nlpamg

You know how we have courtesy/"puddle" lights on the bottoms of our driver and front passenger side doors.

Well, it's a normal W5W or 194 wedge bulb.

I bought an LED bulb for it.


It works! And, the computer doesn't read a bulb out error because I don't think it scans this particular bulb or the interior bulbs...

Looks pretty good OUTSIDE of the housing doesn't it?


Well, this is why it failed:


It doesn't light up the path that it's supposed to. The LED bulbs on the bulb I bought are only forward facing while the housing sets the bulb in a way that only the lateral light from the bulb illuminates through it... I gotta buy another bulb.

BUT check this out.

I got this to ALMOST work. BUT, one of the bulbs I was sent was dead on arrival...


I won't say where I got the bulbs or what they are YET!

But here's a little teaser/comparison (BTW, the "comparison" "normal" bulb is a Hoen bulb, not just the stockie):




Best of all, I don't think it gives a bulb out warning. But, I have to test that though... When the replacement arrives... (Don't worry, I'll post it in the appropriate thread.)

kevblah

OH MAN, i think you finally did it dude
solved one of the elusive mysteries for w203's...the led license plate bulb
i cant wait to see the results of this...
...tell us this much, is it expensive? (i doubt it though)

blkstar15

WOW...FINALY!!! I MUST HAVE READ THAT LED THREAD LIKE 10 TIMES!!!! PLEASE DONT HOLD OUT ON US MAN!!!!

Moviela

For the axial LED in the puddle lamp holder, get a wee speck of mirror and cement it to the LED at a 45 degree angle to redirect the light out through the lens.

The DIN W5W is actually brighter than an ANSI 194. A better sub in ANSI is 168.

MJ50

phil, u could've just pshop'ed the license plate....

nlpamg

if I did, then you wouldn't be able to see the light correctly

SeaCoupe

Sweet dude.

I think the only reason you are doing this is so you can pimp that USC lic. plate holder you have.

E

drexappeal

Hahahaha Looks like someone's HID bulbs a couple years back!...LOL.

j/k. I know the feeling on this one. I put in some LED bulbs in my MX6 before that didn't sit at the proper angle, so the light was super dim.

I'm pretty sure there are some 194's out there that are L shaped, so the light projects the way we need them to.

For those of you that don't understand how incandescent vs. LED bulbs work, simple explanation is this:

Incandescent is not directional (light is not concentrated to one direction)
LED is directional (i.e. light points in the direction bulbs are facing)

This is why the bulb Phil got didn't work.

Tangerine

Does the LED lighting have any hot spots? Can't see from the pics so I'm not sure.

And 194/168 can both be used.

e1000

looks like i'm going to be dropping some more money on bulbs. DOH!. Hook me up Phil!!!!!

rlee02135

lookin good Phil!

splinter

Have to admit I’m not a big fan of lighting mods for this exact reason, although retrofitted OE Bi-Xenon’s are okay. There’s something about messing with the electrics that prompts nightmares of a melted carcass smoldering beneath me!

Phil, if you can make ‘em work…I’ll have your bulbs and perhaps some upgraded city lights in place for our next meet. Kindly let us know how it goes.

drexappeal

John, that's why we have Phil to test all the LED bulbs!...

ChristianJan

Oh man I'm excited! I hope it all works out well so that everyone can start getting a pair

edtv82

amaz

How is the testing going?

nlpamg

still haven't gotten the replacements from the stupid shop yet... I have to say, their DOA policy sucks ***. according to them, I should have the bulbs by tomorrow or Friday.

I will definitely keep you guys updated!

nlpamg

at 8:37pm, the dream ended. one side worked fine but the other side (like all the others) flickered on and off. I'll post a full review shortly.

e1000

amaz

damn!

Mathmik

Any Luck yet... I have mine flickering too. I have a Ohm bypass thing but I really don't want to splice my wire ...

e1000

for which bulbs?