6G Celicas Forums

Yeah, My LEDs do that too, not just in the 1 place but everywhere eventually. The only thing I can attribute it to is fluctuations of power, not sure if there is any coincidence but bulbs burnt out less frequently with a 1 farad capacitor installed

Post some pics of your gauge cluster.

You probably don't have any problems because you are using normal universal led's, where as everyone here is trying to use plug and play ones that have been fitted into automotive bulb casings for plug and play use.

That could be true. To be fair though, they've only been in for under a day now, in use for only maybe an hour or so in total, so they may burn out later. However, I have strong doubts that they will.

Thing is, the plug-and-play ones are essentially the same thing, possibly a cheaper quality (though mine are pretty cheap as well) but still standard LEDs in a pre-made cluster.

Anyhow, pics will come soon.

Led's dont last long in a car because of the simple fact that a car doesn't produce steady voltage.. in order to prolong the life of an LED u need the right resistance so it stays at a constant flow.... but a car will fuxuate between about 11.8 and 13.2 volts so unless you can create a superhuman resister ur stumped.

In reference, when you use bulbs, they are usualy rated at 13 or 15 volts max capacity, the filliment within the bulb is able to handle unsteady current the same way the bulbs in your house do. (incase you didn't no most countries dont have 110volt power, its more like 95-115volts

my suggestion to you is use sevral small LED's in parallel

hope that helps

Yep you are correct. Thats the reason for them blowing out. Even without the dimmer, the voltage can drops every time your fans kick on or when you press your brakes.

The real solution to providing a steady voltage would be to use a capacitor.

^^^ Sounds like you guys are talking about a mess I don't want to get into. I had no idea tiny fluctuations in power like turning your headlights on or something small like that that can dim your gauges would burn my lights out. Guess I better order quite a few more bulbs then, instead of just a couple.



Taken from the "GT-Four by Vinchix" thread, but that's exactly what I was referring to in my last post when I said some guy got crazy with his gauges. I tried finding that thread again, but with no luck. I won't be doing anything like that for a long time, but you guys think doing that would make the LED's last longer?

Maybe you're fortunate in having a good alternator? Mine does that exact thing. Interior lights dim if I turn the headlights on, if I brake hard everything dims as well.

Pics of my dash and CC unit, as well as head unit. It's a bit brighter in person, everything is clearly visible. It looks as if an LED isn't lighting up in my dash, I'll look at it at some point. However everything is brighter than before, and looks much better IMO. Some of the colors may be slightly skewed, but all of the lights are white, needles are red, and select lights on the CC unit/head unit are red (obvious).










Rear Defroster button:



Don't mind the ridiculous resistor cluster. It's a set of several resistors in parallel to give me 480ohms to lower the 12v source to light the single LED. I didn't have anything near 480ohms for resistors, so I just went with what I had

CC Unit:






While I'm at it... poor-man's AUX-In port!



The connecting wire from the CD Deck to the center-console trim:

Nice job. Hope they will hold up in the long run.

A few months ago I installed 12led 194 bulbs for my rear plate holder. Just last night I went to inspect them closer and noticed that 4 leds on one of the bulbs have burned out already! I'm starting to wonder of all cars having this issue or if its just us with our weak alternators that produce such wide variations in voltage.

^^ I just had my alternator rebuilt a year ago next month, and the guy who rebuilt it was shocked when he tested it. He claimed it put out more power than most other alternators he has tested. I think he lied...

It depends on how many amps it is. Normally your car should put out 14v with the headlights on, but if the amps are too small that voltage is going to dip down when you press your brakes, or your fans kick on or you roll up your windows. Then you will see a dip in the voltage that could cause issues with the leds.

I definitely have that issue. I just discovered yesterday that I had a spare LED sitting around, so I've got my gauge cluster illuminated for now. Let's see how long this one lasts before I actually have to break down and buy new lights.

You interior is looking good, solidxsnake.

WHAT!?!?!?!?!16$ for 50 4000mcd LEDs!?!?!?!!?!?! thats madness!!!, I get american's Best quality LEDs 50 of 13000-23000 MCDs for about the same price!, I'm going to redo my cluster again and remake Lexus RX's 450h LED dimming panel blue lights, and when I take my old LEDs out, Ill make a DYI on how to make those custom bulbs , that way you wont have that LEDs burning out problems, and without having to make anything too complex like custom circuit boards or having to add capps , well I dont need capps because my battery is new, the old one almost screwed up my starter, but luckily I have a Celica, not a honda or an chevrolet lol, thats why my starter still good

I dont recomend having the resistors being toguether like that, they can over heat!, try to separate them a little, so that they could work a little cooler and last longer


dude, I roll my windows up, close the sun roof, while stepping on the brake and the car with the fans on and the ac on low and I do that just about everytime I get out of my car around 3-4 times a day At least! and I have LEDs allover my car and not even a single one has gone bad, exept for the gas one which is on all the time ever since I did the LED combersion bulbs, besides that I used to have a bad battery just like 2-3 months ago, and now I have a new one and everything works 100% and no LEDs burnt, so it cant be the voltage unless is too high instead of low, because when you step on the gas the voltage goes up about 1/2 of a volt, maybe the guy who rebuilt the alternator was right, its too strong for the LEDs, just to test you could try changing the resistor and put stronger ones with higher ohms, they LEDs will glow less, but they might not burn out on you as quick as the other ones. good luck
-Adan

This post has been edited by SinisterSinner: Dec 6, 2009 - 12:23 AM

There is no way a single 20mA LED is going to pull enough current to heat up 5 1/4W resistors

Ironically enough, I noticed today the red/blue LEDs I had lighting the thermostat temp knob aren't lighting. I gotta pull apart my CC unit and check if they burned out. It's quite possible one or both of the red ones burned out, they were rated to 2.3-2.5v I believe, which means putting them in series with two blue LEDs would lead to a slight overvoltage.

^^ December 5th: I found a spare LED, replaced the bad one, had all my gauge lights working. Two nights ago, I notice a slight flicker in the LED behind the fuel/temp gauge again. Just a light flicker, nothing like it was doing before. Last night, it dies altogether. Looks like it's time for new LED's... again.

sounds like you are over powering your LED. You need to buy brighter leds and run them at a lower volt.

Remember when doing the resistor calculator to set your supply voltage to 14 volts instead of 12. When the engine is running you should be around 13.5 volts, it is safer to run a LED under the required voltage then to over volt them.

Here is your solution. Add this inline to your altenator.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Porsche-356C-Bosch-Volt...=item56389e012f

My LEDs that I put in above have been burning out. Pulled out the cluster and put some more in.

I should have remembered that the source isn't a straight 12v =_= It's fine for now but flickering and probably on its way out again later. The regulation on my car is garbage anyhow, have to re-wire the grounds and probably some others. If I brake, all the lights in the car (dash, headlights, dome light, etc) dim, hit the gas and all the lights get brighter. Windows roll faster with the gas hit as well.