LED Taillights: How?

[Rider90]

I really like the fast-on and fast-off look of the LED blink, what would it take to get this setup on the Marauder? Surely there must be a way with LED wedge-bulbs and load equalizers...Can any gurus chime in?

[blackf0rk]

A few people are investigating this over at the Impala Forums that I own. In theory the idea doesn't sound so difficult, but there are a lot of suprise gremlins that like to pop up on this project, and no one likes popups :P

One of them, as you said, is voltage. Currently, someone at my forums has found a work around for this and does not involve resistors (waste of energy, and lots of heat), but I'm not sure if the application could involve the Marauder.

Second problem is LED direction and application. All of the cars you see that have LED lights have been engineered onto the car - both the LEDs AND the housing/reflector. You will need some sort of device like this. We've found that simply adding in LED bulbs will not achieve safe lighting conditions. Again, every car is different, so the Marauder may be better or worse with this condition.

Those are just two of the things to keep in mind. Unfortunately they cannot be debated - you have to start digging to find out of something it right, wrong, or just wont work.

Good luck. :)

[looking97233]

Try this.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm

Rod.

[Blackened300a]

Try this.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm

Rod.

The Festoon Base bulbs for the interior would be a nice touch

[Warpath]

Try looking in Street Rodder magazine. I remember seeing an ad in there of a company that will make custom LED panels in any size and shape like blackf0rk mentioned.

[hdwrench]

be careful if u buy some of the plug in LED replacement bulbs... i bought some off ebay a few months back. they claimed to be twice as bright as stock etc... in reality they were not even as bright as stock when compared side to side. luckily i got a refund

in some applications dunno (about MM specifically) a load equalizer maybe be required if you go with non stock turn signal bulbs... if you dont they will blink super fast

[BK_GrandMarquis]

The new '06 Grand Maquis are supposed to have LED tailights. Maybe they would fit.

[merc6]

remember bulbs that blink needs resitors or you have trilogy charged blinkers to add to your list of mods.

[cougarmandan]

I bet the 06 Taillamps will fit our Marauders like the 05 Interior door handles. They look like they will, but not quite

[dwasson]

I think that the panther cars have a lighting computer. If that is the case then resistances need to be matched or strange things can happen.

[TripleTransAm]

The 06+ taillamps might work with a different light module that already takes into account the LED-specific current loads. So it might not be a simple plug and play, but rather a plug and plug and plug and play (ie. other things to adapt).

Or maybe Ford will do what it usually does with its wiring and somehow design a circuit that ties together the taillamps, left front speaker, dome light, and radio display.:nono:

edit: didn't see your reply while I was replying, Dan.

[hitchhiker]

Try this.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm

Rod.

YES!

Thanks and the tip.

:D

[Rider90]

YES!

Thanks and the tip.

:D
Slow down there...
I already have (4) 3157 wedge LED bulbs and load equalizers, from them, and when I plug the bulb in it won't even light. Add the load equalizer, still nothing. This is why I started this thread. I find it odd they wont even light up, and the bulbs are brand new.

[shakes_26]

flip the bulb/assembly around. These are polarity sensitive.

[merc6]

other site was
www.autolumination.com (http://www.autolumination.com/)

[Rider90]

flip the bulb/assembly around. These are polarity sensitive.
Did that...

[TripleTransAm]

What's the voltage rating on those LEDs? You might have blown them instantaneously if they were expecting much less than the 12 V that the stock system would be sending them. Adding the resistors after the fact would not help if the LEDs were already killed.

[hitchhiker]

Slow down there...
I already have (4) 3157 wedge LED bulbs and load equalizers, from them, and when I plug the bulb in it won't even light. Add the load equalizer, still nothing. This is why I started this thread. I find it odd they wont even light up, and the bulbs are brand new.

OK. I think I will wait to see how this thread matures before ordering them!

Thanks,

Dave

[fastblackmerc]

I tried the LEDs in the brake light. One LED & one regular bulb - flashers blink like crazy, 2 LEDs and the flasher doesn't work at all.

[shakes_26]

Okay,

how did you wire in the load resistors?




Did that...

