Moderators PTR200S Posted January 1, 2018 Moderators Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 Just wanted to know if the interior light that comes on when the door opens is ONLY the central ceiling light unit? Or is the front ceiling light (map light incorporated) supposed to come on too? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted January 1, 2018 Administrators Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 18 minutes ago, PTR200S said: Just wanted to know if the interior light that comes on when the door opens is ONLY the central ceiling light unit? Or is the front ceiling light (map light incorporated) supposed to come on too? The map lights are switched and don't come on unless they are switched on 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PTR200S Posted January 1, 2018 Author Moderators Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 1 hour ago, hughezee said: The map lights are switched and don't come on unless they are switched on Ok, thanks, just wondered !! It would have been nice to have a little more light at the front end when you get in. I have converted to led anyway so that helps 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted January 1, 2018 Administrators Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 9 minutes ago, PTR200S said: have converted to led anyway so that helps I did wonder if this was related to an LED TBH as some LED's I see fitted offer poorer lighting, switching back to a standard bulb is an improvement in my experience unless you're using a very high quality LED... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founding Member Brett Posted January 1, 2018 Founding Member Report Share Posted January 1, 2018 Iv got led in mine and agree with Stu the light output is no better than standard lamps. Im going to up grade to these leds as the lumin output is fantastic. http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/interior-leds/14k-gold-led-range/14k-gold-festoon-led/14k-gold-festoon-31mm 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PTR200S Posted January 2, 2018 Author Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 7 hours ago, hughezee said: I did wonder if this was related to an LED TBH as some LED's I see fitted offer poorer lighting, switching back to a standard bulb is an improvement in my experience unless you're using a very high quality LED... No, no problems with led, streets ahead of standard bulb, it's probably that i have been spoilt by the Tourer that has exceptional interior lights with front and back coming on together. Once that was upgraded with led it was brilliant (ahem!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PTR200S Posted January 2, 2018 Author Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 7 hours ago, Brett said: Iv got led in mine and agree with Stu the light output is no better than standard lamps. Im going to up grade to these leds as the lumin output is fantastic. http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/interior-leds/14k-gold-led-range/14k-gold-festoon-led/14k-gold-festoon-31mm Surprised you find it no better using led (i have converted all the family vehicles now) but I did have directional led in initially, like the ones you have posted, had to bin those and get some with multi led on which gives all round light like the original design. The biggest improvement was in my van! I can actually read in the cab now!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted January 2, 2018 Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 5 hours ago, PTR200S said: The biggest improvement was in my van! I can actually read in the cab now!!! You're meant to be watching the road, not Sam Fox's t1ts! (Alright i know Sam Fox is old hat now but i don't know any of the current ones) Must admit, i had to stop and think about your original question, on my Volvo the interior light and the map reading lights come one (as well as the door open lights in the ends of the doors) but not on my other two beasties. On them it's just the front and rear courtesy lights, front footwell lights and puddle lights in the doors. Daresay adding a couple of diodes into the front courtesy light would bring the map reading lights on with the main courtesy light and still allow the map lights to be used independently. Tempting idea adding the diodes though................. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founding Member Brett Posted January 2, 2018 Founding Member Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 6 hours ago, PTR200S said: Surprised you find it no better using led (i have converted all the family vehicles now) but I did have directional led in initially, like the ones you have posted, had to bin those and get some with multi led on which gives all round light like the original design. The biggest improvement was in my van! I can actually read in the cab now!!! I think Pete Its a case with mine that there one of the 1st LEDs to come out. iv had them for 7 years and the new type will be much improved 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted January 2, 2018 Administrators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 I think LED's worked better with a lighter interior the one fitted to a project car looked pretty flash but on the dark interior looked very green and clinical, I much prefer the ambient look from an old skool bulb. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted January 2, 2018 Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 Strange you say that Stu, i've got "Cool White" LED interior bulbs in the Volvo (black interior, doesn't come much darker! ) and it lookds fine, better IMHO with LEDs as they're brighter and tones down the "morbidity" of the black. I suppose a coloured LED interior bulb might give the effect you describe, a "Warm White" LED might work better for that? Gives the slightly yellow, "warmer" light of the filament bulbs but with the reliability of LEDs so a good compromise probably. