194 LED bulb failure

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John J

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My Car
1973 red convertible 351 4 V
Changed out my dash lights a few years ago. I now have 2 LED bulbs have failed. Any recommendations for ones that will last a long time. I don't want to take my dash apart anymore.

John J

 
Hello John j,

I had some other LED's that were not that bright. I replaced them with the 194 Super Bright LED's. https://www.superbrightleds.com/

Super Bright LEDs carries a minimum 2-year limited warranty on all LED products for manufacturing defects or product failures.

This may be better!

mustang7173

 
I would go with SuperBright, too. They seem to have a good supplier. Getting LEDs from unknown brands or suppliers is a crap shoot, whether for automotive or home use. As often as not it's the other circuitry in the bulb that fails. At a minimum there will also be a resistor in the bulb base, dimmable LEDs have more complexity.

 
I got mine from Hi-Po Parts. www.hipoparts.com  At first, I got the "Extreme" set, but later changed them to the "Elite" as they are MUCH brighter and dimmable. No issues so far, very happy. I also used the blue domes as they were still good and I wanted the original look.

A word of caution. If you have idiot lights, do NOT put an LED in the ALTERNATOR socket. This MUST remain an incandescent bulb as it can and will damage that circuit. (Don't ask me why, I'm no electrician!!) Earlier instruction sheets showed an LED in the ALT socket as well as the socket in the wrong location. Hopefully this has been corrected by now. Check it anyway.

Geoff.

 
I got mine from Hi-Po Parts. www.hipoparts.com  At first, I got the "Extreme" set, but later changed them to the "Elite" as they are MUCH brighter and dimmable. No issues so far, very happy. I also used the blue domes as they were still good and I wanted the original look.

A word of caution. If you have idiot lights, do NOT put an LED in the ALTERNATOR socket. This MUST remain an incandescent bulb as it can and will damage that circuit. (Don't ask me why, I'm no electrician!!) Earlier instruction sheets showed an LED in the ALT socket as well as the socket in the wrong location. Hopefully this has been corrected by now. Check it anyway.

Geoff.
Click to expand...
It has been corrected in the detailed instructions.  (that people don't always read)   Basically, Ford wiring for the charging system goes through the Alt failure light.   LED /SMD's don't have the risistance needed for that circut to run "both in and out" (as a SIGNAL).

Mark

P.S. LED shouldn't "damage" , but wouldn't allow for charging.

 
Has anyone actually tried a LED in the alternator idiot light? While the LED doesn't have enough resistance or current carrying capacity to feed the circuit, and excite the alternator, the bypass resistor (which powers the circuit when the bulb burns out) does. Because the LED is a diode it will just pass voltage in one direction. Just curious and too lazy to try to work out the circuitry on paper.

 
Has anyone actually tried a LED in the alternator idiot light? While the LED doesn't have enough resistance or current carrying capacity to feed the circuit, and excite the alternator, the bypass resistor (which powers the circuit when the bulb burns out) does. Because the LED is a diode it will just pass voltage in one direction. Just curious and too lazy to try to work out the circuitry on paper.
Click to expand...
It works perfectly fine in mine.,

 
When one has an alternator indicator lamp, there are two parallel paths for stimulating the voltage regulator: through the bulb itself and via a resistor wire. The resistor wire is there in case the bulb fails. Using an LED and relying upon the resistor wire may work for a while, but the resistor wire was not designed for 100% duty cycle and eventually will burn itself up. Use an incandescent bulb and ensure it lights up when you start the car and you'll always be good to go.

 
I got mine from Hi-Po Parts. www.hipoparts.com  At first, I got the "Extreme" set, but later changed them to the "Elite" as they are MUCH brighter and dimmable. No issues so far, very happy. I also used the blue domes as they were still good and I wanted the original look.

A word of caution. If you have idiot lights, do NOT put an LED in the ALTERNATOR socket. This MUST remain an incandescent bulb as it can and will damage that circuit. (Don't ask me why, I'm no electrician!!) Earlier instruction sheets showed an LED in the ALT socket as well as the socket in the wrong location. Hopefully this has been corrected by now. Check it anyway.

Geoff.
Click to expand...
It has been corrected in the detailed instructions.  (that people don't always read)   Basically, Ford wiring for the charging system goes through the Alt failure light.   LED /SMD's don't have the risistance needed for that circut to run "both in and out" (as a SIGNAL).

Mark

P.S. LED shouldn't "damage" , but wouldn't allow for charging.
Click to expand...
 I stand corrected. I DID say I was no electrician!! Glad to learn the mistake has been fixed............ they actually listened!

 
Has anyone actually tried a LED in the alternator idiot light? While the LED doesn't have enough resistance or current carrying capacity to feed the circuit, and excite the alternator, the bypass resistor (which powers the circuit when the bulb burns out) does. Because the LED is a diode it will just pass voltage in one direction. Just curious and too lazy to try to work out the circuitry on paper.
Click to expand...
 I did once have an LED in the alt socket which worked, but that was when I had the Extreme series bulbs........... with incorrect instructions I likely didn't read anyway. It was when I switched to Elite series I noticed the mistakes. That's when I contacted Hi-Po Parts to find out what the actual need was for not putting an LED in the ALT socket.

 
Hello John j,

I had some other LED's that were not that bright. I replaced them with the 194 Super Bright LED's.  https://www.superbrightleds.com/

Super Bright LEDs carries a minimum 2-year limited warranty on all LED products for manufacturing defects or product failures.

This may be better!

mustang7173
Click to expand...
Did you use the car's original filters or did you use colored LEDs?

Thanks

mike

 

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