PFRAN LED buyers remorse...Anyone else?

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GregLCA

GregLCA

10 Year
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Jan 19, 2015
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26
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411
Location
Austin, TX
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I will start by saying that the PFRAN Interior LED kit is not to blame here.

It was exactly as advertised and it definitely makes everything brighter as you would expect.

However, as I've lived with the new LED lighting for a couple of months now I'm just finding myself disappointed in the "quality of light" that it produces. It's a really PURE white light, almost clinically bright... and I'm finding myself wishing there was a way to tone it down somehow.

Another minor point (but I'm pretty OCD so weird stuff bothers me) is that the overhead LEDs don't shut off with that nice "slow dissolve" effect that the original incandescent bulbs did.... I understand this is a limitation of LED since they are not "dimmable" as the voltage is tapered down to 0 VDC.


So I'm thinking about a couple of options:

1. Start playing games with the LED elements themselves to either paint over some of the diodes to kill the overall light output, or use some kind of tinted film on the inside of the lenses to achieve the same effect.

2. Look for a different brand of incandescent bulb that is a bit brighter than OEM, with a higher color temperature so that the light appears more white and less yellow than the original factory bulbs.



Anyway, I realize this is REALLY nitpicky stuff... but I was curious if anyone has done a bulb swap (non-LED) that improved the factory lighting and get a few parts numbers or weblinks???



Thanks!

-G
 
I used some color gels on the big overhead panels to get a warmer light. Cheap and easy.
 
I don't have any issue with the kit. I wish another color of light was available in the kit, but I'll accept it to achieve brighter light. The OEM bulbs are junk as far as brightness goes.
 
TXLX100 said:
I don't have any issue with the kit. I wish another color of light was available in the kit, but I'll accept it to achieve brighter light. The OEM bulbs are junk as far as brightness goes.
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Agree, but what's the lowdown on the rear cargo light? Mine just sucks. And I couldn't figure out which Pfran LED went with the rear cargo area.

I need a replacement for that, rapidamente..
 
I agree the color could be increased slightly but when I look at what it was before and now with the LED's I am very content. I have to strap my son in the middle row, middle seat daily and I frequently think to myself how glad I am to have the extra light while I'm fighting with buckles @ 6 in the morning.

You mentioned your center panel lights are not dimming? I could have sworn my do actually dim or slowly fade to off. I'll have to check that tonight or in the morning but I'm pretty sure mine were dimming last I checked.

El Cid - the rear cargo lights is one of the big LED light panels (same as what was used in middle row ceiling light). You have to plug it into an adapter that then plugs into the normal small light bulb outlet.
 
n55luvr said:
I agree the color could be increased slightly but when I look at what it was before and now with the LED's I am very content. I have to strap my son in the middle row, middle seat daily and I frequently think to myself how glad I am to have the extra light while I'm fighting with buckles @ 6 in the morning.

You mentioned your center panel lights are not dimming? I could have sworn my do actually dim or slowly fade to off. I'll have to check that tonight or in the morning but I'm pretty sure mine were dimming last I checked.
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There is a slight dimming effect initially, but then they abruptly go dark. That's just the nature of LED unless you do some kind of PWM-controller to flicker them rapidly (to simulate dimming)

I have some tinted headlight film that I'll use on the lenses for staters. Does Philips make a "pure white" type bulb for this kind of interior application?


-G
 
agree that it's a great solution but I found that I only like to use the rear interior, plate, backups, running lights and the doors..... I found the white to harsh for the 2 front center stacks.....

much the same reason that I used Hella 4000's for driving lights instead of Vision X's - but I did do an LED for rack and rigid's for floods...

just my thoughts
 
You know whats better than PFRAN's LEDs ..?

PFRAN's CV boot bands. Dealer replaced all 8 and replaced missing grease. Best prevention in my book.

Back to LEDs .. carry on.
 
If LEDs were only available in high temp color...I wouldn't be using LEDs; especially for anything related to reading and/or when depth perception is needed.

I remember when Petzl introduced the first super efficient compact head lamp for backpacking, xc skiers, etc., nearly 20-years ago. The long battery life via the LEDs was certainly a disruptive technology in that sector. But the high temp bluish light was a big compromise...
 
If you want to change the color but minimize the effect of brightness there are light gels used in photography/video/theater that are intended for just this purpose (like Larryt did). Rosco makes some... I would consider using a CTO (color temperature orange) filter. This is what is used to change a camera flash (white/blue) to match incandescent (orange/yellow) http://www.amazon.com/Rosco-Cinegel-Roscosun-Correction-Lighting/dp/B000B7A3AY/?tag=ihco-20
 
anhizer said:
If you want to change the color but minimize the effect of brightness there are light gels used in photography/video/theater that are intended for just this purpose (like Larryt did). Rosco makes some... I would consider using a CTO (color temperature orange) filter. This is what is used to change a camera flash (white/blue) to match incandescent (orange/yellow) http://www.amazon.com/Rosco-Cinegel-Roscosun-Correction-Lighting/dp/B000B7A3AY/?tag=ihco-20
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Awesome!

When larryt mentioned the term "color gels" a few posts back that really helped.... I wasn't familiar with that term, and it allowed me to jump on Amazon.com and look at a whole new selection of color filters, etc. and ways to manipulate the PFRAN kit and have it cast a more pleasing (to me) light.

What about "Neutral Density" filters? Those appear to be just a grey color...like traditional window tinting. Am I right that they would cut the light output but would not change the color temperature?

-G
 
You are correct- ND filters are essentially 'sunglasses' for lights. They should not change the color cast of the light but will reduce the output. They should sell various darkness levels to suit your needs. Rosco sells a sampler pack of gels so if you are SUPER anal about color you can tune it in exactly. You can also stack filters to get different effects (color correction + brightness correction). http://www.amazon.com/Rosco-Lux-Small-Swatchbook/dp/B0002ER2YG?tag=ihco-20 or
 
n55luvr said:
El Cid - the rear cargo lights is one of the big LED light panels (same as what was used in middle row ceiling light). You have to plug it into an adapter that then plugs into the normal small light bulb outlet.
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I 'think" I know which panel light you speak of, but let me confirm. it's the part where I'm trying to make it fit into that opening that is driving me nuts, so I can't say I comprehend your comment re the adapter.
 
Just echoing that one, I love the pack and two, they can be bright.
Depending on what you are doing what @anhizer and @larryt are suggesting is really the best. You can carry several different color gels and then based on the situation change them up. I like the brightness when I'm loading kids or dogs in at night or using the third row. But if you out in the back country you can use different colors to tone it down. One color for the front light and one for the back even. I run the red in the maps up front for that reason. Really becomes a pretty flexible solution that way.
 
I love my @pfran42 kit. The only thing I wish, and this has nothing to do with the light kit, is that the map lights over the front seats would come on when the front doors are open. With all the bells and whistles these trucks have, it blows my mind that there is not an option to switch them to 'on' when the doors open like there is for the other 2 sets of lights inside the vehicle.
 
Tireguy87 said:
The only thing I wish, and this has nothing to do with the light kit, is that the map lights over the front seats would come on when the front doors are open.
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I would imagine if you handy with headliners, you could wire the map lights to your front center light to work with your doors.
I can't see why that wouldn't work. :meh:
 
r2m said:
I would imagine if you handy with headliners, you could wire the map lights to your front center light to work with your doors.
I can't see why that wouldn't work. :meh:
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Front center light? All I have up front is the 2 map lights.
 
I like my stock interior lighting. It's plenty for me. Not sure if I like the idea of people seeing my every movement while inside.
 
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