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Dogberry Samba Member
Joined: January 03, 2008 Posts: 210 Location: Northern Thailand and Central Oregon
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Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 4:23 pm Post subject: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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I had a trailer harness already installed and knew going in there could be issues. There were and the trailer harness is deleted for now. The installation went fine till upon finishing I noted drivers side low beam was dim. Put a new ground to it and it was OK. Otherwise, I'm very impressed and especially that I have backups that work.
I do wonder about longevity but wasn't the whole point not to change bulbs so often? Curious if anyone has had LED bulb failures. _________________ 91 Westy |
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IdahoDoug Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010 Posts: 10239 Location: N. Idaho
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Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 6:18 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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What LED bulbs are you talking about here? No idea what's being asked or even what lights - dashboard? Low beams? Trailer harness implies tail lights?? Eh? _________________ 1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
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IdahoDoug Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010 Posts: 10239 Location: N. Idaho
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Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 6:37 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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Eh? _________________ 1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
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raoul mitgong Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2009 Posts: 1338 Location: Denver, CO
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Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 8:26 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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Where do I find these reverse lights with high and low beams? Sound sweet. _________________ 84 Westy with a 2.1 (Groover)
86 Tintop Syncro (Crow)
86 Tintop Syncro to Westy project (Tom Servo)
91 Westy (Only the top 12 inches of this van (a burn victim)) |
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elizer Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2016 Posts: 1450 Location: Northern Virginia
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 4:17 am Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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Gowesty sells an interior and exterior led bulb kit. but you can buy it from superbrightled or amazon. I used to like superbrightled they were really cheap and affordable, but it seems like they bumped up their prices 20-30% |
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shagginwagon83 Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016 Posts: 3786 Location: VA/TN
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 6:53 am Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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LED relay for Turn Signal
Turn Signal
Buy 2 pairs of brake lights
Reverse Lights
The seller of the LED lamps is from over seas, but shipping is quick (like 10 days). The reverse lights took like a month to get to me. But all is very cheap, and very bright!
If the ebay pages expire inspect the url and find new listing of the items. _________________ Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan |
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raoul mitgong Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2009 Posts: 1338 Location: Denver, CO
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 8:10 am Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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Thanks for the links Brandon. Those are inexpensive. I'll find out soon enough if they are cheap too.
-d _________________ 84 Westy with a 2.1 (Groover)
86 Tintop Syncro (Crow)
86 Tintop Syncro to Westy project (Tom Servo)
91 Westy (Only the top 12 inches of this van (a burn victim)) |
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Pcforno Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2014 Posts: 575 Location: Santa Fe, nm
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 9:06 am Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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I had the LED set from GW and on a whim decided to try a bulb from superbright LEDs. Way brighter, so I bought the whole set and replaced the GW bulbs. All the bulbs from superbright LEDs are brighter. I didn’t add up the cost, but I think it’s probably comparable. |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 6:03 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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Pcforno wrote: |
I had the LED set from GW and on a whim decided to try a bulb from superbright LEDs. Way brighter, so I bought the whole set and replaced the GW bulbs. All the bulbs from superbright LEDs are brighter. I didn’t add up the cost, but I think it’s probably comparable. |
does superbright package a kit or do you have to find them all? My dash lights are deadly dim. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
— dhaavers |
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Pcforno Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2014 Posts: 575 Location: Santa Fe, nm
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 6:09 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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No it’s pretty easy on their website - enter vanagon and year in their “vehicle finder” and it will take you through all the bulbs needed. Incidentally, their courtesy light LEDs are brighter than the GW and vancafe’s as well. |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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Pcforno wrote: |
No it’s pretty easy on their website - enter vanagon and year in their “vehicle finder” and it will take you through all the bulbs needed. Incidentally, their courtesy light LEDs are brighter than the GW and vancafe’s as well. |
I see that it's a lot better than last I looked. I think i need three bulbs? Not going out to check in this weather. And of course, looking at that stuff makes me want to explore footwell lighting… _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
— dhaavers |
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ThankYouJerry Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2012 Posts: 2271 Location: Shakedown Street
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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Paulbeard wrote: |
... And of course, looking at that stuff makes me want to explore footwell lighting… |
These are GREAT:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1695181 _________________ 1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD |
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oldskewlsk8ter Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004 Posts: 347 Location: Texas
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Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 10:40 am Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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If you're planning on doing any other LED strip lighting just buy a cheap roll off Amazon. The sticky backing on most of the stuff I've bought is crap no matter where it comes from, and I wound up siliconing it in place. _________________ 1986 Hightop w/EJ25 DOHC & 4EAT auto
1965 Kombi project |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 5:07 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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oldskewlsk8ter wrote: |
If you're planning on doing any other LED strip lighting just buy a cheap roll off Amazon. The sticky backing on most of the stuff I've bought is crap no matter where it comes from, and I wound up siliconing it in place. |
Meh. I'm done with cheap stuff off Amazon. Plus if this guy has gone to the trouble of making a kit, I like to support that kind of thing. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
— dhaavers |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2604 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2017 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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I guess I'm just lucky but my new LEDs arrived today and I thought it would be nice to install them. An easy job with a nice payoff.
