LED bulbs for flat lenses

[CG75]

IMG_5787.jpeg (3.34 MiB) Viewed 2414 times

Does anyone know where I can buy LED bulbs which will fit in the flat lenses on the back of my Traveller? Grateful for any help, thank you.

[Andmurph]

Duncan at Classic Car LEDs will be able to help.

0800 246 5678

[King Kenny]

Second that. Duncan sorted mine out. He also pointed out that red bulbs shine brighter in a red lens than white ones do. And amber bulbs shine brighter in an amber lens than white ones do.

[CG75]

Thank you both - I tried them last year but the bulbs were too big for the flat lenses. Maybe they have a new, smaller size available now. I will contact them again.

[svenedin]

I use red stop/tail LED bulbs in my convertible. They are very good. They're brighter, instantly on (no lag) and they use very little current so in theory the rubbish modern brake light switches will last a lot longer (they burn out internally with the fairly hefty current with incandescent bulbs).

I don't have a traveller but doesn't the flat lens Lucas L488 stop/tail lamp assembly just use a standard BAY15D bulb? Why is there a need for a special LED bulb other than a standard red LED BAY15D replacement?

LED indicator bulbs are more complicated. They will not flash at the correct rate with a thermal flasher unit. The Lucas Fl5 type flasher unit can be replaced with an electronic equivalent that looks essentially the same and will flash the LED bulbs at the correct rate. However, if you also have a hazard light system this will have its own dedicated flasher unit (it does not use the same flasher unit as the indicators) so to use LED indicator bulbs in that situation would require replacing both flasher units. For this reason I have not bothered with LED indicator bulbs.

LED bulbs are usually sold as either negative or positive earth but a few are dual polarity (e.g headlight bulbs). Check before buying.

In the absence of LED indicator bulbs, keep the lenses clean inside and replace bulbs that have started to become blackened on the inside. It makes a significant difference.

Stephen

[geoberni]

As Stephen says, just think about your question for a moment.

These cars all took the same Bulbs when they were built, whether Traveller or Saloon; the Lucas L488, as used on the Traveller, simply has a deeper holder than the L594 (the one that has the taller 'beehive' lens).

BAY15D for the Brake/Tail lamp and BAY15S for the Indicator (the D and S suffix indicates whether it is Double or Single Contact on the base).

[CG75]

LED indicator bulbs are more complicated. They will not flash at the correct rate with a thermal flasher unit. The Lucas Fl5 type flasher unit can be replaced with an electronic equivalent that looks essentially the same and will flash the LED bulbs at the correct rate. However, if you also have a hazard light system this will have its own dedicated flasher unit (it does not use the same flasher unit as the indicators) so to use LED indicator bulbs in that situation would require replacing both flasher units. For this reason I have not bothered with LED indicator bulbs.

Stephen

Thanks for this Stephen. Putting a hazard light system is exactly what I plan to do. A chap in a nearby branch is making 3D switches for this purpose so my question was as part of this. I think I will try the hazard light system with the existing bulbs before going any further down the LED route.

[CG75]

These cars all took the same Bulbs when they were built, whether Traveller or Saloon; the Lucas L488, as used on the Traveller, simply has a deeper holder than the L594 (the one that has the taller 'beehive' lens).

Thank you for this helpful information. It makes me wonder whether the holders have been replaced with the shallower ones at some point so will go and check this.

[svenedin]

LED indicator bulbs are more complicated. They will not flash at the correct rate with a thermal flasher unit. The Lucas Fl5 type flasher unit can be replaced with an electronic equivalent that looks essentially the same and will flash the LED bulbs at the correct rate. However, if you also have a hazard light system this will have its own dedicated flasher unit (it does not use the same flasher unit as the indicators) so to use LED indicator bulbs in that situation would require replacing both flasher units. For this reason I have not bothered with LED indicator bulbs.

Stephen

Thanks for this Stephen. Putting a hazard light system is exactly what I plan to do. A chap in a nearby branch is making 3D switches for this purpose so my question was as part of this. I think I will try the hazard light system with the existing bulbs before going any further down the LED route.

It makes sense to hold fire on LED indicator bulbs until you know more about the hazard system you plan to install. A modern hazard system is likely to have an electronic flasher unit that will flash LED bulbs perfectly but older hazard systems use thermal flasher units such as the Lucas 9FL.

Stephen

[geoberni]

These cars all took the same Bulbs when they were built, whether Traveller or Saloon; the Lucas L488, as used on the Traveller, simply has a deeper holder than the L594 (the one that has the taller 'beehive' lens).

Thank you for this helpful information. It makes me wonder whether the holders have been replaced with the shallower ones at some point so will go and check this.

I don't understand why you might think the fittings have been replaced with the wrong ones...
What's the back story to this?
What bulbs are in there at the moment?

There are BAY15D/S lamps with smaller glass 'bulb' but AFAIA they tend not to be the same Wattage (21/5 or 21) as the 'regular' lamps and are used on Motorcycles for example.

[svenedin]

Perhaps it's just not realising what the whole unit looks like. There's a lot of depth to the bulb holder.

https://www.morrisminorspares.com/elect ... pe-p829948

Stephen

[CG75]

[/quote]
I don't understand why you might think the fittings have been replaced with the wrong ones...
What's the back story to this?
What bulbs are in there at the moment?
[/quote]

Because last time I looked at changing to LEDs the ones from Classic Car LEDs were too big - they sent me the measurements. But since then quite a bit of work has been done on the car and I think it does now have the correct bulb holders fitted. There are quite a few bits and pieces which aren't quite right on the car which I am gradually coming across and changing if necessary.

[geoberni]

I don't understand why you might think the fittings have been replaced with the wrong ones...
What's the back story to this?
What bulbs are in there at the moment?

Because last time I looked at changing to LEDs the ones from Classic Car LEDs were too big - they sent me the measurements. But since then quite a bit of work has been done on the car and I think it does now have the correct bulb holders fitted. There are quite a few bits and pieces which aren't quite right on the car which I am gradually coming across and changing if necessary.

I admit that there is a variation in overall height with LED designs to the BAY15 pattern; possibly up to about 10mm taller, but it's easy to compare them.
A standard BAY15D is the following dimensions:

BAY15D.JPG (20.85 KiB) Viewed 1861 times

.
The typical BAY15D from Classic Car LED, if anything, appears slightly shorter height.

LED BAY15D.JPG (13.2 KiB) Viewed 1861 times

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/produc ... tive-earth

[CG75]

Thank you @geoberni