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LED Exterior Lights

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Old 08-25-2015 | 01:23 PM
  #1  
totaljustice's Avatar
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From: Middle Sackvegas, Nova Scotia
LED Exterior Lights

Does anyone have any experience with any issues around LED light bulbs? Specifically the license plate lights. I'm on my third set now and keep having the same problem. When first installed they look great for a few days and then one side will start flickering on and off for a while, then it goes out altogether and then the other side starts doing the same thing until it goes out. I thought it was the car's wiring but when I put the stock bulbs back in they work fine and when I connect the LEDs to another power source they work fine too. I pulled the fixtures out and they appeared to be a little dirty so I cleaned them up and the LED's worked for another two days before going through the same nonsense. I'm back to running with the stock bulbs but if you have the LEDs you know how much they improve the appearance of the rear end so I'm really hoping that someone out there had the same issue and knows of an easy fix for this without breaking the bank. If not I guess I'll just have to be satisifed with the stock bulbs. Thanks.
Old 11-11-2015 | 09:07 AM
  #2  
kechke's Avatar
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Welland
Originally Posted by totaljustice
Does anyone have any experience with any issues around LED light bulbs? Specifically the license plate lights. I'm on my third set now and keep having the same problem. When first installed they look great for a few days and then one side will start flickering on and off for a while, then it goes out altogether and then the other side starts doing the same thing until it goes out. I thought it was the car's wiring but when I put the stock bulbs back in they work fine and when I connect the LEDs to another power source they work fine too. I pulled the fixtures out and they appeared to be a little dirty so I cleaned them up and the LED's worked for another two days before going through the same nonsense. I'm back to running with the stock bulbs but if you have the LEDs you know how much they improve the appearance of the rear end so I'm really hoping that someone out there had the same issue and knows of an easy fix for this without breaking the bank. If not I guess I'll just have to be satisifed with the stock bulbs. Thanks.
Try a different brand of the LED or it may be a bad ground. LED's are more sensitive to proper grounding than regular bulbs.

Other than the headlamps and a couple of other places all the interior and exterior lighting in my 68 is LED and I have had no issues with them.
I have to add that all of the o/e wiring has been replaced with an American Autowire kit so my grounds are all 100% sound.
Old 11-12-2015 | 01:58 PM
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totaljustice's Avatar
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From: Middle Sackvegas, Nova Scotia
Oh I found the problem. I had bought four different patterns of Kung Pow LED's off Ebay. I thought that they would be fine even though they only cost around $3.00 a pair including shipping but they all failed soon after they were installed. The last pair I bought were a whopping $5.00 a pair and looked more robust and they went too. So I guess you get what you pay for and I went and got a Philips set from Canadian Tire at 12 something each and they work great and I have no issues with the new ones. So the lesson learned is stay away from cheap LED lights off Ebay. Thanks for the advice though.
Old 11-12-2015 | 04:33 PM
  #4  
Ray Spencer's Avatar
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Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Sherwood Park, Alberta
Originally Posted by totaljustice
Oh I found the problem. I had bought four different patterns of Kung Pow LED's off Ebay. I thought that they would be fine even though they only cost around $3.00 a pair including shipping but they all failed soon after they were installed. The last pair I bought were a whopping $5.00 a pair and looked more robust and they went too. So I guess you get what you pay for and I went and got a Philips set from Canadian Tire at 12 something each and they work great and I have no issues with the new ones. So the lesson learned is stay away from cheap LED lights off Ebay. Thanks for the advice though.
A few of us have learnt the Ebay lesson.
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