I know that LEDs use less juice than filament bulbs but are they brighter?
I ie the idiot bulbs in the instrument binnacle are 1.2W (T5 286) IIRC but if I switch to the LED equivalent will they be brighter?
Cheers
LED lights are getting better all the time, Audi now use them as headlights, but the commercially available replacements for filament bulbs do not yet throw as much light. That said, if you are only looking to replace your warning light bulbs, led’s are fine. You won’t save a great deal of power though.
I have led idiot lights and indicator bulbs (with an electronic flasher).
All these warning lights are led.
I did have an led stop/tail bulb but it wasn’t bright enough for me to feel safe.
The biggest power reduction I have is an HID headlight which only draws 3 amps and is much brighter than a standard H4.
Do you really want brighter warning ‘bulbs’, what about at night
I’d be happier with a bit of glare at night than very difficult to see in daylight. But that’s only one view
Steve
Just remembered I did try small LED’s once, as a sperrymint, main trouble I found was that when looking exactly on axis with the end it was like a torch shining in your face. A few degrees off-axis, too dim. Ergo I reverted to filament bulbs, as they put light out equally in all directions. Tho could be I was using the wrong sort of design LED’s. It all too much faffing about anyway.
If you do go for it, Don’t forget to leave the charge warning light as a standard bulb, it seems to need the bit of resistance to make it all work.
I have replaced all the eejit lights on my 2004 Stone with LED and am happy with the result. I did document it here with pictures but the thread seems to have been lost.
LED is fine for the charging light so long as you have a permanent magnet alternator.
Wiring change and use of rectifying diodes is required if you have a single indicator warning light.
Finally the low fuel indicator needs current to work so an LED in parallel with a resistor is required.
Hope this helps
That’s was the reason fro the question as I’ve missed cancelling the indicators a couple of times 'cos they were barely visible in bright sunlight
On my Cali III with the permanent magnet Saprisa alternator I am using an led for the alternator light.
I am also using an led for the fuel light as the Cali III uses a simple reed relay (with a floating magnet would you believe) so an led works fine here too.
Ah but we all do that. That's why I prefer to rely on memory. Doesn't always work though. 'Course in a car you've got this clicking noise as well. At one time BMW used to have a bleeper on their bikes, but by general concensus was just thoroughly annoying, and might even cause blind pedestrians to confuse the noise with that of pelican crossings (OK to walk).If it's the old excited rotor type alternator, as the bulb gives it a bit of current to enable it to start up. However could still use an LED lamp if bypassed with a resistor to emulate the bulb, about 100 Ohms should do it. As already said if permament magnet type, N/A.