LEDs in my SA
 

I've taken the LED plunge and have converted almost all my lights to LED. I'll get
to the almost part later. I first did the console lights, front side markers and the
dome light. The lights I used for the console and front markers were 194 LEDs
in a cool white. For the price you can't beat em. Seems 194s are a fairly standard
light used in a lot of vehicles and, important for LEDs can be mounted 2 ways
in case the LED polarity doesn't see positive/negative on the correct leads.
Apparently these cheap LEDs only allow installation with one polarity.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1100_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The front side markers were easy to install and worked after turning them to get
the right polarity. Pics coming in the next post. They are much brighter and seem
to work well in the OEM reflectors. The console I replaced the 4 main illuminatoin
bulbs for the backlighting. I didn't think the blinker/warning lights needed the
extra brightness. I used 6 out of 10 in the package, so I have spares.

The dome light is a regular festoon light which fell apart when I removed it from
the dome. The LED fit right in and was plenty bright.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....AL._SX425_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The SA doesn't have rear side markers like FBs and no hatch light either. Interior
lights done and I like em. The dimmer for the console still works but in a smaller
range because I assume the LED don't come on until a minimal voltage is
reached.

Next I moved to the external lights. I needed 2 1157 brake lights and 4 1156 white lights for the rear lighting. I still haven't dealt with the license plate lights,
that will be a later project. I bought 2 red 1157 bulbs and pack of 1156. The
1156 were polarity sensitive but work fine in the baclup light. The amber rear
trun signals didn't do as well with the white LEDS, I may get some amber 1156
bulbs to see how that goes. I also bought a pack of white 1157s for the front
turn signal/running lights.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....KL._SX425_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1100_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These 1157s I returned because they had a polarity issue which is impossible to
deal with on an 1157 bulb. So I could do the front running/turn signals yet. I may
by some 1157 amber and 1156v ambers to see how they work with the amber
front lens and rear amber turn signal.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1100_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought the wrong electronic flasher for LEDs. Mine is a 3 prong and for some
reason I got a 2 prong. So the signals blink about 2x their normal speed, just like
having light out. Because its an SA, no other unwanted console lights about brakes or turn signals.

Pics coming up next of the markers and rear lights.

Heres the pics of the side markers, the first is OEM and the second is LED. Excuse
the photo quality as I was just using my phone, but I think you get the point.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mS...800-rw-no?.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EF...800-rw-no?.jpg

These are the photos of LEDs in the drivers side rears only. Backup light is
amazingly bright.

Lights on:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7i...800-rw-no?.jpg

Backup lights on:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Cd...800-rw-no?.jpg

And brake lights on:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xC...800-rw-no?.jpg

Very cool. I am considering this for the Cosmo too.

Total cost involved?

Discounting the returned 1157 I have $75 into it now. I need to get some amber 1157 and 1156 to try out and a correct flasher. I'd say $100.00 is about the budget.

The big thing about this is it takes a huge load off the old OEM switches which
end up being in the path for all the lights. For your cosmo you should think about
adding relays on your fuel pump, efan (if you have one), headlights, and ignition.
It will make a huge improvement in the performance of all those things and
save your ignition and headlight switches from an early death.

I swapped the LEDs in my FD several years ago and I used a lot of 194. I got them from Super Bright LEDs and IIRC they would only light up if installed one way as well.

^Very true, current draw of the LEDs compared to the stock filament bulbs is much less, so all of your old stock switches, relays (if any) & wiring components in the circuit path get a break. Should be a big reliability improvement there, plus the LEDs themselves typically last longer than the bulbs they replace.

Looks good Tim, I'll have to try this on my FC!

BTW, can the rest of you guys see the pictures Tim apparently posted in post #2? I can see the pics he posted in #1; trying to figure out if this is a browser issue (using Firefox, haven't tried IE or Chrome yet).

I couldn't see it at work with Firefox but can see with my phone using Chrome.

I can't see them on either my desktop or my laptop, I can only see the ones in the first post.

For anyone having issues with the pics, heres a link to the google album containing them.

Thank google for this advanced imaging service.

https://goo.gl/photos/bnzHVAfj9X2DbsLTA

I need to do this for both the SA and the FC. So for the SA the breakdown is pretty much:

Interior:
194's for everything except the dome light (10+ white for everthing)
Festoon for the dome light (1 white)

Exterior:
Front side markers are 194's (2x white or amber)
Brake lights are 1157's (2x red)
Rear turn signals and reverse lights are 1156's (2x white and 2x amber)
Front turn signals/running lights are listed as 1157 but may not work due to polarity (2x amber)

Did I get that right? SuperBrightLEDs.com suggests 1157's for the front and rear turn signals, but they also include lights for rear side markers so who knows if their information is accurate. Either way, I probably won't be replacing the turn signals since the required resistor or electronic flasher loads up the circuit just as much as a regular incandescent bulb, which defeats the purpose of the LEDs, in my opinion.

Yeah you got it right. SuperBright is way, way over priced. I'd rather take my chances with
the chinese knockoffs being sold on amazon. As it is I now have enough extras to start
doing my F150 as well.

For the console, I only replaced the 4 main backlight bulbs controlled by the dimmer.