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LED wedge bulbs for parking & side lights.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by anonymous, May 18, 2015.

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  1. striker308

    striker308 Three time Prius owner

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    2014 Prius
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    Sure,

    I have these in white for backup bulbs, and in yellow for the front turning signals, I also have these in red for the rear signals.

    I have these in the visor lights in cool white (6000K)

    I have these as interior lights in Blue

    and these are what I have in the side markers and running lights both in yellow
     
    #41 striker308, Jun 24, 2015
  2. anonymous

    anonymous Member

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    Actually, using those bulbs, or any other led retrofit bulb, for the exterior lights, is illegal. You should read this:
    LED headlight bulbs illegal?
    And this:
    Red filter (tail light lens) - red or white LED?
    And this:
    Piston Slap: Traversing the World of LED Retrofit Bulbs! - The Truth About Cars
    Read them all, very thoroughly. They are very interesting.

    The exterior lights are very complex safety equipment, in which the reflector focuses in on the tiny filament of an incandescent bulb. LED bulbs don't have a tiny filament in the middle; they have LEDs all around them, so they don't work properly with the reflector and wrong amounts of light shine in the wrong directions. This is especially a problem with "LED headlight bulbs". LED headlight retrofit lamps are the worse!
    There's also the problem with heat. A retrofit LED bulb that produces as much light as an incandescent would not have adequate heatsinking, especially the ugly bare SMD ones which barely have any heatsinking at all. Combined with being sealed in an enclosed reflector, these really will not last long at all.

    I have learned a heck of a lot from CPF and related places. You should too.
    When I posted this thread I had absolutely no idea of any of this at all.
     
    #42 anonymous, Jul 17, 2015
  3. striker308

    striker308 Three time Prius owner

    Joined:
    May 11, 2008
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    Location:
    Evans, NY (USA) / South Williamsport, PA (USA)
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    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Thanks for the info,
    I don’t care if they are illegal or not, they have passed every NYS inspection and being pulled over more times than I care to admit.
    As for not creating enough or the proper light, mine work fine and light up well in all conditions.
    Now for the not lasting long, the small wedge bulbs with the multiples last as long as the OEM bulbs from what I've seen in three pri so far.
    The turn and reverse bulbs haven’t gone out at all in any of the three pri, now the 2012 and 2014 only had/have them for just under two years so far. The 2006 had these for almost 4 years when I owned it and the Toyota service tech who owns it now is still running them but he changed the blue interior LEDS to red.
    My headlights are HID as are my fog lights, but last I heard they updated the "bulb" requirment to allow the LED headlights. At least thats what the dealers I've talked to who are selling cars with them tell me, since I dont have them or want them I haven't bothered to check for myself.
     
    #43 striker308, Jul 29, 2015
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