Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Posted ImageWelcome to the all new Geo Metro Forum. We hope you enjoy your visit.

You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are features you can't use and images you can't see. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Join our community!




Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Switching to LED bulbs?
Topic Started: May 5 2012, 09:54 PM (6,893 Views)
Jimmyjamx22
Member Avatar


t3ragtop
May 27 2012, 08:38 AM
i also want to point out that there a few pitfalls when you swap out some of the bulbs with leds.

the front corner lights take 194 bulbs and most of the smd leds are too long to fit into the little amber colored domes. i had to chop the base a little bit and then carefully push and twist the bulb socket into position. it's an interference fit, even at that.

some of the rear light lens sockets have limited space which makes led bulb selection critical. you don't want to go overboard with the smd led count or the bulbs are too long for a proper fit. in the rear side marker positions i had to use the older type leds instead of the smd type. there's just not enough clearance to deal with even the 5 smd "cube" style leds in that position. your best bet for the front and rear side marker positions will be inverted type gen 1 194 leds. the focused lens types will fit, they just light up "dots" on the plastic lenses.
I looked up the measurements for the bulbs and the LED smds on ebay and the 42 smd LED's and under will fit (based on their measurements top to bottom) That was the second thing i was worried about. So i went to measure those. cause i think the rest are ok cause they have a bunch of room.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JellyBeanDriver


JellyBeanDriver
May 26 2012, 11:25 PM


Quote:
 
For this to fix hyperflash, you can only run two led lights (either front or rear) If you are running LED front and rear you can still modify this flasher to work, but its designed to flash 2 normal bulbs and 6 hazard lights, per their website (novitatech.com)



Found this link that shows how to modify the EP34 flasher to work with all LED's
http://www.acksfaq.com/LED-turn-signals.htm
I just got back from Autozone and on a whim went ahead and bought an EP34 flasher.

They changed the internals, likely to save cost. There is NO flasher IC in there anymore, very small relay instead too.

Don't know if there is any current measurement done at all anymore - I'll check it out and also post pictures of the internals.
Posted Image
Posted Image
Posted Image
Edited by JellyBeanDriver, May 31 2012, 10:30 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JellyBeanDriver


Good news. I just did some bench testing and this version of the EP34 is happy driving even a load as small as 20mA.

I used an LED trailer stop lamp, parking function (20mA) alone and the blinker worked fine.
Stoplight function (180mA) worked fine.

Single incandescent by itself (1.8A) worked fine.

Rear markings on my unit is 0802B which I imagine is the date code. Don't know if the version I have is old or new.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Coche Blanco
Member Avatar
Troll Certified

JellyBeanDriver
May 31 2012, 11:12 PM
Good news. I just did some bench testing and this version of the EP34 is happy driving even a load as small as 20mA.

I used an LED trailer stop lamp, parking function (20mA) alone and the blinker worked fine.
Stoplight function (180mA) worked fine.

Single incandescent by itself (1.8A) worked fine.

Rear markings on my unit is 0802B which I imagine is the date code. Don't know if the version I have is old or new.
Dumb this entire post down for me: Will that flasher work for LEDs? How much was it?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JellyBeanDriver


Coche Blanco
May 31 2012, 11:17 PM
JellyBeanDriver
May 31 2012, 11:12 PM
Good news. I just did some bench testing and this version of the EP34 is happy driving even a load as small as 20mA.

I used an LED trailer stop lamp, parking function (20mA) alone and the blinker worked fine.
Stoplight function (180mA) worked fine.

Single incandescent by itself (1.8A) worked fine.

Rear markings on my unit is 0802B which I imagine is the date code. Don't know if the version I have is old or new.
Dumb this entire post down for me: Will that flasher work for LEDs? How much was it?
Yes, $12.99 at Autozone
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Coche Blanco
Member Avatar
Troll Certified

JellyBeanDriver
May 31 2012, 11:33 PM
Coche Blanco
May 31 2012, 11:17 PM
JellyBeanDriver
May 31 2012, 11:12 PM
Good news. I just did some bench testing and this version of the EP34 is happy driving even a load as small as 20mA.

I used an LED trailer stop lamp, parking function (20mA) alone and the blinker worked fine.
Stoplight function (180mA) worked fine.

Single incandescent by itself (1.8A) worked fine.

Rear markings on my unit is 0802B which I imagine is the date code. Don't know if the version I have is old or new.
Dumb this entire post down for me: Will that flasher work for LEDs? How much was it?
Yes, $12.99 at Autozone
Gracias JBD.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
DesmondGhostRider
Member Avatar


Stay away from ebay. They are all crap.

