Patrick - LED Taillight problems

Horseracejudge · #1 (**permalink**) 10-23-2014, 06:22 PM

Patrickt, Had the same problem with my 1157 LED bulbs. I think the pins on the base are reversed. If I put the bulb in my Parking Light, Turn Signal, in front and pushed it in and held it in the wrong way (it didn't lock) it worked correctly. Something is wrong with the bulbs. Nick

patrickt · #2 (**permalink**) 10-23-2014, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horseracejudge

Patrickt, Had the same problem with my 1157 LED bulbs. I think the pins on the base are reversed. If I put the bulb in my Parking Light, Turn Signal, in front and pushed it in and held it in the wrong way (it didn't lock) it worked correctly. Something is wrong with the bulbs. Nick

OK, that's good to know. And that's a good test up front as well.

DanEC · #3 (**permalink**) 10-23-2014, 06:57 PM

The 1156 was a false lead - looking at enlargements on their website both the 1156 and 1157 bulbs have the same print on the top of the light. I think the LED unit is the same on both. But the pins on a 1156 are at the same distance from the bottom of the base instead of unequal like an 1157.

Horseracejudge - that sounds like exactly my experience. I'll see what Superbrightled's has to say about it tomorrow.

Bummer - they are a lot brighter. I would like to get them to work.

patrickt · #4 (**permalink**) 10-23-2014, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanEC

Bummer - they are a lot brighter. I would like to get them to work.

You'll get it to work. Remember, nothing on these cars is easy... even changing a light bulb.

DanEC · #5 (**permalink**) 10-24-2014, 05:11 AM

I took one of the bulbs last night and tested it with my battery charger. They work fine - they are dual intensity and light up from either contact, one being much brighter than the other. I know my taillights and wiring are good so it apparently has to be some sort of issue between the socket and the bulb. I'm going to remove a tail light so I can examine the socket better and see if I can figure out what the incompatibiity is.

patrickt · #6 (**permalink**) 10-24-2014, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanEC

I'm going to remove a tail light so I can examine the socket better and see if I can figure out what the incompatibiity is.

Excellent. You are well on your way now to earning your EE degree, from ClubCobra University, of course.

DanEC · #7 (**permalink**) 10-24-2014, 08:00 AM

Everything checks out. Bulbs light up in the light fixture using my battery charger. I reinstalled in my car and with my test light I show power at the connection but the bulb doesn't light. I checked polarity with a standard 1157 and they are the same. Only thought is that voltage off of battery is not sufficient to energize the LEDs on the tail light circuit - so next I'm going to wheel the car out and start it up and see if running voltage will light the tail light circuit.

If that doesn't work then I'll call superbightled since they haven't answered my email yet.

Edit - when I said polarity that was a misnomer. What I checked was orientation of the two illumination circuits and compared to a standard 1157 bulb.