How to guide: Upgrade interior bulbs to LED
#22
Any chance you can post a link to the ones you bought? I'm looking for white ones, but don't know which type/size/etc. and it seems the ones linked to in the other lighting thread are sold out, so I have no clue what I need to be looking for.
#24
Hey uhmm, how do you change the front side marker light? Like how do I remove it?
#25
JTech LED Power Usage
Just installed the JTech LEDs that were recommended in the front of this thread:
Jtech 10x 194 168 2825 T10 5-SMD White LED Car Lights Bulb
What a difference. I love the white look vs the yellow. Installation was a easy following the instructions. Thanks ADVphotography.
Here are pictures of the map lights with the LED on the left and the Incandescent on the right.
With Camera Flash on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
With Camera Flash off: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
For those who want to know the power consumption.
The Incandescent bulbs is 8 watts at 12 volts.
This chart:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
shows the JTech LED as using 0.54 watts at 12 volts (engine off) and 0.98 watts at 14 volts (engine running).
So replacing the two map lights and the ceiling light with these JTech's reduces the power from 24 watts to 1.62 watts with the engine off.
That power reduction of 93% is why you should never have a dead battery if for some reason these three lights are left on all night.
Jtech 10x 194 168 2825 T10 5-SMD White LED Car Lights Bulb
What a difference. I love the white look vs the yellow. Installation was a easy following the instructions. Thanks ADVphotography.
Here are pictures of the map lights with the LED on the left and the Incandescent on the right.
With Camera Flash on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
With Camera Flash off: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
For those who want to know the power consumption.
The Incandescent bulbs is 8 watts at 12 volts.
This chart:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
shows the JTech LED as using 0.54 watts at 12 volts (engine off) and 0.98 watts at 14 volts (engine running).
So replacing the two map lights and the ceiling light with these JTech's reduces the power from 24 watts to 1.62 watts with the engine off.
That power reduction of 93% is why you should never have a dead battery if for some reason these three lights are left on all night.
Last edited by CIOWN; 09-28-2014 at 10:20 PM.
#26
Just installed the JTech LEDs that were recommended in the front of this thread:
Jtech 10x 194 168 2825 T10 5-SMD White LED Car Lights Bulb
Amazon.com: Jtech 10x 194 168 2825 T10 5-SMD White LED Car Lights Bulb: Automotive
What a difference. I love the white look vs the yellow. Installation was a easy following the instructions. Thanks ADVphotography.
Here are pictures of the map lights with the LED on the left and the Incandescent on the right.
With Camera Flash on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
With Camera Flash off: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
For those who want to know the power consumption.
The Incandescent bulbs is 8 watts at 12 volts.
This chart:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
shows the JTech LED as using 0.54 watts at 12 volts (engine off) and 0.98 watts at 14 volts (engine running).
So replacing the two map lights and the ceiling light with these JTech's reduces the power from 24 watts to 1.62 watts with the engine off.
That power reduction of 93% is why you should never have a dead battery if for some reason these three lights are left on all night.
Jtech 10x 194 168 2825 T10 5-SMD White LED Car Lights Bulb
Amazon.com: Jtech 10x 194 168 2825 T10 5-SMD White LED Car Lights Bulb: Automotive
What a difference. I love the white look vs the yellow. Installation was a easy following the instructions. Thanks ADVphotography.
Here are pictures of the map lights with the LED on the left and the Incandescent on the right.
With Camera Flash on: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
With Camera Flash off: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
For those who want to know the power consumption.
The Incandescent bulbs is 8 watts at 12 volts.
This chart:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8m...it?usp=sharing
shows the JTech LED as using 0.54 watts at 12 volts (engine off) and 0.98 watts at 14 volts (engine running).
So replacing the two map lights and the ceiling light with these JTech's reduces the power from 24 watts to 1.62 watts with the engine off.
That power reduction of 93% is why you should never have a dead battery if for some reason these three lights are left on all night.
#27
#29
Just did this in my fit - awesome upgrade for very little $$ and time. Would highly recommend it.
While we're on recommendations, I got this cheap interior trim toolkit off amazon and it made the job very easy.
While we're on recommendations, I got this cheap interior trim toolkit off amazon and it made the job very easy.
#30
I just did this today, too, using the JTech bulbs that CIOWN posted. A few of my bulbs arrived DOA, but installation was quick and easy, even for somebody like me who has no experience with doing even simple things like replacing interior lights. They do look a little bit more blue rather than being pure white, but I did them in the bright midday sun, so I'll look again this evening once it's darker out.
