Interior/Exterior Colored LED Dome Lights
#226
#227
It is flickering when it is on. It is not especially noticeable, as the flicker is between pretty bright and extremely bright. Is it possible the job I did on the socket could cause this? I really had to work to get this one to even pretend to fit. It does not seem likely to me that it could cause a flicker. More likely is that I will lose my connection entirely and the bulb just won't light.
I will take your advice and request a replacement. My first order took ten days to arrive to DC.
I will take your advice and request a replacement. My first order took ten days to arrive to DC.
If you swap the bulbs and the flickering still happens only at the boot, it becomes more interesting. I suppose it is possible that the current or voltage might actually be fluctuating at the bulb socket. A small fluctuation could be visible with an LED but not necessarily with a regular bulb. You'd need an oscilloscope to check for instantaneous variations in the power. I'm not quite sure what you could do about it if in fact it was the situation.
#228
I've been using the same 194's as the ones seen in Post #219, they are extremely cheap in cost.. about $2.50 shipped from overseas. And they've been on my car for about a year now with no problems. The only problems I am having is the Festoon Bulbs in my dome light and in my License Plate lights as well as in the boot. The 194's all over the rest of the car... the Driving Light, the sidemarkers, the lights under the dash and under the doors.. they've all stood the test of time just fine.
#229
#230
Great to hear that it fit! Any updates (and pics)???
Edit: I forgot to mention that I've run into a problem with the lights (dome, footwell, and boot) coming on when I open the door. After I turn them on manually by pressing the switch, and then lock the doors (while I am in or outside of the car), the lights will dim down as usual. But when I unlock the doors (while I am in or out of the car), the lights don't automatically come on anymore! What'd I do?
Edit: I forgot to mention that I've run into a problem with the lights (dome, footwell, and boot) coming on when I open the door. After I turn them on manually by pressing the switch, and then lock the doors (while I am in or outside of the car), the lights will dim down as usual. But when I unlock the doors (while I am in or out of the car), the lights don't automatically come on anymore! What'd I do?
#231
As I've stated before, we should put the burden of making these things work on the manufacturer. Not necessarily in a nasty way, but you guys having flickering issues need to report this to the manufacturer. I've been following this topic since it started in June 2004... 3 years almost now and we're no closer to solving the flicker issue.
In my limited electrical knowledge I'm convinced this is due to voltage fluctuations. Either a resistor or some other type of voltage regulation needs to be incorporated into each LED. It can't be a difficult thing to do. It's obvious what these things are being used for and obvious what the problems are and should be obvious how to fix them.
Has anyone tried to return their flickering LEDs as faulty and ask for a refund?
In my limited electrical knowledge I'm convinced this is due to voltage fluctuations. Either a resistor or some other type of voltage regulation needs to be incorporated into each LED. It can't be a difficult thing to do. It's obvious what these things are being used for and obvious what the problems are and should be obvious how to fix them.
Has anyone tried to return their flickering LEDs as faulty and ask for a refund?
#233
#234
As I've stated before, we should put the burden of making these things work on the manufacturer. Not necessarily in a nasty way, but you guys having flickering issues need to report this to the manufacturer. I've been following this topic since it started in June 2004... 3 years almost now and we're no closer to solving the flicker issue.
In my limited electrical knowledge I'm convinced this is due to voltage fluctuations. Either a resistor or some other type of voltage regulation needs to be incorporated into each LED. It can't be a difficult thing to do. It's obvious what these things are being used for and obvious what the problems are and should be obvious how to fix them.
Has anyone tried to return their flickering LEDs as faulty and ask for a refund?
In my limited electrical knowledge I'm convinced this is due to voltage fluctuations. Either a resistor or some other type of voltage regulation needs to be incorporated into each LED. It can't be a difficult thing to do. It's obvious what these things are being used for and obvious what the problems are and should be obvious how to fix them.
Has anyone tried to return their flickering LEDs as faulty and ask for a refund?
