Spadge Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 I have started to change my interior lights for Leds. I merely changed the 12v 4w bulbs in the reading lights above our bed and bingo much better lighting. However when I changed the bulbs over the dash which are in exactly the same type of fitting the Leds do not work !! The original bulbs still work but not the Leds. Obviously a reason for that so could someone enlighten me as to what I am missing ?? Many thanks in anticipation. (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wints Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Spadge - 2013-12-28 8:29 PM I have started to change my interior lights for Leds. I merely changed the 12v 4w bulbs in the reading lights above our bed and bingo much better lighting. However when I changed the bulbs over the dash which are in exactly the same type of fitting the Leds do not work !! The original bulbs still work but not the Leds. Obviously a reason for that so could someone enlighten me as to what I am missing ?? Many thanks in anticipation. (?) Same happened to me. I just snipped the wires in the fittings that apparantly weren't working and then reconnected them to the opposite wire. Bingo! This only happened on the 'car bulb' type leds, the flat disc shaped leds, which need to point down, all worked great. regards Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Yes, LED's are polarity sensitive whereas 'ordinary' bulbs are not. As Allen has said if they do not work then simply reverse the wiring to the light fitting (that is if you cannot put the LED in the 'other way round'). Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wints Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 1footinthegrave - 2013-12-29 3:59 AM Worth noting also is many of these 12 volt LEDs will fail early unless they are "voltage safe" for use in vehicles, many that are on the market are not, and that is not always made clear before purchase, and should only be connected via a driver/transformer so are completely unsuitable if used as a direct replacement, individual smds will start to twinkle before packing up altogether. This LED /SMD subject can be quite illuminating, ;-) I've replaced around 20 original habitation lights with leds in my last 2 vans, and over a period of 3 years havn't had a single failure. All the leds were sourced from ebay chinese outlets, at approx 99p each. I doubt if any of these had the driver / transformer eletrickery extras. regards Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Thats what they tell us Victor, I know. But I have only got the very cheap basic LED flexible strips from Hong Kong (ebay about £2.50 inc postage!), and have often forgotten they are on and driven the van giving them 14.4 volts charging voltage but only one out of 12 strips has blown LEDs - and I am still using it because you can just literally cut the end off with the failed LEDs in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spadge Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 Thanks for all the info posted, Wints advice worked for me too. Appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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