2 Questions: RV Mirror / L.E.D. lighting..

[sourcemine]

Wanted to post here before I spent the $$..

1. Can you change the rear lights out for the new style 1157 L.E.D. lights, do you need the load balancer? I might head over to performanceparts.com today and just pick some up.

2. Anyone change out the rear view mirror with a compass/map light mirror.. I miss map lights, dont need them on when I enter the vehicle or anything special, just would like some map lights for changing cd's and so forth.. plus the anti-glare would help? I think, in the high vehicle it doesnt do much.. the slick compass would also be nice..

would I just leave the box up top for the mirror and add the new one to the winshield?

 

[NocalFJ60]

Wanted to post here before I spent the $$..

1. Can you change the rear lights out for the new style 1157 L.E.D. lights, do you need the load balancer? I might head over to performanceparts.com today and just pick some up.

You should have no problem just changing out the bulbs with the LED lights. I am not sure what the load balancer is for with the lights. I would think they draw less current than the old bulbs. I do not see why you would need anything else.

I would like to replace my reverse lights with some really bright LED ones.

 

[Stickboy]

you can swap any of the lights on a cruiser with led. the only problem you'll run into is anything that has a flasher associated with it. electronic or thermal the flasher needs to see a larger draw than the led's provide. For example, you can't have front and rear left turns as leds but you can have one. I will correct myself, if you want to spend $50 and buy a led flasher then it'll work. I have my 60 setup with led all the way around except the rear turns are incandescent to keep the flasher working ok. running lights/brakes/markers/etc... all work fine.

www.superbrightleds.com is the place to buy....

-mike

 

[Tinker]

Compass Mirror

One of my guys broke the spring mount on a Disco2's inside mirror when replacing the windshield a couple of years ago (I have a glass shop in Colorado) & I had to buy the whole mirror from Land Rover for about $300 wholesale. Kept the old mirror & found out a Nissan Quest minivan has the same spring mount, & ordered a new one. But it looks like there's a sender unit involved, too, & I'm not real crazy about buying more doggie parts (you think Toyotas are expensive!).

Let me know what you find in a generic mirror. Any auto glass shop can glue a mounting bracket on your windshield (special Loctite adhesive & primer unavailable to the general public - we do it for free all the time). But then you've got the spot where the old mirror went.

I'm really interested in the LEDs & am heading to the websites mentioned now. Makes sense they'd need some kind of "load balancer", but wouldn't it really be just a resistor, probably in parallel with the LEDs? But what about the Toyota ground-switching circuits?

As far a super-bright backup lights, why not a pair of cheap, new-style fog lights mounted on the roof, fed through relay(s)? triggered by the backup light circuit? I put tractor lights fed through a relay on my boat trailer 20 years ago because I got tired of running into things backing it up a night.

 

[sourcemine]

you can swap any of the lights on a cruiser with led. the only problem you'll run into is anything that has a flasher associated with it. electronic or thermal the flasher needs to see a larger draw than the led's provide. For example, you can't have front and rear left turns as leds but you can have one. I will correct myself, if you want to spend $50 and buy a led flasher then it'll work. I have my 60 setup with led all the way around except the rear turns are incandescent to keep the flasher working ok. running lights/brakes/markers/etc... all work fine.

www.superbrightleds.com is the place to buy....

-mike

What is the LED flasher? on that site?

 

[casey]

you can swap any of the lights on a cruiser with led. the only problem you'll run into is anything that has a flasher associated with it. electronic or thermal the flasher needs to see a larger draw than the led's provide. For example, you can't have front and rear left turns as leds but you can have one. I will correct myself, if you want to spend $50 and buy a led flasher then it'll work. I have my 60 setup with led all the way around except the rear turns are incandescent to keep the flasher working ok. running lights/brakes/markers/etc... all work fine.

www.superbrightleds.com is the place to buy....

-mike

What was the led count for the lights you replaced? Are the 1157-R30's too big?

Looks like turn signals are 1156, tail/stop/reverse are 1157 and side markers are 194.

 

[Stickboy]

Here's what I bought for my 60:
2 - 1157 R-30 Red LED 8.99
4 - 1156 A-30 amber LED 8.99 (only 2 used because of the flasher issue)
2 - WLED-R4 Red Led (marker light) 1.59 ea
2 - WLED-A4 Amber Led (marker light 1.59 ea
1 - 3022-4 LED Festoon - white .75 2.34 ea - worthless don't bother
2 - 1156-A19 Amber LED - Wide angle 6.99ea

My grand total with shipping was 81.62.
this is from superbrightleds and by far the best price around...