I did notice that the light output isn't quite as bright as I was anticipating, and am now thinking about buying bulbs with more SMDs. I'm thinking of for the dome light, and for the cargo area. They have considerably more SMDs than the ones that everyone else seems to be using, though I don't know whether or not they might be too bright (not as much of a consideration for the cargo area, which could always use more illumination).
What do you guys think?
I did notice that the light output isn't quite as bright as I was anticipating, and am now thinking about buying bulbs with more SMDs. I'm thinking of for the dome light, and for the cargo area. They have considerably more SMDs than the ones that everyone else seems to be using, though I don't know whether or not they might be too bright (not as much of a consideration for the cargo area, which could always use more illumination).
What do you guys think?
#31
and scroll back for pics of the item and a view of how they perform. Used them for all the interior lights. Additionally, although very bright, they seem softer than the other LED's out there.
Hope this helps. IMO, any LED is actually way better than the stock bulbs. They're so dim and lame!!!!
#32
Try using LED strips (Ebay) with 36 LEDs. Not only bright but not a shade of blue. They come with double-sided tape. Go to the thread "What Mods........"
and scroll back for pics of the item and a view of how they perform. Used them for all the interior lights. Additionally, although very bright, they seem softer than the other LED's out there.
Hope this helps. IMO, any LED is actually way better than the stock bulbs. They're so dim and lame!!!!
and scroll back for pics of the item and a view of how they perform. Used them for all the interior lights. Additionally, although very bright, they seem softer than the other LED's out there.
Hope this helps. IMO, any LED is actually way better than the stock bulbs. They're so dim and lame!!!!
Definitely agree that any LED is going to be better than that crappy incandescent. I burned my fingers taking the bulbs out after they'd been on for about 15 seconds, but the new LEDs are running nice and cool.
#33
Be careful and don't burn your fingers anymore. Must mention that these LED strips do get warm but not as intense as a regular bulb.
Last edited by ROTTBOY; 10-05-2014 at 08:23 AM.
#34
NOT rocket surgery!
Good luck
#35
I just did this today, too, using the JTech bulbs that CIOWN posted. A few of my bulbs arrived DOA, but installation was quick and easy, even for somebody like me who has no experience with doing even simple things like replacing interior lights. They do look a little bit more blue rather than being pure white, but I did them in the bright midday sun, so I'll look again this evening once it's darker out.
I did notice that the light output isn't quite as bright as I was anticipating, and am now thinking about buying bulbs with more SMDs. I'm thinking of these for the dome light, and these for the cargo area. They have considerably more SMDs than the ones that everyone else seems to be using, though I don't know whether or not they might be too bright (not as much of a consideration for the cargo area, which could always use more illumination).
What do you guys think?
I did notice that the light output isn't quite as bright as I was anticipating, and am now thinking about buying bulbs with more SMDs. I'm thinking of these for the dome light, and these for the cargo area. They have considerably more SMDs than the ones that everyone else seems to be using, though I don't know whether or not they might be too bright (not as much of a consideration for the cargo area, which could always use more illumination).
What do you guys think?
I just ordered the T10 20 SMDs to try in the Dome light as well as the Parking lights. I expect to get them on Monday or Tuesday so I can let you know how those bulbs work out as far as brightness...
#36
Awesome! I just ordered the T10 24 SMD pancake lights for the cargo area, so when those come in, I'll report back too. My biggest concern was that the 20 SMDs might be a tad too long, although it sounds like there are workarounds for that (cutting away the plastic). Do you have the 5 SMD lights installed currently?
#37
I got these bulbs in today and they really aren't much different in brightness than the 5-SMD.... plus they are a little bit taller - so they won't work for the front seat map lights at all... really not worth it .... oh well live and learn...
#38
Good to know - thanks for the update! I was expecting them to be far brighter based of the number of lights on them. I have high hopes for the pancake/disk lights for the cargo area, since they're unidirectional instead of the multi-directional like the 5 SMDs I currently have in there. I'll be bummed if the polarity is wrong, and they have to be installed facing the wrong way.
#39
Good to know - thanks for the update! I was expecting them to be far brighter based of the number of lights on them. I have high hopes for the pancake/disk lights for the cargo area, since they're unidirectional instead of the multi-directional like the 5 SMDs I currently have in there. I'll be bummed if the polarity is wrong, and they have to be installed facing the wrong way.
If the pancakes are like most of the products you can always straighten the pins slide the lamp out rotate it and re-bend the pins to get the right direction - usually the bulb section is not glued to the bottom housing. The big problem with the 20 SMDs other than the height is the fact that the LEDs are smaller - so even though you have more of them they don't generate the same amount of light... Good Luck...