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators hughezee Posted January 2, 2018 Administrators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 6 minutes ago, Laird_Scooby said: reliability of LEDs I see your point buddy, mine are still the factory fitted bulbs so no issues regard reliability and will just order ones from Honda when they do give up, especially having no end of fitment problems with LED's and giving things a tap like an old TV or a New car is not reliable IMO. Although I do have a few LED's installed and they have been okay, just my experience overall is not the best one. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted January 2, 2018 Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 I've had a few dodgy LEDs in my time as well. A lot of the trouble comes from the Chinese ones that are simply a standard LED with an added series resistor (current limiting resistor) because they look at the battery and see 12V so work out the resistor value on that. Using a standard green LED with Vf = 2.2V and If = 20mA (where Vf is forward voltage and If is current for maximum brightness, Imax is maximum possible current) and 12V as the supply voltage (Vss), the formula is : (Vss - Vf) / If = R in Ohms. As such, (12 - 2.2) / 0.020 = 9.8/0.02 = 490 Ohms. The NPV (Nearest Preferred Value) is 470 or 560 Ohms, either will do on 12V.......... BUT!!!! With the engine running and the alternator charging, this rises to 14.4V - put that in the equation as Vss and this is what you get : (Vss - Vf) / R = I = (14.4 - 2.2) / 470 = 0.26A or 26mA Still not too much of a problem except the Chinese think everything brighter is better so chances are they use a 390 Ohm resistor to run it closer to maximum current on 12V which gives 28mA If at Vss = 12V but 31mA at Vss = 14.4V so passing more current than the poor little LED is designed for! It gets hot, the solder joints to the resisitor start breaking down and it starts flickering or doesn't work at all until it is jiggled/tapped but eventually burns out. For the record, the LED conversion i did in the Sterling mainly uses 680 Ohms as the limiting resistor, the one exception is the gear shift LEDs which are all 3.0 - 3.6V Vf so have used a 560 Ohms resistor. I haven't had any problems with those but the ones i bought, allegedly for a car have mostly given me problems except the expensive (better quality) ones. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PTR200S Posted January 2, 2018 Author Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 2 hours ago, Brett said: I think Pete Its a case with mine that there one of the 1st LEDs to come out. iv had them for 7 years and the new type will be much improved You could be right! 7 years is a longtime in led tech !!!! Anyhoo, would go cool white too although Stu has a fair point re interior colours 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PTR200S Posted January 2, 2018 Author Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 1 hour ago, Laird_Scooby said: Strange you say that Stu, i've got "Cool White" LED interior bulbs in the Volvo (black interior, doesn't come much darker! ) and it lookds fine, better IMHO with LEDs as they're brighter and tones down the "morbidity" of the black. One here for cool white too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PTR200S Posted January 2, 2018 Author Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 1 hour ago, Laird_Scooby said: I've had a few dodgy LEDs in my time as well. A lot of the trouble comes from the Chinese ones that are simply a standard LED with an added series resistor (current limiting resistor) because they look at the battery and see 12V so work out the resistor value on that. Using a standard green LED with Vf = 2.2V and If = 20mA (where Vf is forward voltage and If is current for maximum brightness, Imax is maximum possible current) and 12V as the supply voltage (Vss), the formula is : (Vss - Vf) / If = R in Ohms. As such, (12 - 2.2) / 0.020 = 9.8/0.02 = 490 Ohms. The NPV (Nearest Preferred Value) is 470 or 560 Ohms, either will do on 12V.......... BUT!!!! With the engine running and the alternator charging, this rises to 14.4V - put that in the equation as Vss and this is what you get : (Vss - Vf) / R = I = (14.4 - 2.2) / 470 = 0.26A or 26mA Still not too much of a problem except the Chinese think everything brighter is better so chances are they use a 390 Ohm resistor to run it closer to maximum current on 12V which gives 28mA If at Vss = 12V but 31mA at Vss = 14.4V so passing more current than the poor little LED is designed for! It gets hot, the solder joints to the resisitor start breaking down and it starts flickering or doesn't work at all until it is jiggled/tapped but eventually burns out. For the record, the LED conversion i did in the Sterling mainly uses 680 Ohms as the limiting resistor, the one exception is the gear shift LEDs which are all 3.0 - 3.6V Vf so have used a 560 Ohms resistor. I haven't had any problems with those but the ones i bought, allegedly for a car have mostly given me problems except the expensive (better quality) ones. What he said ,,,,, err, I think ! too late in day for a headache , Dave !!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Laird_Scooby Posted January 2, 2018 Moderators Report Share Posted January 2, 2018 It's the technical reason/explanation as to why the cheap Chinese LEDs so often fail Pete! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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