I'll sell 2 of the 1156 A-30 leds if anyone wants

Also with the 1157 read 30s I had to modify the lamp housing a little to flatten out the reflector so they'd fit. I think the 24's would fit w/o a mod but would be less bright. i'd do everything i could to get a 30 in there.

also, think about a led 3rd brake light since none of the led's meet dot spec for viewing angle, brightness etc.... i think they are bright enough though just not dot tested. with the 3rd brake light you'd be good to go...
-mike

 

[Stickboy]

also,
i wouldn't bother with LED reverse. Just not enough light and that is one area where you want lots...

my main reason for the leds was to get the load down on my wimpy 25A @ 24vdc alternator. I need to be under 20A at full load to keep my equalizer balancing the batteries properly or i go into an unequal state of charge....

-mike

 

[sourcemine]

Here's what I bought for my 60:
2 - 1157 R-30 Red LED 8.99
4 - 1156 A-30 amber LED 8.99 (only 2 used because of the flasher issue)
2 - WLED-R4 Red Led (marker light) 1.59 ea
2 - WLED-A4 Amber Led (marker light 1.59 ea
1 - 3022-4 LED Festoon - white .75 2.34 ea - worthless don't bother
2 - 1156-A19 Amber LED - Wide angle 6.99ea

I'll sell 2 of the 1156 A-30 leds if anyone wants

Also with the 1157 read 30s I had to modify the lamp housing a little to flatten out the reflector so they'd fit.

also, think about a led 3rd brake light since none of the led's meet dot spec for viewing angle, brightness etc....

1. Thanks for the list, I emailed them with the sylvania specs and was waiting for their suggestions.
2. I would take thoose 1156's off your hands, I can paypal you if you want. Whats involved in modding it? dremmelling?
3. Did you look into any LED 3rd lights from them or anywhere else? Where would you mount it up? Would you cut the sheet metal or just place on inside the mirror and run the wiring? I'd like to have the TOYOTA light up with LEDS as the third brake light.. he he

 

[SS_Storm]

I prefer to get my Led's from here for a fraction of the cost lol,
And I havent ever recived a bad deal from these guys either

http://business.listings.ebay.com/E...mZR4QQsacategoryZ66947QQsocmdZListingItemList

 

[Stickboy]

Modding the housing just required flattening out the reflector with a small punch a little. just a little tapping around the edge to make the 1157 fit.

also, i forgot the contacts on the back of the 1157 were a little large and consequently they didn't seat correctly until i filed them down a little, not a big deal, just thought i'd let you know...

check this place out for a 3rd brake light: http://www.commandelectronics.com/third-brake-lights.html

don't bother with the stick on 3rd from jcwhitney, it isn't bright at all, barely visible at night even. But if you want one I'll sell you mine....

I'm going to put a brake light up on the glass on the inside and run the wires down to the brake lights....

i'll hit you offline with paypal stuff for those 1156's
-mike

 

[sourcemine]

i'll hit you offline with paypal stuff for those 1156's
-mike

shoot, wait a second..
Parking light
168

Front turn signal
1156
1156LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

Rear turn signal
1156
1156LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

Tail light
1157
1157LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

Stop light
1157
1157LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

License plate
89

Back up light
1156
1156LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

Front sidemarker
194
194LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

Step/Courtesy light
DE3175

Where are these supposed to go... I guess I need white 1156's you have ambers, and I need red 1157's for the stop...

 

[polarweasel]

Stickboy, why do you say not to bother with the festoon dome lights? Are they not bright enough? I was thinking I'd replace the domes first, since I have a habit of draining batteries by leaving the dome light on.

Alex

 

[Stickboy]

Alex,
i bought the brightest dome white led and no kidding but you couldn't read the odometer at night with it on. it's kind of like dim moonlight in the car. i guess it could be a mood light of sorts....

 

[Mike S]

Alex,
i bought the brightest dome white led and no kidding but you couldn't read the odometer at night with it on. it's kind of like dim moonlight in the car. i guess it could be a mood light of sorts....

I have one of George Scolaro's :LED dome lights. It's about 2X brighter than the stock incangescent - and I once left it on for three days... didn't drain the battery at all.

Mike S

 

[97 FZJ80]

The festoon LEDs are worthless. It puts out less light than the regular bulbs. Get George Scolaro's LED if you are looking high power lighting that drawy a fraction of the power.

John

 

[sourcemine]

http://www.taskled.com/ is his website.. neat stuff..

 

[polarweasel]

I'd been looking at his LED boards a while ago, but thought maybe these festoons would be a cheaper alternative. Guess you get what you pay for... Thanks for the recommendations!

 

[sourcemine]

I'd been looking at his LED boards a while ago, but thought maybe these festoons would be a cheaper alternative. Guess you get what you pay for... Thanks for the recommendations!

I ordered one, he shipped it out this morning, I will let you guys know what i think...


curious if I can wire the power from the dome up to some maplights..

 

[sourcemine]

The LOAD Equalizer is supposed to take care of the flasher issues..

http://www.customled.com/PRODUCTS/THE_EQUALIZER/the_equalizer.htm

they have them for $6 at performance products, I will see how much the led store sells them for IF they have them, then you can use the LED turn signals. Oddly enough the hazards work as a full circuit.