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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - LED Brake/Tail Light Bulb

A comment by Dominic in another thread has come up trumps for me. He said to fit LED brake/tail light bulbs to conserve the contact in the brake pressure switch. He gave a link to a supplier I presume he used. However, I found this supplier in the UK: Classic Car LEDs.

First class communications and service. £16 for the 2 bulbs with free shipping. Not sure how that compares with others for price but I am not complaining.

Superb brightness. Well happy.

.....now what shall I do with the box of about 20 standard bulbs I had as spares?

Steve



Steve Gyles

Classic Car LEDs seem to get lots of good reports.

There can be a selection of different led bulbs that will do the same job - but not all bulbs, or suppliers, are equal.

An alternative that also supplies good LED bulbs, and other stuff, is Classic Dynamo & Regulator Conversions - http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/

Steve,
LEDs are best used in full sets on a circuit so you may want to consider adding front sidelights, number plate, (dash, indicators?/tell-tale?/flasher).

Generally match the colour of the LED to the colour of the lens, warm white looks best on a classic if a clear bulb is needed.

Nigel Atkins

Thanks Nigel. Mine is a 1500 but I have split the turn indicators onto separate pedestals and put the later lights at the front. I will have a look at them all. I'm certainly impressed with the improved brightness.

I recently swapped out my garage strip lightning for LED 'tubes'. The difference has been phenomenal and instantaneous compared to the 10+ seconds for the old tubes to fire up.

Steve
Steve Gyles

For the 1500 front lights I use a so-called "SWITCHBACK" bulb that lights up white but flashes orange. Much more visible for modern day drivers on their phones..... The latest I have are great, bought on eBay - Item: 173911771206.

The Classic Car LED is my go-to guy for LED headlight bulbs. He gets a BIG endorsement from me for quality and light pattern ( comes down to position of the LEDs), and he also has them without an external ballast, which makes fitting ! EASY !

My rear lights are a PCB under the lens - they are a few years old now, and much brighter than the bulbs that were then available. I too would probably now go for a bulb first as the PCB fitting involved gutting the light of the bulb holder. But the surface area of the PCB is great for increasing the difference between brake light and normal lighting. With much lower current draw, there's much less strain on the brake switch contacts than with a bulb.

Glad to have inspired, Mr Gyles!
Dominic Clancy

Dominic

LEDs for everything, not just our cars have become so easy to replace and fit nowadays. Prices are also dropping to sensible levels. Yes, many thanks for the inspiration.

Just trying to muster the enthusiasm to get the car hoisted up out in the cold garage to change the brake switch. Easier from underneath. Got the new one. The alternative is to drive round to my village garage. Just come back from there. He said no charge for him to do it!! He looks after my main driver for me. Might take him up on it but I have never in 23 years of ownership let anyone else touch my car.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,
for your indicators you gain a constant rate of flashing even at low revs (or engine off) which is good for when you're static, particularly waiting to turn off right on a busy main road. Plus of course clear bright lights.

You do also need the electronic flasher unit too and best to add the tell-tale(s).

You'll probably want/need these -
. BRIGHT AMBER LED INDICATOR BULB BA15S GLB382
. 12V ELECTRONIC INDICATOR FLASHER / HAZARD RELAY CLASSIC CAR WITH OE CLICK
. GLB987 E10MES Green 8 SMD LED Flat Bulbs

Info here - https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/car-kits/products/mga-1600-mk11-led-bulb-upgrade-kit

I've just swapped some home exterior 100w equivalent LED bulbs bought a few years (warm white style but unnamed then) to new daylight ones and the area seems brighter even allowing for aging of the previous bulbs. In workshop/garage or traffic areas the daylight bulbs are also better.
Nigel Atkins

Steve

For your garage lighting, did you replace the complete fittings, or just the tubes?
Dave O'Neill 2

When I was last in our local Rock Bottom shop as well as the PRC (Public Reunion of China) LED bulbs they had light-fitting/bulb adapters which were a new thing to me, turning one bulb fitting into another.
Nigel Atkins

Hi,

Just a tiny warning re: LED Bulbs. I updated all of the bulbs on my MGA which included the little bulbs in my dash.