#235
http://superlumination.com/festoon.htm
#237
#238
#239
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2pcs-...5998QQtcZphoto
They use the same high power 1W LEDs like the flank bulbs, but pointed in the correct direction for map lights.
They use the same high power 1W LEDs like the flank bulbs, but pointed in the correct direction for map lights.
Matt
#241
#242
The bulbs with SMT technology LEDs do indeed have 180 degree illumination, however the brightness is like a bell curve and falls off towards the outer viewing angles. I am using this type now in my side turn signals and they are bright, but too focused to light up the entire lens. One problem is that the LED element is at the end of the bulb, so it sticks into the housing when mounted. The LED element ends up barely 1/8 to 1/4 inch away from the lens, not enough distance for the beam to spread out.
#243
I wouldnt try something like that SMT bulb for the side markers because of the reason rkw mentioned its too big to fill up the lens. Strangely enough i found these http://www.jamstrait.com/194s.htm (the 4 LED Hyper bulbs) at Autozone, and they work great! A plus is you can bend the LEDs out at an angle to give you more light spread. I have mine at like 45 degree angles and it works perfect. I can post some pictures if you like.
#244
Hi,
We sell a dome light panel for the first-generation MINI that solves some of the issues with festoon bulbs:
Installed, it looks like this:
Since it uses surface-mount-type LEDs, and they're spread out across a big panel, I doubt heat will be much of an issue. I can't honestly tell you about longevity in this application, because I just got them, but I've had these in other cars for months now and have had no failures yet. It's a nice product. Not cheap, but hey, if you have to keep replacing bulbs otherwise, this thing will pay for itself...
Find it HERE.
--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net
We sell a dome light panel for the first-generation MINI that solves some of the issues with festoon bulbs:
Installed, it looks like this:
Since it uses surface-mount-type LEDs, and they're spread out across a big panel, I doubt heat will be much of an issue. I can't honestly tell you about longevity in this application, because I just got them, but I've had these in other cars for months now and have had no failures yet. It's a nice product. Not cheap, but hey, if you have to keep replacing bulbs otherwise, this thing will pay for itself...
Find it HERE.
--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net
#247
I hope someone can answer this
I just replaced my incadescent with some Amber LEDs... but ran into a problem of low light! I got the wide angle LED for the footwell and it just appears so much darker than when i had the incandecent... which 194 bulb should i have gotten instead? I need to make another order for the dome light anyways
thanks!
I just replaced my incadescent with some Amber LEDs... but ran into a problem of low light! I got the wide angle LED for the footwell and it just appears so much darker than when i had the incandecent... which 194 bulb should i have gotten instead? I need to make another order for the dome light anyways
thanks!
#249
I just replaced my incadescent with some Amber LEDs... but ran into a problem of low light! I got the wide angle LED for the footwell and it just appears so much darker than when i had the incandecent... which 194 bulb should i have gotten instead? I need to make another order for the dome light anyways
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/V-LED...em250094274938
I have them in white and they work great in the footwells (and also for puddle lights).
#250
Hi,
We sell a dome light panel for the first-generation MINI that solves some of the issues with festoon bulbs:
Installed, it looks like this:
Since it uses surface-mount-type LEDs, and they're spread out across a big panel, I doubt heat will be much of an issue. I can't honestly tell you about longevity in this application, because I just got them, but I've had these in other cars for months now and have had no failures yet. It's a nice product. Not cheap, but hey, if you have to keep replacing bulbs otherwise, this thing will pay for itself...
Find it HERE.
--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net
We sell a dome light panel for the first-generation MINI that solves some of the issues with festoon bulbs:
Installed, it looks like this:
Since it uses surface-mount-type LEDs, and they're spread out across a big panel, I doubt heat will be much of an issue. I can't honestly tell you about longevity in this application, because I just got them, but I've had these in other cars for months now and have had no failures yet. It's a nice product. Not cheap, but hey, if you have to keep replacing bulbs otherwise, this thing will pay for itself...
Find it HERE.
--Dan
Mach V
FastMINI.net