LED interior lights - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Geof3 · 10-28-2018, 08:37 AM

My trunk light has burned out and I am considering replacing all my interior bulbs with LED options. I noted the clear light cover shows signs of heat from the stock bullet bulb. Do the LED's run cooler overall? I noticed they have a cooling fin on them as well, just wondered if anyone had any experience with the bulbs.

dghii · 10-28-2018, 06:55 PM

You'll love the LED lights! They are so much brighter than stock and run cooler. The frunk and trunk lights make a huge difference. I just used cheap bulbs off Amazing and Ebay and all fit and work great. None have burned out.

thstone · 10-28-2018, 06:56 PM

Every light source creates heat in the process of turning electricity into light. The greater the inefficiency of that process, the greater the heat. While LED's typically operate much cooler than regular bulbs because they are more efficient for the same level of illumination, they still create some heat and thus the need for cooling fins or other mechanisms to dissipate the heat.

Cunningr · 10-28-2018, 09:14 PM

I did all my interiror and license plate bulbs, much brighter less heat.

Geof3 · 10-28-2018, 10:45 PM

Cool! Now, is there a list of the proper types of bulbs? I wouldn’t think they were all the bullet type like the trunk/frunk?

dghii · 10-29-2018, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geof3

Cool! Now, is there a list of the proper types of bulbs? I wouldn’t think they were all the bullet type like the trunk/frunk?

Look in the your owners manual and cross them to the LED bulbs.
As TStone stated, all bulbs create heat but the LED's much less than incandescent. For example, when I replaced the interior door lights, I used a rag to pull out the bulbs as they came on when I opened the door and were quickly hot to the touch. The LED bulbs? No burn!

Deserion · 10-29-2018, 06:36 PM

The frunk/trunk lights are 42mm festoons, the door puddle lights and dome light (later style) are 194 wedges, 42mm festoon one earlier style some light.

If you have a later dome light, odds are that the lens will pop off when trying to remove the housing. A little epoxy in the lens groove and it’ll be right as rain.

Geof3 · 10-29-2018, 09:37 PM

Good to go... just ordered up all the bulbs from Superbrightleds. SO tempted to do blue accent strips in the foot wells!

Thanks everyone!

Burg Boxster · 10-30-2018, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geof3

Good to go... just ordered up all the bulbs from Superbrightleds. SO tempted to do blue accent strips in the foot wells!

Thanks everyone!

re: Superbrightleds

Hope your experience is better w/ them than mine.

Every time using them or iJDMTOY I find myself replacing again in 4-8 months w/ reputable LEDs from the likes of Sylvania or Philips (which do last as LEDs should).

Good luck

besturgeon · 08-07-2019, 06:10 AM

will you share part numbers for the LEDs...thx.

particlewave · 10-30-2018, 08:18 AM

I just build my own using high quality LEDs. I generally run them at 1/2-3/4 power so they last forever.
Costs pennies, great light, no heat and fun to make.

Pdwight · 10-31-2018, 09:01 PM

I usually install a resistor to drop the current drain and light output to about 3/4 or 80% brightness ( highest current drain ) and they will outlive most of us.

Fiddlebog · 08-09-2019, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pdwight

I usually install a resistor to drop the current drain and light output to about 3/4 or 80% brightness ( highest current drain ) and they will outlive most of us.

This is the correct way to do it. LED-circuits and incandescent-circuits are not directly interchangeable, as incandescent-circuits rely on the impedance of the bulb to operate nominally. An LED can be put into an incandescent-circuit in lieu of a standard bulb, but since LED impedance is so little, a drop-resistor is needed. Installing an LED without a drop-resistor will "work" but it will burn that sucker out quick!

piper6909 · 08-09-2019, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiddlebog

This is the correct way to do it. LED-circuits and incandescent-circuits are not directly interchangeable, as incandescent-circuits rely on the impedance of the bulb to operate nominally. An LED can be put into an incandescent-circuit in lieu of a standard bulb, but since LED impedance is so little, a drop-resistor is needed. Installing an LED without a drop-resistor will "work" but it will burn that sucker out quick!

I would imagine they'd have drop resistors built into the bulb assembly. You're saying they don't?

particlewave · 08-09-2019, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piper6909

I would imagine they'd have drop resistors built into the bulb assembly. You're saying they don't?

Pre-made LED bulbs will. However, Dwight and I were talking about making our own.

Manufacturers often will use as few LEDs as, possible running at maximum output with minimal resistance. They do this for maximum light output with minimal cost. This means their bulbs won’t last nearly as long as they should.

I use oversized resistors so that the LEDs will last for their rated life.