I later had problems with the alternator charging and my auto electrician diagnosed an LED bulb in the position of the battery charging light in the dash. Apparently, you have to have a normal bulb in that position as the bulb acts as an activator/exciter that completes the circuit to allow the alternator to charge normally.

Since I have changed this particular bulb everything is working properly !

:-)
Aleks Stojanovic

David

I changed the complete set-up in the garage. I installed: Ansell Lighting ATLLED2X5 Topline6 high performance 5 foot twin IP20 LED Battens.

I paid £48 for each batten at my local electrical distributors.

Very happy.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Aleks makes a good point about the ignition warning light.

I was told an LED should work and it might be a wiring issue as LEDs are sensitive to such things, or that it might need something adding in-line but I just done as Aleks and put the incandescent bulb back in, plus I now had loads of them spare from changing others.
Nigel Atkins

An LED cannot work as the ignition light, as it works to indicate an imbalance between charging current and load. This means it must work in both directions of current flow.

A Light Emitting Diode is polarity sensitive, and will light in only one state of imbalance, not both

So you must use a standard bulb for the ignition light.

As to the adapters Nigel mentions, I have seen them for 110 and 220v fittings, but never for 12V fittings.

I accidentally plugged an 12v M16 bulb into a 220v GU5.3 fitting - why this is possible without any adapter is beyond me - and not only did the trip blow, but the lighting end of the fitting exploded too, just as well I was standing at the lightswitch to try one bulb before I fitted the other 14.....

Solved by ordering a transformer for £10 and going 12V lighting in that room instead of ditching the bulbs at £10 each!
Dominic Clancy

A US alternative for LED light boards is www.brittrix.com. 3 to 10 time brighter than any LED or incandescent bulb and 1/10th the current draw. 25 different models covering over 350 different classic British cars. Worldwide shipping.
Lew Palmer

Sorry Dominic I didn't mean to mislead I was following DaveO's domestic lighting reference and referring to bulb adapters for 230v (as it is here, perhaps they'll not now go to the proposed 220v with the recent action of the country).
Nigel Atkins

Yes Lew, those are the ones I have

But as they use LEDs themselves, I would say they cannot be (and in my experience are not) 3-10 times brighter then an LED bulb.

They re very very good, and I will not be changing, but there have been such big improvements in LED automotive bulbs since I fitted my first ones years ago (I think it was these boards), for most common fittings there is today a very high performing LED available.

If I compare the switchback bulbs I use in my 1500 front sidelights they are brighter and more visible that the three year old bulbs they have replaced

But if I had an older fitting where there is no standard LED bulb available, or the bulb is in a non standard orientation (like the rear lights on an MGA) then the units from Minnesota are the dog's proverbials.
Dominic Clancy

>>But if I had an older fitting where there is no standard LED bulb available, or the bulb is in a non standard orientation (like the rear lights on an MGA) then the units from Minnesota are the dog's proverbials.<<

Have you checked out the LED bulbs and light boards that Classic Dynamo & Regulator Conversions sell as they sell for much older cars and motorbikes. -

"Our LED light boards (examples pictured above) also use SMD's and are used to convert lamps that have a bulb that is mounted sideways such as in Lucas D lamps and Pork Pie lamps. Lucas 471 and 549 type rear wing mounted lamps have the same sideways bulb. An LED bulb will not work in this situation so I have developed these LED light boards to suit."