We bought 16 for our home (we live in a 12v rv) and they were all blown within a week. :(

Had em in my car as well and they burned out soon after. Got pulled over and cop told me they were really really dim.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
nerys
Member Avatar
Grr

I pretty much only buy on ebay. the trick is learning WHAT to buy.

not SMD based? walk away. no substantial heat sink? walk away. (though car ones are different not as much room for heat sinks)

buy 1 burn test it then buy more if it survives :-)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JellyBeanDriver


DesmondGhostRider
Jun 1 2012, 02:54 PM
Stay away from ebay. They are all crap.

We bought 16 for our home (we live in a 12v rv) and they were all blown within a week. :(

Which ones did you buy?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Woodie
Member Avatar


nerys
Jun 1 2012, 11:00 PM
I pretty much only buy on ebay. the trick is learning WHAT to buy.
:gp

This recent trend of acting as if Ebay is a manufacturer really bugs me. I'm constantly seeing people referring to "The Ebay head gaskets" or "The Ebay LEDs". Ebay is just a way of selling stuff, it is not a brand. Just because a product is being sold on Ebay does not mean that it is good, or crap, it could just as easily be either. Just like walking into a GM dealer, you can choose a Chevette or an Escalade, they'll be glad to sell you excellence or junk, your decision.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
nerys
Member Avatar
Grr

because that is typically the ONLY place you can get them unless you can read type and search in chinese and even then. Good luck. :-)

and the products I typically BUY are not "branded" in any fashion I can recognize. truly "generic" packaging with no corporate names or logo's

SO they are called "ebay bulbs"
Edited by nerys, Jun 2 2012, 11:55 AM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
bogs
Member Avatar
Duct tape heals all wounds

Woodie
Jun 2 2012, 06:41 AM
This recent trend of acting as if Ebay is a manufacturer really bugs me. I'm constantly seeing people referring to "The Ebay head gaskets" or "The Ebay LEDs".
I don't think you and I are seeing this one eye to eye, since I think they are using the reference properly, i.e. ebay as the location just like you would say Harbor Freight is where you would find x-item, or Sears y-item, or Home Depot z-item.

Ebay is just the most likely place to find that particular head gasket, or where they found or buy that head gasket from, no one assumes Ebay is the manufacturer of that head gasket :dunno
Woodie
 
Ebay is just a way of selling stuff, it is not a brand. Just because a product is being sold on Ebay does not mean that it is good, or crap, it could just as easily be either. Just like walking into a GM dealer, you can choose a Chevette or an Escalade, they'll be glad to sell you excellence or junk, your decision.
We completely agree here, although my feeling is that unlike a brick and mortar store where if something doesn't work out you just walk back in and return it, with Ebay you have the delay of shipping it back and the unknown of whether the person your returning it to is actually going to hold up their end of the deal or not.

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JellyBeanDriver


JellyBeanDriver
May 31 2012, 11:33 PM
Yes, $12.99 at Autozone
Okay, there's a couple of things to note when swapping out the stock flasher for the version of the EP34 flasher that I bought.

- the OEM flasher has a couple of catches that locks it in place - you need to squeeze the release on both sides of the fusebox socket to release the flasher.

- on the EP34 there are 3 plastic nibs on the side that interfere with it sitting all the way into the fusebox socket on my 92' I had to cut them off flush. There is nothing that locks it in place.

- The version EP34 I have, the flash rate is not load dependent, but instead voltage dependent. The flash rate is pretty fast when the engine is running, not as fast when the engine is off.

- the flasher ticking noise is pretty quiet.



I opened the OEM flasher and found that it has an 8 pin IC in there - maybe like the EP34 used to use. Might be able to modify the OEM flasher to work with LED's.
Edited by JellyBeanDriver, Jun 5 2012, 12:12 AM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Bad Bent
Member Avatar
Facetious Educated Donkey

And just for giggles if you want to test your bulbs, close your garage door and turn your lights on and hit the brakes. Get an idea how bright they are then change the bulbs and see if you like the change. On some bulbs I didn't like the change and changed back to regular bulbs that seemed brighter :-/ .
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Jimmyjamx22
Member Avatar


JellyBeanDriver
Jun 5 2012, 12:12 AM
I opened the OEM flasher and found that it has an 8 pin IC in there - maybe like the EP34 used to use. Might be able to modify the OEM flasher to work with LED's.
Sounds good, let us know how that goes! Might be a cheaper route, and make people be creative :)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Electrical Systems · Next Topic »
Add Reply