important lighting. It's better to use Led's from a reputable supplier.
Ebay Led's are ok for interior lighting and stuff though.

Click to expand...

two minds think alike with regards to good leds , ie osram as they are far better manufactured and imagine the correct spread , light output etc have been investigated considerably more than the cheap ebay leds

I know their more expensive but am thinking of getting osram ones , as if they fail will have a greater consequence apposed to interior bulbs failing

thks again for the input as i just didn't want to buy led off ebay etc and then find all sort of problems

may I ask what do u think if any , advantages of either using a clear or red bulb in the fog and brake lights, as the lens is red already and the current bulbs clear , would by fitting a red led would it give better output light and thus easier to see by other road users

but then there's the mot factor

maybe I could leave it till after april when the mot is due and go from there

also have got to fit my towbar and electrics and may also leave that till after the mot is done

due to the fact the mot runs out the end of April and the lz11 event is 15 days later, don't want to run around trying to resolve issues etc due to the closeness of the lz event

will then give me 12 x months to fit the towbar and get the plug in loom

will be getting a trailer and can't imagine me towing a caravan so don't need the two electric plugs

as at the lz event I've got a jump starter unit that incorporates , a facility to run two 12 volt items via cig lights, a built in invertor , so until i fit the split charge system can use that for tent lights etc

thks so much again as always guys

they also do red led for the brake bulb but I can't see the advantage seeing they have red covers all ready

unless people have indeed put some red ones in the fog and brake instead of clear

Click to expand...

red lamp thru red lens .. Not a good idea .. weakens the light output ..
that might fail mot ?

got all mine from here:
Car Bulbs, Headlight Bulbs, Wiper blades, headlamp bulbs, Xenon Bulbs: Autobulbs Direct Ltd

only ?? re quantity of led's came up when i were choosing for the front fog lamps
( i didn't change the indicators to led's )

and although i've an led for the high brake light
i left the filament one fitted ..

hd3 said:

red lamp thru red lens .. Not a good idea .. weakens the light output ..
that might fail mot ?

got all mine from here:
Car Bulbs, Headlight Bulbs, Wiper blades, headlamp bulbs, Xenon Bulbs: Autobulbs Direct Ltd

only ?? re quantity of led's came up when i were choosing for the front fog lamps
( i didn't change the indicators to led's )

and although i've an led for the high brake light
i left the filament one fitted ..

Click to expand...

that's what I thought about the White and red light due to there being a red lens already but wasn't 100% , thks for that

am going to update the headlights to osrams , also would like to at least replace the reversing bulbs to led for when I reverse onto my drive and cheaper than fitting an extra separate light ,

did see once which I thought was a good idea , someone fitted an extra back led work light and just run off the boot light wires , had a isolating switch on the dash board that is fitted on the rhs of the steering wheel that also holds switches for front spots etc

I have got a 3 door roof rack where I could fit a rear light too

thks again for the help

gstuart said:

did see once which I thought was a good idea , someone fitted an extra back led work light and just run off the boot light wires , had a isolating switch on the dash board that is fitted on the rhs of the steering wheel that also holds switches for front spots etc

I have got a 3 door roof rack where I could fit a rear light too

thks again for the help

Click to expand...

I've done this recently, but wired up a switch in the boot as well (2 way switching with the one in front) so I could operate the light from the front or back. Mines a 3 door too.

NeedleNose said:

I've done this recently, but wired up a switch in the boot as well (2 way switching with the one in front) so I could operate the light from the front or back. Mines a 3 door too.

Click to expand...

sorry to be a pain but u wouldn't have any pics at all would u and how you've mounted ur light on ur roof rack please

did u get ur supply from the boot light

always prefer to take my time and think things through ,getting different ideas along the way ,then happy when completed in that's i I wanted it

thks again

Sure I've got a couple.

I bolted it using a steel L bracket into a rivnut on the crossbar, then routed the wire down the roof rack support and into a waterproof connector behind the hinges - if I ever need to take the rack off I just unplug it and remove it with the rack and light complete.



Fitted a switch at the C pillar



And another to the right of the voltmeter



From there I took the feed from an aux fuse board I already fitted. The light takes hardly any current (I think I calculated it to be less than an amp). Didn't even need a relay because the switches have a much higher rating (but it did feel odd doing it that way).

Because it's 2 way switching I can turn it on from either switch, or on at one and off at the other. Makes it more useful.

NeedleNose said:

Sure I've got a couple.

I bolted it using a steel L bracket into a rivnut on the crossbar, then routed the wire down the roof rack support and into a waterproof connector behind the hinges - if I ever need to take the rack off I just unplug it and remove it with the rack and light complete.

Fitted a switch at the C pillar

And another to the right of the voltmeter

From there I took the feed from an aux fuse board I already fitted. The light takes hardly any current (I think I calculated it to be less than an amp). Didn't even need a relay because the switches have a much higher rating (but it did feel odd doing it that way).

Because it's 2 way switching I can turn it on from either switch, or on at one and off at the other. Makes it more useful.

Click to expand...

bless u for that , will have a good read and take it in what you've done

appreciate it

cheers mate