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L.e.d Sidelights

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anyone had to change there leds after they start flickering then go out on the front leds? all other bulbs i use are fine yet these leds are junk they are error free ones but useless what do others use and any issues with them



anyone had to change there leds after they start flickering then go out on the front leds? all other bulbs i use are fine yet these leds are junk they are error free ones but useless what do others use and any issues with them

i purchased a set of error free and had them in the rear reg lights, missus was driving one night and i got out to fill the car with diesel, and noticed one of them flickering like a strobe lol

i replaced them with a set from this seller, and theur fine but then the car has been off the road for the past six months so thy havent had as much use as the older set.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-LED-Side-Light-Bulb-W5W-T10-501-canbus-resistor-Xenon-/130508812663?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1e62ee7177

I got mine from www.ultraled.com great site they sell leds for everything.

  • Author

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390326648590&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

i got these and so far thay have been used for 20 mis on 3 trips so 1 hour total and the drivers one started flickering then the 4 front leds packed in they offered a replacement but not realy the point they should last far longer than that from others ive spoke to it seems a very common issue with these types of bulbs

  • Author

having had a look on google it seems its extremely common to the point most people dont buy them anymore.

ive narrowed it down to the fact most leds are not designed to take any heat ie from the headlights this heat burns out or shorts the resistore that make them work on the canbus causing flicker i found ceramic leds but they are not error free the error free ones have no protection around the circuit so they will inevitably burn out.

so im going back to my ultra xenon sidelight wedge bulbs if anyones interested this is the link

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ULTRA-AUTO-XENON-DIAMOND-EXTREME-WHITE-501-W5W-SIDE-LIGHT-BULB-BULBS-PAIR-/110777760358?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3AFord%7CModel%3AFocus&hash=item19cade7a66

anyone had to change there leds after they start flickering then go out on the front leds? all other bulbs i use are fine yet these leds are junk they are error free ones but useless what do others use and any issues with them

I thought it was just mine ? I have used 3 different types and all flicker after about 2 wks ? I have gone back to standard.

  • Author

Nah i did a lot of research and found that error free leds are made using composite plastics and various other materials these materials and the led itself burn out due tmmm the heat mainly the resistor for the canbus.

For the led to resist the heat from the headlight needs to be ceramic and consist nmf a single large led protected by a ceramic layerhowever these are not that common and i havent found any that are error free. Now you know why they only come with a 7day exchange policy doesnt matter if its a merc forum or bmw most have stopped wasting the money

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T10-2825-W5W-168-194-LED-Bulbs-Error-Free-Adapters-Kit-/140574816367?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20bae9786f

those listed above,

would allow regular led's w5w to be used as the canbus resistor section would be seperate to the led bulb, but om not 100% sure if the bulb socket would fit our locations on the focus.

but it would be possible to splice the box in to the existing loom.

  • Author

To be honest ive gone back to non leds the adaptor may fit but the issue is heat given the price of leds and the frequency they fail il stick to my xenons that just last

  • 3 weeks later...

You need a good set of error free canbus LED's, otherwise you'll experience the problems you've all described.

Sean.

  • Author

£30 a set from a top manufacturer was good quality (1st set i bought) and they still do it, as do the ones on the bmw forums porsche forums vw forums etc etc the problem isnt the quality its the fact the leds cannot take the heat from the headlamps. all the forums are complaining that they dont last and considering the returns is 7 days it means you buy them, you use at night for the first time 9 days later, 2 days after that they go (if youre lucky to get 2 days) the company wont accept them as a return as its over the 7 days so youre £30 out of pocket.

the company wanted me to send them back so they can be tested and new ones sent out which is pointless as ill have to put other sidelights in while i wait to get replacement leds that from the heat of the headlamp will just go again anyway as the replacement first set did they advised to fit led headlight bulbs which i tried and the light output was shocking for headlights.

my diamond white 5w wedge bulbs are £2.00 and have lasted 7 months

do they need to be error free?? cant remember if mine are but i have had them for about 10 months without any problems (touch wood) and i mainly use my car at night so they get alot of use!!

I bought mine off www.ultraleds.co.UK for my mk5 astra there the mini tower 9 led canbus wedge £4.00 each ,they were in my astra for over a year and there now in my mk2.5 focus with no problems really bright xenon light and e marked so no worries with the mot, have a look there's loads on there.

  • Author

After wasting 40 quid on leds like the majority of people i wont be going back to them the diamond extreme wedge bulbs are as bright cost a few quid and last.

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