RogerH Posted June 4, 2019 Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 Hi Folks, I bought some snazzy LED bulbs to fit into the tail lights. Cost a whopping £3 all the way from China. Do they work - probably Do they fit - no The off-set spigots are swage'd from the body of the bulb and hence have rounded edges. This allows them to pop out of the slightly worn (rounded edges) holder. A decent filament bulb with sharp edged spigots holds OK. Where can I obtain new the same style of holder ? They must be available somewhere as they are fitted to new rear light fittings. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted June 4, 2019 Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 There is these though how good they are is anyones guess https://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/452 Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 Hi Stuart, thanks for that. I've ordered two and suddenly my cheapo Chinese bulbs (apprx £3) have become pricey. £31 for the holders - wow. I hope they work. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted June 4, 2019 Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 Would a small dab of solder have worked? AlanR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted June 4, 2019 Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 Should have gone to https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/brake-tail-light-bulbs/products/2-x-bay15d-red-stop-tail-led-2835-brake-rear-light-glb380-p21-5w Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 Hi Bob, I agree with you but I had to see what a pair of Chinese lanterns would be like at £3/pair with free postage over the Great Wall. I think it is the fault of the socket as all the other sockets I have work OK. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tim hunt Posted June 4, 2019 Report Share Posted June 4, 2019 A bit late now Roger but surely the Lucas 380 type bulb has been standard fitment for absolutely ages now. Why didn't you try your local car scrapper to source suitable bulb holders? Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2019 Hi Tim, good point. Sadly car scrap yards in West London do not allow you to rummage as in years ago and simply supply handy lumps. The Lucas item mentioned by Stuart, above, has arrived this morning and looks like an item that Lucas would have made it is rather good. I do not think it will fit directly as it has an earth tag under where it would seat. But it does look good. I will have a play this morning and perhaps a TRA article may ensure. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2019 (edited) Hi Folks have been playing with the Lucas bulb holder suggested by Staurt. Firstly as it is it does not fit. But I have a number of secret weapons. The hole in the casting where the original bulb holder fits need to be opened up to apprx 30mm - secret weapon #1 a 'cone cut' The earth tag needs to be removed from the holder. Easily done with secret weapon #2 Junior hacksaw. This is tidied up with secret weapon #3 - 6" smooth file. The flange on the bulb fitting needs to be trimmed to fit into its cavity Two of the three fitting holes on the new holder opened up to take M4 screws/njuts. On the back of the light fitting there is a raised ring - the area coincident with the screw holes need to be filed flat. to take the nuts. Otherwise it works well. Couple of hours work to sort out but at least if ever the holder goes pear shaped then it can be easily replaced. If you have an old light fitting that needs chroming then consider removing the existing holder and fit one of these. Then get it chromed. I'll do some pics tomorrow. Roger Edited June 8, 2019 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 Hi Folks, This morning I fitted the light assembly back on the car. Tested it with a filament bulk - all OK Fitted the El Cheapo Chinese bulb - it worked. With the brake pedal pressed the stop light burst into life. With the light switch ON the tail light also burst into life - sadly identical to the stop - all the LEDs glowing very brightly. Inserted thew second LED bulb - this didn;t work in the car. Both bulbs worked as above on the bench - all LEDs working no matter whether it was Brake or Tail. So that was a waste of £3 - bu99er I'll have to get some proper ones now. Thankfully I can still use filament bulbs. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted June 6, 2019 Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) I hate to say ----------- (see above comment !) Edited June 6, 2019 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) Hi Bob, Columbus didn't know where he was going but he still went. You have to try these things. The El Cheapo Chinese headlight LEDs £20/pair are working very well. I shall take them apart and see what they have done wrong. Roger Edited June 6, 2019 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) Hi Bob, you would be impressed with the cheapness of these lights. Having taken it apart I now understand how it works (or doesn't in this case. As normal the body is earth. On the two base contacts a plain wire goes from one to a point on a PCB. The other base contact has a resistor going to the same contact. So when you turn the tail lights on the LEDs are dimly lit. When you hit the brakes the full 12V goes through the plain wire (bypassing the resistor) and you get an amazing sun set. The difference between Tail and Stop was somewhere between not a lot and nothing. I changed the Resistors, going from the original 50 Ohms up to 200 Ohms - still not a lot happening. So I have done what I should done yesterday and thrown them in the bin. Motto - do not by cheap Chinese items unless you are happy to have fun rebuilding them. Roger Edited June 8, 2019 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted June 6, 2019 Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 Roger. Apart from any of the other shortcomings the fact that there is no diode isolation between the two input circuits would lead to very strange results, especially if mixing filament bulbs with the leds. Quite a few of the cheaper ones do this. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2019 Hi Bob, your point about the diodes is very good. Perhaps more experimenting required !!!! Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted June 7, 2019 Report Share Posted June 7, 2019 (edited) This is the circuit of the stop / tail bulbs I make. Resistors are surface mount 1 Watt types I doubt the resistor in your Chinese one was rated at that ! Bob. Stled.pdf Edited June 7, 2019 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2019 Hi Bob, good heavens Bob, a 1 watt resistor would up the price another 1p. Your lay out is significantly different to my Cheapo LEDs Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted June 7, 2019 Report Share Posted June 7, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, RogerH said: Hi Bob, good heavens Bob, a 1 watt resistor would up the price another 1p. Your lay out is significantly different to my Cheapo LEDs Roger Mine is meant for either 6V or 12V systems, which complicates it a little. Even more complicated is the circuit for my Stop / Tail / Flash bulbs: Stfled-ve.pdf I add a 100R ressitor in series with the Gate of the mosfet these days to limit inrush current. Edited June 7, 2019 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2019 HI Bob, your talents are wasted here. I must get round to using MOSFETs Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted June 7, 2019 Report Share Posted June 7, 2019 Old adage about getting what you pay for springs to mind. I've Bobs stop tail bulbs, -brilliant. John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted June 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2019 Hi John, you have no sense of adventure. The mysteries of the orient are there to be discovered. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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