[shakes_26]

The premade setup has a resistor built into the wedge assembly, biases the led down from 12v to I am guessing 3.3v




What's the voltage rating on those LEDs? You might have blown them instantaneously if they were expecting much less than the 12 V that the stock system would be sending them. Adding the resistors after the fact would not help if the LEDs were already killed.

[Rider90]

Okay,

how did you wire in the load resistors?
There are three wires coming from each bulb, I forgot the names of the wires but I spliced into the primary positive one. Obivously one was the ground, I don't remember what the second was called...

[Rider90]

What's the voltage rating on those LEDs? You might have blown them instantaneously if they were expecting much less than the 12 V that the stock system would be sending them. Adding the resistors after the fact would not help if the LEDs were already killed.
I suppose this is possible, but not even a blink, flicker, nothing before they blew? I watched them as I turned the lights on. I have two more virgin bulbs if these are no good.

[TripleTransAm]

Can't say for sure. I believe I fried at least 1 LED in this fashion sometime on one occasion in the late 80s (ie. no sign of life, just instantaneous transition from the world of the living to the land of the dead). And on the other hand, while building a home-made 3 band graphic equalizer (with digital control, hence the LEDs) in 1993, I goofed on a calculation and had a bank of LEDs crying for mercy but they didn't blow out... went on to work flawlessly when the time came, and I got my $100 prize money. (rumour has it that gadget is still equalizing away somewhere in either Calgary Alberta or Boulder Colorado.)

If you have a multimeter handy, let us know what DC voltage you're seeing at the terminals where you'd install the LEDs, before popping any of them into place.

[RR|Suki]

I suppose this is possible, but not even a blink, flicker, nothing before they blew? I watched them as I turned the lights on. I have two more virgin bulbs if these are no good.On my motorcycle, I replaced incandecents with LEDs which I drilled holes in my pasenger foot pegs, placed them in there. The three wires are ground, live and signal I guess you could call it... it's very posible that live put to signal could of poped em, it also would take alot of LEDs to have the same resistance if at all... ALSO on my bike I noticed, that LEDs more light up than shine if that makes sense. At night they are very bright, but if they are in sunlight or whatever, you need good refection to make em usefull...

[Blackened300a]

OK heres a Homework assignment
The Interior light bulbs, Anyone know what number they are?? I think I want to try Blue LED's for the entire interior. They will last longer then the lousy colored bulbs you can buy in a auto parts store.

[Rider90]

On my motorcycle, I replaced incandecents with LEDs which I drilled holes in my pasenger foot pegs, placed them in there. The three wires are ground, live and signal I guess you could call it... it's very posible that live put to signal could of poped em, it also would take alot of LEDs to have the same resistance if at all... ALSO on my bike I noticed, that LEDs more light up than shine if that makes sense. At night they are very bright, but if they are in sunlight or whatever, you need good refection to make em usefull...
So does that mean I need a power equalizer for the signal and the live? both are probably emitting the same voltage...

[fastblackmerc]

OK heres a Homework assignment
The Interior light bulbs, Anyone know what number they are?? I think I want to try Blue LED's for the entire interior. They will last longer then the lousy colored bulbs you can buy in a auto parts store.
Go to this site

http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm

click on "CLICK HERE TO IDENTIFY THE BULBS IN YOUR VEHICLE"

Interior = 168 or 194
Map = 168
Ash tray = 1892
Glove box = 194
Trunk = 212-2
Under hood = 906
High mount stop = 912
Courtesy = 168 or 194
Dome = 906

[blackf0rk]

I told you you might get yourself into a mess :P

[dwasson]

If you have a multimeter handy, let us know what DC voltage you're seeing at the terminals where you'd install the LEDs, before popping any of them into place.

If you don't have a digital volt meter handy find one.

This is a good reason to have a vatiable DC power supply. If you have any radio geek buddies, see if you can borrow one. It's great for testing.

[Blackened300a]

Go to this site

http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm

click on "CLICK HERE TO IDENTIFY THE BULBS IN YOUR VEHICLE"

Interior = 168 or 194
Map = 168
Ash tray = 1892
Glove box = 194
Trunk = 212-2
Under hood = 906
High mount stop = 912
Courtesy = 168 or 194
Dome = 906

Your the Man! Thanks!