wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys. I've spent a stupid amount of time and small amounts of money on bulbs that look like **** with my new clear fogs, and wondered what everyone's running and happy with for the DRL/signal portion of the light.
I've done a huge amount of research on the topic including looking for (and trying) various eBay LED and incandescent bulbs...none of which I like. Disabling the DRL isn't an option, and it seems that LED's are a huge PITA and also difficult to get accurate color temps... Anyone have any suggestions?
Also, I've seen a thread or two about an LED kit that flashes orange but runs 5000k or so for the DRL... Interests me, but iirc, was quite expensive and a big PITA to install...

FuzzyLog1c

iTrader: (4)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300885479273

7440s are identical to 3157s, except that the tab is 2.0mm wide instead of 1.5mm wide.

shadyLS6

i have had these in since 2009 with no problems

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Shady, those were actually the first bulbs I tried. They were the best so far, but I was hoping to find something more daylight color, like the headlights. So I tried a set of Nokyans off eBay next and they were unfortunately too cheap blue looking.
Guess I'm too picky... And the ocd doesn't help...

LAYGO

iTrader: (10)

See my sig. I'm running some LEDs for the ambers and some HIDs for the actual fogs.

johnny2343

Not to hijack but where is a good place to get stsv fog lights

Andringa

The OEM STS-V foglights are pretty expensive, but there is a user "neondials" that sells aftermarket ones that look almost identical. Mine looked like OEM quality when I got them and I've never read any complaints online.

johnny2343

I actually just looked at them earlier today , pretty tempting

JDB

iTrader: (2)

I run silver coated orange incandescent bulbs in my signals. No orange reflection when off, so no egg yoke look. Flashes orange. I clipped the pin for the DRLs. Stock clear bulb in the fog. Cheapest solution and all clear looking while still functional fog and signal.

FWIW, I have orange LEDs in my side signals that are smoked and "white" color LEDs in my city light in the headlight housing that are probably like 6000k HID in color. ...I tried putting orange LEDs in the clear signal, but they didn't work... so I went with the silver coated orange incandescents.

DrSpeed

iTrader: (4)

THese:

http://www.vleds.com/bulb/3157-3156-...nt_control=138

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

JDB, thanks for the info. I'm not looking to disable my DRLs, and don't want them amber (hence the clear lenses) though.

Dr. Speed, are you running those currently? Any chance you could snap a picture of the DRL running? Did you have to wire in a resistor or make any other changes to make these work?

FuzzyLog1c

iTrader: (4)

Let's all ignore the EE's recommendation--the only recommendation featuring 10 high power (5 watt) Cree XR-E SMD LEDs (750-850 lumens total). I'm sure aging 15 watt (175 lumen) incandescents or cheap 250 mW SMD arrays will measure up.

JDB

iTrader: (2)

silver chrome when off, so you don't see amber in the housing. They flash amber. You need something that flashes amber... and screw the orange DRL, it's fugly. It's mostly the reason to go clear lenses in the first place ...so it looks clear. Otherwise the only time you'll see the clear fogs/signal housing as clear is when it's parked. Meh.

LAYGO

iTrader: (10)

RELAX YOUR VAGINA!

Identical, but will it fit? I'll upgrade mine as I think they're a lil weak.

Where are you seeing 750lm? I don't see it in the description.

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

I want to keep my DRL's, but they don't HAVE to be amber for the signal. The signal (and DRL, obviously) can be white, and I think that's what I want. I'm kind of between the switch over amber/white bulbs, or just straight white. The trouble with the white is that it seems difficult to find LED's that match the colour of the headlights. It also doesn't seem super clear which bulbs need flashers, resistors, etc and which don't...


I had responded to your post, but just realized now that it didn't post somehow...
Those bulbs seem great, but as I'm not wanting amber bulbs. I'm going to look into if they sell those in a 4-5k temp range for sure tho...

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Came across http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-pcs-3156-3157-15W-Samsung-5630-LED-CREE-High-Power-LED-White-Projector-Len-/281127244158?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item41747d517e&vxp=mtr... what do you guys think?

FuzzyLog1c

iTrader: (4)

Looks terrible. By the way, this was an earlier, informal SMD LED generation video that I shot with a 7W and 13W unit:


Notice how the 7W projector, when correctly utilized (like in our tiny turn signals in the tail housings), can look much brighter than a higher wattage, full coverage unit. That said, you have to be super careful with projection lens LED units in the front turn signals because that projection lens will create an ugly hot spot. Personally, I'd frost it to diffuse the light, or better yet, remove the lens entirely.

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the info Fuzzy. I'm a bit confused though. Your saying to beware of projection LED bulbs, but in your first post here, that's what you suggested/linked to. Do you say that what I linked above looks "terrible" for any particular reason? Can you see something in the pictures/description that tell you they're inferior quality?

FuzzyLog1c

iTrader: (4)

If you give that unit a couple of months of driving-related vibration, the silver part of that unit will break off the black base, because it's just hot glued on the edge. Second, they're claiming that they have 18 500 mW Cree SMD LEDs there. I don't know who made those SMD LEDs, but Cree definitely doesn't make those. Third, Samsung isn't known for making efficient, long-lasting LEDs.

Unfortunately, the price you pay when buying LEDs (which are rapidly evolving) is that models come and go rapidly. Sometimes there are legal reasons behind it. That's why I always start with two--to see if they're better than what I had previously. Then I buy however many I need + 1, in case one dies on me early and that particular product has disappeared.

A good example are the 13W, wide-angle units that I have in my front turn signals in the video below. In the video, the camera's shutter speed is up really high to avoid being blown out by the 5000 lumen headlights. As a human, the turn signals are super bright. To give you an idea--I'm actually walking around under a streetlight, even though it looks pitch black outside.


They're gone now, and what's worse, you really can't find good wide-angle units anywhere. They were originally sold by one of biggest and most respected LED guys on eBay--warden_jp2002--but last year, he basically disappeared. Now he's back, but his stock is miserable compared to what he used to have. The only thing that I've found is a set of 5x Cree Q5 (25W total) units that you can special order from China without the projection lenses. Since everybody seems to love these moronic projection lenses, I've had to compensate by finding ways to eliminate the ugly hot spot in our front projectors.

By the way, these are my 12 watt 194s (4x OSRAM 3W SMDs) through smoked sidemarkers, compared to one of those cheap, "7.5 watt" 5050 SMD units.


Yet again, this model has largely disappeared. You can still buy the 6 watt, half-sized version here. But the only remaining vendor is selling them for triple the price, and you can only get white--no more red and amber options.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/6000K-Osram-T10-W5W-194-168-Canbus-LED-Parking-Lights-Mercedes-R171-SLK350-SLK55-/121134589597?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c342f269d&vxp=mtr
The last thing I'll leave you with for the moment are these units, which should be arriving to replace my 13W white reverse lights any day now. They're pretty long, so I'm not sure they'll fit. Check back with me later if you want to know what happened.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Power-White-T20-7440-50W-CREE-10-Led-Car-Turn-Sigal-Tail-Light-Brake-Lamp-/121136236661?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c34484875&vxp=mtr
Please note that 7440s, being a little wider, may require a little bit of sanding to get them down to size. The 3157 is a half millimeter thinner, by spec, so keep that in mind when you're looking for something and can't find exactly what you wanted. It'll broaden your parts base.

Head's up: the above model WILL NOT WORK as a reverse light. Our reverse light sockets mandate a 3156/3157.

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Really appreciate all the info Fuzzy ... thanks a lot. This should all help me make a reasonable decision without throwing good money after bad.