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MG MGB Technical - LED Bulbs

I am looking to change the bulbs in the V8 'B' to give a better light especially in the rear lights. Has anybody got experience in using led bulbs? Does it require the flasher unit to be changed to an electronic type.
a goldup

Here in Australia we have stores like Tandy and Dick Smiths whom sell a whole host of electronic stuff. Then we have some more specialised places like Jay Car electronics. I bought some replacement flasher bulbs, or globes as they like to call them here! To replace the filament type bulbs already on the GT. They work fine, and I have not changed the flasher unit. I am not electrically minded, but I understand the LED's draw less current, am I right? Mike
J.M. Doust

Hi,

Here is a website that discusses the issues of LED replacements.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=/carbulb-notes.htm

Herb
Herb Adler

Here is a home grown answer to improving your lighting. Class Bulbs have an excellent website and I am very happy with their products.

classicandvintagebulbs.com

Improve your lights by up to 100% with these Halogen bulbs, without changing your lamps or wiring.



The question? How do I improve my old cars lights and keep it original?

The answer!
Fit Classic and Vintage Bulbs!


The fitting of our specialist Halogen or LED bulbs, will not only improve your head or tail lights brightness but will also retain the original integrity of your lamps.

A range of types from as low as 3 watt up to 65 watt and a comprehensive range of original old type bulb bases, will mean that there is a bulb "tailor made" for your vehicle.

Whether it's an Austin 7, a Packard there is a bulb that will fit perfectly. With the huge range of bulbs available from our product list, one can be chosen that will not over tax your generating system or damage your lamps or lenses in any way.

All of our bulbs are made from new components sourced from quality manufacturers around the world and assembled at our works in Adelaide, Australia.



Why Halogen?
The modern Halogen bulb is much brighter than its tungsten counterpart of the same wattage or current drain. The technology used to make Halogen bulbs means they are far more efficient than old type bulbs resulting in a brighter/whiter light. This results in a brighter light than a tungsten bulb with the same current drain. For example a 6v 35w tungsten bulb draws just under 6 amps and gives a, some what, yellow light. On the other hand a Halogen 35w bulb gives a far brighter/whiter light and still uses the same current as its tungsten equivalent.

See and Be seen
The added advantage of having brighter lights is, not only can you enjoy safer driving at night but you will also be seen easier.


Why LED? The latest in electronics can now provide LED bulbs in 6 and 12v that use very little current (about 1/10th of a normal bulb). Our 12v LED bulbs are a special -ve earth (ground) version that replaces a standard stop/tail or indicator bulb. The light emitted by these LED's lends them for use in lamps that have a built in reflector or for applications where light needs to be visible from all sides of the lamp. Our 6v LED bulbs are available in -ve and +ve earth and are specifically made for use in tail lamps that have a rearward facing bulb holder and include a number plate aperture. They are designed with rear ward facing red LED's and white around the perimeter. These LED's are perfect for most 1930's vehicles and motorcycles.

Postal Address: 82 Cumming Street
Blackwood South Australia 5051
Ian Buckley

Halogen bulbs still have flaments of tungsten. The halogen fill stops it from vapourizing at the higher temperatures.
Art Pearse

Hi
I've been giving them a try, they work fine, my only slight doubt is the difference in brightness between the tail light and the the brake light is not as great as conventional bulbs, my main reason for trying them was to try and get the brake light switch to last longer as they draw a lot less current, I've gone through about 4 switches in the last 10 years.
Ron
R. Algie

Be aware that it is illegal to retro-fit LED bulbs for road use in the UK. Yes I know they are more common on new cars but that is different.

Yes you would need a new flasher unit, it would have to be one purpose designed for LED bulbs (not a generic electronic), and the last time I checked they did not have the bulb failure warning feature. Even when OEM they don't seem to have this if the Range Rover that suddenly braked without indicating (at the back!) is anything to go by.

They can also be very variable regarding effective angle, incandescent are virtually omni-directional and need the reflector to send most of the light back in a more focussed beam, LEDs can either be arrays facing straight back, or have most of the elements round a cylinder, the results are different.

Halogen bulbs are much hotter than conventional incandescent so you need to be mindful of plastic fittings close by. Can you get halogen stop/tail bulbs? I thought the feature of halogen was that the tungsten then burnt off when they were lit (because they run hotter and brighter) condensed back onto the filament when it was turned off. What stops halogen from the hot filament condensing onto the cold filament in a dual filament halogen bulb?

Bright tail lights are a pain for following drivers in the wet particularly, and are not required at least for the MGB when working properly. There can be an argument for brighter indicators and stop lamps, but for the latter I think a third light is even more effective.
PaulH Solihull

Paul
Can you point us to where you got the info that it is illegal to retrofit LEDs, I've had conflicting opinions on this even from the police.
Ron
R. Algie

I think it is illegal to fit LED bulbs to vehicles that are Type approved , as LED bulbs are not Type approved either . However if the vehicle and lenses are not type approved ie an older vehicle then you dont have to replace with Type approved parts. Roy
R Mcknight

As Ron notes,"my only slight doubt is the difference in brightness between the tail light and the the brake light is not as great as conventional bulbs".

I used the LED's for a while but a friend who was following me over the course of a weekend complained that he didn't always notice by brake lights coming on as the tail lights were so bright. I changed back to conventional bulbs.

Regards,
Jim
James Budrow

In the past it has been statements like "These bulbs are for show and off-road use only" e.g. Maplin here: http://www.maplin.co.uk/searchtemplate.asp?criteria=RED+LED+12V However it may be the retro-fitting of unapproved bulbs that maybe illegal, not retro-fitting of approved bulbs(if you can find out whether any particular bulb is approved or not), hence the confusion.
PaulH Solihull

Paul, that's not really a definitive reason for posting earlier that they are illegal for road use, sounds to me as though Maplins are just covering their backsides, however, I'm still none the wiser as to whether they're road legal or not so I think I'll go back to ordinary bulbs as I don't really like them all that much anyway due to the lack of difference in intensity between the stop and tail lights.
Ron
R. Algie

This thread was discussed between 31/01/2011 and 04/02/2011

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