Walked away with the old bulbs in two of the sockets and burnt foil running to the right hand pod over the tach. A perfect ending to this particular work day.
None of them worked. Even the center one that is easily visible. Maybe the pins don't press down hard enough against the foil. They seemed to seat OK but didn't revolve far enough to contact the exposed parts of the foil. SuperBrightLEDS replied to my request for an return thusly:
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A cross reference number from your stock bulbs, our bulb finder states its not 100% and to check the stock bulbs to determine the bulbs types. |
Trouble is, you can't know if they fit until you fit them. And if the next thing you see is smoke, that's it. You're out more than the cost of a bulb. So caveat emptor and maybe check the alignment before you apply power. Not sure how one of these could short in that way. One of the damn things fell behind the console so I'll have to find it at some point. _________________ Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs
— dhaavers |
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Dogberry Samba Member
Joined: January 03, 2008 Posts: 210 Location: Northern Thailand and Central Oregon
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 5:47 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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My original post was a bit obtuse and I apologize for that. I've been really busy and only now have I found the time to clarify. I installed the GW LED kit. The OEM headlights were not touched but I do have a high power relay kit installed for them. The driver's side headlight was dimmed out after the LEDs went in. The problem of the LEDs not returning a ground path somewhere. I simply installed a separate ground wire on that headlight and it works fine.
And I did go ahead and get turn signal and brake light spares... cheap insurance.
However, after posting that message and just prior to returning to Thailand (the van is in storage again) I noticed what I'd call a ghost flash. If the R turn signal is on the left signal fainty flashes and vice versa. It's un-noticeable in daylight. There is a lot of chatter about this phenomenon on the internet and it seems it's a fairly common issue. I'll tackle that one next time I get back to the states. For now, I'm thinking that running separate grounds on all my exterior lights might solve the problem. _________________ 91 Westy
Last edited by Dogberry on Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Dogberry Samba Member
Joined: January 03, 2008 Posts: 210 Location: Northern Thailand and Central Oregon
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:07 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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shagginwagon83, thanks for the links Sir, made it easy and affordable to get spares... _________________ 91 Westy |
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jwallis Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2012 Posts: 557 Location: Austin
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Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:04 pm Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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shagginwagon83 wrote: |
...
If the ebay pages expire inspect the url and find new listing of the items. |
Thanks man. The bulb seller's name is
3c-made-in-china
https://www.ebay.com/usr/3c-made-in-china
and I don't think they're going anywhere soon. Relay seller is
dt-autotech
https://www.ebay.com/usr/dt-autotech
Has anyone else tried these lights? I'm about to pull the trigger on a few. Specifically, better reverse lights would be great. _________________ TheVanTracker.com - Kill Switch + GPS Tracker + Door-open alerts, made specifically for the Vanagon!
50+ YouTube videos - brakes, bearings, CV joints, 1.9/2.1 cooling system, mods, Bostig and more... |
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jwallis Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2012 Posts: 557 Location: Austin
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 12:42 am Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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Is there any harm in NOT installing the relay? I prefer a faster blink and don't want to jack with the relay panel. _________________ TheVanTracker.com - Kill Switch + GPS Tracker + Door-open alerts, made specifically for the Vanagon!
50+ YouTube videos - brakes, bearings, CV joints, 1.9/2.1 cooling system, mods, Bostig and more... |
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jwallis Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2012 Posts: 557 Location: Austin
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 9:17 am Post subject: Re: LED bulb kit, install issues, one month impression. |
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It's not a bad idea to get a couple extra. All the ones I got work, but a couple have a chunk of something rattling around inside them. Also they took about a month to get here. _________________ TheVanTracker.com - Kill Switch + GPS Tracker + Door-open alerts, made specifically for the Vanagon!
50+ YouTube videos - brakes, bearings, CV joints, 1.9/2.1 cooling system, mods, Bostig and more... |
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