Being a UK company I don't know if it's a good alternative to you in Switzerland and probably not to USA owners but certainly UK owners.

http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/a-bit-about-led-bulbs.php
Nigel Atkins

Hi Nigel

All the contributors on this BBS are internet-aware and can search for what thy need. All the different available sources are easily found with a google search so I don't really understand your issue, There are many suppliers (some good, others OK) and I only endorse those where I have first hand knowledge
Dominic Clancy

Brittrix is here in the US and supplies LED light boards for almost every MG from 1929 to 1962, plus over 350 different classic British vehicles. These are not bulbs but light boards specifically engineered for the exact lamp. Most are polarity neutral and will work equally well in either a positive or negative ground vehicle.
We were the LED vendor at the GT44 last year in Dubuque. Take a look and order at www.brittrix.com

Lew Palmer

No issue at all Dominic just offering up an alternative and like yourself one I have had good service from. Particularly for those of us in the UK this is a small UK company offering a good range of products and good service so I think deserves promotion and support - and as just an alternative.

Also bear in mind that there may be viewers or posters to this thread that are not aware of these companies and whilst they can find a wide range of alternative suppliers via Google it's good to have recommendations from fellow classic owners, as we've both done.

As I put in an earlier post Classic Car LEDs seem to get lots of good reports too.
Nigel Atkins

Dominic,

Do as I have done. Put a light meter on the LED bulb and compare to the LED light board. Then judge the brightness. LED light is additive, so the effect is more light output. Also, many LED bulbs have some space restriction, so many of the LEDs are facing to the side. Since LED light is highly directional, much of that light is wasted since it is aimed to the side.

I compared 3 options using the Lucas L488 (late TD and TF) housing and lens. The light meter showed:
Incandescent: 324 lumens
LED bulb: 304 lumens
Brittrix board: 3167 lumens.
Lew Palmer

Lew,
I just lost my post so will just put, and please don't take this the wrong way, I may be telling grandma how to suck eggs, a meter isn't a human so see differently and any test has to use the correct equipment done in the correct way and the test equipment needs to be checked for calibration.

LED LIGHT METER
With the ever growing success of LED lighting a need has arisen for specialised LED Light Meters. LED lights produce white light very differently to incandescent lights. A traditional lux meter may give an accurate reading of 500 lux, but the human eye can’t visibly see all 500 lux and may actually only be able to see 300 lux. Ultimately this result in inaccuracies. You can get around this by using a specialised LED light meter.

https://www.atp-instrumentation.co.uk/blog/how-to-measure-light-levels/

As our Medical Officer has said of the delay in Covid testing, a bad test is worse than no test, could you please let Donald know (and who tested him before allowing him to take office, he's outside of all calibrations and always has been).
Nigel Atkins

Lew

While I appreciate your need to advertise, a 3000 Lumen LED is equivalent to a 200W incandescent bulb (https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/light/how-lumen-to-watt.html) which would a) not be street legal and either b) suggest your test procedure is missing an important element or c) you are overcooking the results.

I am happy with your boards, but quite honestly the latest generations of quality LED bulbs are equivalent to your boards, and much cheaper. The cheap crap is just that and I explicitly exclude them.

I have been an advocate of LEDs in all applications for more than 10 years and there isn't a single incandescent bulb in my home and only one (the IGN light) on my car. I have just replaced the MGA 1500 front indicator light bulbs with a newer generation of switchback dual colour bulbs and am very impressed with the increased brightness.

Lew's product is actually great, but is probably only significantly better than a high quality LED bulb in particular lamp fittings where a bulb is not optimally positioned

Just my opinion

Dominic

Dominic Clancy

Fair enough, Dominic. I'll go silent and just let people draw their own conclusions.
Lew Palmer

When I restored my MGA Coupe, I had decided before I even began that I wanted to include LED circuit panel taillights. A few years before, I put them on my MGB and really liked the brighter lights for safety reasons. They are not cheap but in my opinion, the added safety is worth it.

I bought mine from Brian Mc Cullough, Owner, Classic Auto LEDs & BMC British Automobile, LLC Phone - 651•400•0145 website - https://classicautoleds.com/led-lights/mg-led-tail-lights/mga

If you convert to LEDs, regardless of which style you go with, you’ll need an electronic flasher. I removed the insides of my original Lucas flasher and replaced them with the insides of the flasher I bought for my LED taillight kit. Took a little work to get the LED flasher apart but I finally got it. Works like a charm and it looks like I’m using an original flasher unit.

