How to improve your interior light - quick rainy day job :-)

[mikeonb4c]

I actually did this job many years ago in order to improve the light being harvested into the cab from my LED bulbs. It made a very useful difference. I've just reverted to the original filament bulbs and decided to redo the reflectors and take a pic. A simple job you can do indoors with a cup of tea, since the light unit can be unplugged and removed from the car. It helps to have a sharp modelling knife for making the circular cut-outs in the foil and in the double sided tape I used as a patch surrounding the bulb holders and that I pressed the reflectors down on to. Three tips:

1) Curve the overlapping ends of alternate 'leaves' before pressing into place to ensure they slide over the adjacent leaf rather than buckle the foil.

2) Press the reflector into shape in the recess before removing it, putting the double sided adhesive patch in place, and finally fixing the reflector in place

3) With the double sided tape, stick a suitably sized square onto a glass surface or similar. Use the sharp modelling knife to make a circular cutout. Then lift an edge of the backing paper and fold it back so that you can easily grab it with tweezers after you've put it in place (and tamped it down, especially in the exposed corner, using the pointed end of the knife blade, as it may otherwise lift and get stuck to itself when you pull off the backing paper).

Job done, light now being reflected into cab rather than absorbed by black surface. Only possible caveat (with filament bulbs) is more heat reflected back at bulb, but I doubt its anything of consequent. Certainly I had LEDs in place for years with no trouble, though they run cooler.

You can get lensed LEDs but I don't know how effective they are. These ones are not cheap either (though others may be)!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-WHITE-6-LE ... 1823774083

I notice you can get 10w filament bulbs (standard is 5w). Anyone tried them? Increased risk of overheating maybe?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-2X-T13-12 ... 1e9e35c903

Click on thumbnail to see work in progress

[mikeonb4c]

Just dropped into Halfords to look at interior light bulbs (gripping stuff!). Loads of different LEDs and no idea which might give warm+strong light. They seemed to have Xenon bulbs with what looked like the right fitting but that had an illustration of use as kerb lights and that were 'only suitable for off road use'. What are they for then - presume they're hugely more powerful than bulbs used for internal front cab lights?

[wonkanoby]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T10-BA9S-194- ... SwBahVeVcA


stick them in it

[mikeonb4c]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T10-BA9S-194- ... SwBahVeVcA


stick them in it

Neat product at amazing price I had LEDs in for a while but missed the warmth of the filament light and, more importantly, got fed up with the flickering when an LED failed and the dim glow they gave out when everything was off (all discussed on here - it seems LEDs can excite even with v low current flow).

At that price though its gotta be worth a try!

[Jimbobvfr400]

They were quite expensive at just over a tenner for a pair but I found some warm white LEDs from Osram. They are still a little whiter than the frankly rubbish filaments but much than the really white LEDs people normally fit that are more suited to sidelights.

These are mine, well worth the money I think.

OSRAM LED Premium Retrofit W2.1x9.5d, W5W, interior lights, 2850WW-02B, Warm White, 12V, double blister (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0085M0XDE/ ... oxb72F8JZ0

[spud350]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T10-BA9S-194- ... SwBahVeVcA


stick them in it

Neat product at amazing price I had LEDs in for a while but missed the warmth of the filament light and, more importantly, got fed up with the flickering when an LED failed and the dim glow they gave out when everything was off (all discussed on here - it seems LEDs can excite even with v low current flow).

At that price though its gotta be worth a try!

I've noticed mine seem to be on when they're off. How can this be if the switch isn't made?

[g8dhe]

If you mean a small glimmer visible in the dark ? Then yes leakage is normal problem, filament lamps wouldn't show anything, but LEDs work at much lower levels, try cleaning the door switch up that the most common problem followed by the switch in the light itself, try to use proper electrical contact cleaner as it doesn't leave any sticky residue behind.