autobotguy

Well I went ahead and got a set of side-emitting white LED bulbs from superbrightleds.com on Monday and they arrived today. I was planning on installing these in my front marker lights and to replace the very dim lights in my instrument cluster. When I installed an LED bulb in one of the front market lights, I was deeply disappointed. They are not very bright and they are not white, but a very light blue. The standard Sylvania 194 bulb is about 5x as bright as the LED bulb. Not one to be beaten easily, I jumped on ebay and ordered up 3 pair of a new style of LED 194 bulbs. This newer type uses one wide angle super-flux white LED firing straight out and four 3mm wide angle LEDs underneith the super-flux LED, but firing sideways.

Here is a link to the superbrightleds.com 194 LEDs...
http://www.superbrightleds.com/mini-wedge.html

Here is a link to the new 5-LED 194 bulbs from ebay...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...BSAA%3AUS%3A31

When these new LEDs arrive, I'll post up some picks for comparison. I'm hoping that these newer LED bulbs are as bright as the seller claims as I don't want to be disappointed again.

Tom

Just so you know, you're not the only one who went through this as I ordered the same LED from superbrightleds.com. Only difference was that I put the LEDs in the instrument cluster. It was very dim :-(

I installed Superwhite 168 bulbs in the dash and have been happy since.

Mr. Blue Sky

iTrader: (1)

so whats the word?? was trying to find out which is the best one before I switch some of my 194 lights to LED

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

did you put them in out door lights? i want to see those and tell me how bright those are please

autobotguy

I am still waiting for the new LEDs to arrive. They should be here tommorow.
I tossed the single LED bulbs in the front marker lights just for the hell of it until the new ones arrived. Here is a pic of those LEDs installed.

The picture makes them MUCH brighter than they really are.

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

ahhhh those look kool, the ebay link are the EXACT ones you bought? or do you have to choose, LED's really confuse me... (sad i know)

autobotguy

Actually, the LED 194 bulbs in that picture are the single LED bulbs from superbrightleds.com. As I stated, they are actually much dimmer than the picture shows.

autobotguy

Well I received the new 5-LED 194 bulbs today and they appear to be well constructed. Here is a picture of the new bulbs compaired to the side-emitting LED bulb and a standard Sylvania Long-Life bulb.


I will get some pictures tonight as pictures taken durring the day don't mean diddly-squat.

BTW, I also got my FSTB today.

autobotguy

Well as promised, here are some pictures of the new 5-LED 194 bulbs installed. I'm very please at how these turned out and can't wait to rip apart my dash to install these in my instrument cluster.

Single LED Side-Emitting 194 bulb...


5-LED 194 bulb...


Close up of single LED side-emitting 194 bulb...


Close up of 5-LED 194 bulb...


Oh....and here is my new FSTB installed in my filthy engine bay...

michaelvanle

The refractor LEDs are the best. You can use those in your cluster too.

rmdl51

iTrader: (4)

Hi! I was wondering, how do you install the FSTB? is it complicated or need some special measure or something?, I've seen those and looks pretty easy to install, and since i'm getting new shocks soon I'm thinking on getting the FSTB, but never installed one or even try to do it, it looks like you only need to fasten 3 nuts on each side, is that it? or am I missing something.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

that's all there is to it.

autobotguy

I have placed 4 of those refractor led bulbs in the dash and they are ok I guess. They are as bright as a normal bulb, but not really white when installed in the dash and I do end out with a really dim spot on the bottom of the tachometer and speedometer.

Phil over at Oznium.com is building me a set of 4-chip superflux leds mated to 194 housings. The 4-chip superflux he sells are just insanly bright and have about a 90 degree projection angle.

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

How much did the custom 4-chip superflux LEDs in 194 housings cost, and how did they work out? Photos? Thanks.

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

i got all my 194 LED bulbs on ebay. I can give you the name of the guy i bought them from i like them). IMO they are really bright and white

i will post pics tomorrow for ya (wont have a comp the rest of the night)

i bought the 5-LED 194 bulbs

for my side marker lights and courtesy lights i just need to change the overhead bulb... still oem yellowish color :slant

mrkanda

iTrader: (3)

Ya got pics on those yet?

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

i have crappy pics but i can get better night time pics

i turned off my headlamp so you can see how much they actually emitted
i will get better pics


inside pics
they all have "super white" 5 LED 194 bulbs






outside pics
the 1157 bulb is a 2 layered 32 LED bulb
and the "super white" 5 LED 194 bulb
*inside a smoked clear corner lens








got them all off of Ebay

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

dude our cars have lights on the rear doors? man you're gonna make me go out and check right now.

Anyway I got the side emitting LEDs as you call em or single wedge as SBLEDs.com calls them in my instrument cluster and they are the best IMO, no cold spots, as for the 5 LED, they cause a more cold spots and I know from experience. I had 1 LED go out on me already and thats why I know the 5led causes cold spots cuz its what replaced it.

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

... i dont want to take my whole dash off... but i do want to change my lights underneath the guages

yeah i understand why the 5 LED bulbs have cold spots

and i was gonna go with those "single wedge" bulbs for the instrument cluster

Gunther

Do they have the blue-ish look like they do in the picture, or are they more white?
And if you put LED's in your dash, can you still dim them?

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

they are white

its the camera i promise

and i think you can still dim them

Gunther

Alright thanks, probably gonna order some up then when it gets a bit warmer. Way to cold to do any work on a car. I'll probably leave my gauges, I like how they look the way they are.

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

I second that: the 5-LED 194 bulbs I've used are pretty pathetic. They have those 4 outward aiming LEDs but they are very weak and don't spread light well at all.

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

where did you get them from?...

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Dont matter they all suck so do 3rd gens have light on rear doors? I never looked and I was just driving my car 10 min ago but forgot to check again

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

lol yeah man, on all of the doors

i think they are called courtesy lights IIRC

ColombianMax

iTrader: (7)

Yea they're called courtesy lights..I just finally checked to see if they were back there and they were. I hardly spend time in my back seats so I really wouldn't know, you know?

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

you have a GF and dont spend time in the back seats?


just kiddin dude.... leather sucks for 2 sweaty people anyways GIGIDY GIGIDY!

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

I got them from Superbrightleds.com, but they look identical to one you posted a photo of above.

LOL @ Quagmire.