The first picture shows the insides from the electronic flasher and the second picture shows the Lucas flasher shell with the electronic flasher insides in the shell and mounted in my car.

Jim






JL Cheatham

I was just about to order some LED bulbs but was alerted to the fact that LEDs are not street legal in the UK and possibly the EU. They are not legal for any exterior application. I think that for headlamps the minimum wattage is 30W which is not relevant to LEDs in relation to brightness.
Useful summary here: https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/blog/are-led-headlights-legal-in-the-uk/
John Francis

I've just been giving my MGA a health check, well we seem to have plenty of time to be in the garage these days!
I checked all the lights were working and all was fine. Then I happened to look again when the engine was running and noticed the both rear side lights were flickering slightly, randomly but in unison. (They are LEDs supplied by Classic Car LEDs).The brake lights in the same lamps do not flicker -just the sidelights and they only flicker when the engine is running.
I've checked the earthing and all connections that I can find and made no difference. Battery is new and the car has a dynamo, not an alternator.
Any suggestions?
David


David Marklew

LEDs tend to highlight problems elsewhere. With engine running it could be a supply/earth problem through connections/wiring/switches and/or possibly made worse by vibration from the engine running.

If it's only with engine running could it be to do with (dynamo) control box settings, does the flicker change at tickover to higher revs.

LEDs can tend to work better in full sets on a circuit so if you have front sides lights on the same circuit are they also LED (which may also run on to dial lights bulbs and number plate bulbs).

First thing I'd try is fresh clean good and secure connections from earth battery post to bulb (or light unit) earths with a couple of suitable wires and connectors to fully eliminate any earth suspictions.

If not then it's checking and perhaps cleaning as required the whole electric path from battery post, post clamp, main lead through all the wires, all connections and switch to bulbs.

Or you could try bypassing the switch to eliminate that (if it's possible on an A , I don't know).

You could also ask Classic Car LEDs as they may have a patch fix but personally I'd only do that after checking and cleaning all the electric wiring and connections as it can be surprising what you can find and easily improve (often by simply cleaning).

Often fuses and fuse connections are forgotten, crud resistance on these especially at the start of a circuit will obviously reduce effectiveness to what' after.
Nigel Atkins

I think I've tracked it down to the light switch which vibrates when engine is running and makes lights flicker if touched. It seems strange that the higher wattage lamps on the circuit are OK.
What next? Replace the switch or refurbish? I'll try both!
David
David Marklew

(I'd imagine) you can you bypass the switch to confirm it's the cause.

You don't want to risk damaging your existing switch until you know for certain you can get a good s/h one (or new if they're any good) but I'd imagine you might be able to repair it or tighten it up and clean and lubricate as required/possible.

Careful with any tabs are some can fatigue easily.

Good luck let us know how you get on.
Nigel Atkins

MGOC didn't have a switch in stock so I took a closer look at the switch releasing it from the panel and all seemed well. All wires tight and good positive action. Flickering now did not seem to come from the switch

Then I replaced one of the bulbs with a conventional twin filament and........ no flicker.

So ... is it just the LEDs that are the culprit? A check on the internet finds that this is a common problem. LEDs are so sensitive to any electrical irregularity. It seems might be cured by some sort of ballast resistor in the circuit.

Anyway its back to good old fashioned filament bulbs for the time being. So much for 21st century technology. The LEDs were a bit brighter though!

David
David Marklew

The flicker is probably down to the basic design of the MGAs voltage regulator David.

I'm not certain whether or not you can buy a voltage stabiliser that will cope with the current demands of the MGAs lighting.

Or you could do what I did and fit an alternator, these have a built-in voltage regulator which, IIRC, is more accurate than those in the generator.

Cheers
Colyn

Colyn Firth

LEDs are "instant on - instant off" whereas incandescent bulbs depend on heating the filament so are slower to illuminate and dim. Thus, if the supply current is at all unstable or variable, LEDs may seem to flicker and incandescent bulbs will not.
Lew Palmer

This thread was discussed between 29/01/2020 and 10/05/2020

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