LED Bulb Upgrades for Superb II

[badgerman]

Thanks.

Anyone share what they use for the footwell, puddle, number plate and combi boot lights as LEDs. All the ebay links are dead.

Cheers

[JakeBlade]

Puddle lights (under the side mirrors) white/blue = http://bit.ly/1fAThH4 (sold singly)

Combi boot light (white/blue) = http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/xtec-canbus-501-w5w-high-power-smd-led-15-x-5050-smd-number-plate/

Or on eBay here: http://bit.ly/1284lQO

Map reading lights (warm white) =

http://bit.ly/1dQRvxc

I know you didn't ask for the map readers, but thought I'd share anyway

[superbdreams]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bulbs-CANBUS-Error-Free-4-LED-White/dp/B0076XAVBM

for boot lights plus a strip of smd 5050 white for flood lit illumination, see pic.

 

Notice the one boot light is smd LED and one is filament.

Edited 29 September, 2013 by superbdreams

[badgerman]

Thanks both, much appreciated.

Are they easy to access and change?

[JakeBlade]

DIY guides:

 

Mirror puddle lights: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/287978-led-in-mirror-downlight/

 

Boot lighting: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/232544-led-upgrade-to-boot-lighting/

 

Map reading lights: you should be able to tease the outer trim off with just a credit card and your fingers.

[badgerman]

Thanks jake!

[badgerman]

Wow loving the led DRLs, most the most difference. Not found the boot lights to be much of an improvement in lighting up the boot tbh. Are the puddle and footwell lights worth doing? If so, what are the model numbers again as the eBay links seem to have gone as was an error on listing.

Thanks again!

[superbdreams]

Not sure the footwell lights would enjoy being dimmed like the standard bulbs (maxidot setting)

Boot bulbs made hardly any difference which is why I added the led strip.

Gave up trying to get into the mirror for fear of breaking the glass.

 

I hate to sound negative but reading through all the posts makes you wonder if it is worth the trouble and expense, bearing in mind people are saying the led drl's do not seem to last a  year

[Coops]

 

I hate to sound negative but reading through all the posts makes you wonder if it is worth the trouble and expense, bearing in mind people are saying the led drl's do not seem to last a  year

 

After my original set of UltraLEDs gave up the ghost, I tried many different sets and did run with resistor kits for a while but I have since given up and returned to standard bulbs for my DRLs.

[JakeBlade]

Wow loving the led DRLs, most the most difference. Not found the boot lights to be much of an improvement in lighting up the boot tbh. Are the puddle and footwell lights worth doing? If so, what are the model numbers again as the eBay links seem to have gone as was an error on listing.

Thanks again!

 

Which boot lights did you get in the end?  The ones I bought from hids-direct are very bright.

 

For the puddle lights under the side mirrors search in ebay for "t10 5630 LED 9 SMD", and you need the ones with the shallowest depth, as there really isn't much room inside the bulb housing.  To be honest, I'm not really a fan of the blue/white light that they emit, but they are much brighter than the incandescent bulbs and much brighter than other LEDs that I've tried in there.  If I could get some warm-white ones as bright as the 5630 ones, I would be happy.

 

I wouldn't bother with LEDs in the footwell lights tbh.

[badgerman]

Which boot lights did you get in the end?  The ones I bought from hids-direct are very bright.

 

For the puddle lights under the side mirrors search in ebay for "t10 5630 LED 9 SMD", and you need the ones with the shallowest depth, as there really isn't much room inside the bulb housing.  To be honest, I'm not really a fan of the blue/white light that they emit, but they are much brighter than the incandescent bulbs and much brighter than other LEDs that I've tried in there.  If I could get some warm-white ones as bright as the 5630 ones, I would be happy.

 

I wouldn't bother with LEDs in the footwell lights tbh.

thanks again - would this work in the mirrors;

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T10-4-5W-450lm-9-SMD-5630-LED-White-Light-Car-Steering-Lamp-12V-2-PCS-miUK-/161084989054?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item258169de7e

[JakeBlade]

thanks again - would this work in the mirrors;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T10-4-5W-450lm-9-SMD-5630-LED-White-Light-Car-Steering-Lamp-12V-2-PCS-miUK-/161084989054?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item258169de7e

They are a spitting image of mine. And to think I paid £2.34 each for mine. I feel cheated.

[jozisko]

I would personally steer clear of any LEDs with this white plastic base as in the link above. They normally have a load resistor inside that plastic base. That resistor gets hot with prolonged use and melts the plastic. I had similar ones in my map reading lights and in footwell lights, they all had melted to a certain degree. Since then I'm only buying ones that have smd resistors soldered onto the led body. 

[wawilkinson]

One of my Alltronix bulbs - purchased from eBay - has now started to fail...  It will come on when you start the car but then go off again about a minute later so not sure if that's because of the car's 'Power On Self Test' (to use IT speak) finds an fault and disables it or whether it's just coincidence and because the bulb is now duff.  I also get a bulb failure light on the dash and 'check right daylight running light' message on the MFD.

 

When I started getting the error in late August, the bulb hadn't actually gone out - we happened to be following another family member and we had walkie-talkies between the too cars...I know...what are the chances...and they told me all the lights were good - but then sure enough the bulb started to fail/go out in time.

 

I've swapped the bulbs over on the car and the error follows the bulb, which makes me think it's a simple bulb error rather than anything else.

 

I've contacted Alltronix via eBay and will see what they say with regards to replacement/returns - they've been working fine for just over 8-months...

 

Will keep you all updated!

Well...Alltronix have totally ignored me via eBay so bought the ones from UCP (Ultimate Car Parts) instead;

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170729737146?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

They arrived quickly and are working fine.  I would say they are a little less bright but not sure if that's a bad thing or not...I don't think so...

 

Funnily enough one of my brake light bulbs failed at the same time as replacing the DRLs, presumably just coincidence though??

 

I'll let you know if I run into any issues with these - perhaps in 6-8 months time as that seems to be the theme running through this thread! :think:

[JakeBlade]

I would personally steer clear of any LEDs with this white plastic base as in the link above. They normally have a load resistor inside that plastic base. That resistor gets hot with prolonged use and melts the plastic. I had similar ones in my map reading lights and in footwell lights, they all had melted to a certain degree. Since then I'm only buying ones that have smd resistors soldered onto the led body. 

Puddle lights only come on for about 30 seconds at a time, and I think the module limits it to 2 or 3 repeat illuminations.

[jozisko]

Puddle lights only come on for about 30 seconds at a time, and I think the module limits it to 2 or 3 repeat illuminations.

Agreed. I only mentioned it in case someone decided to use them for something else.

[badgerman]

Bugger. Got a warning saying reversing left light is out. Is this a dreaded DRL LED canbus error or a coincidence - I can't check it!

[silver1011]

How come you can't check it?

[badgerman]

Cos am in my own this weekend n can't put in reverse and get out and look.

Should both reverse lights go on?

[badgerman]

Ok so asked a neighbour.

Only the right works and the warning is for the right. Is this due to my leds or should I get another reverse light bulb for the left?

[JakeBlade]

Ok so asked a neighbour.

Only the right works and the warning is for the right. Is this due to my leds or should I get another reverse light bulb for the left?

I don't think canbus works in such a way that would throw up an error on a different circuit. You could put incandescent bulbs back in the DRLs and check I suppose? Probably easier to do that than to change the reversing bulb (I'm guessing...).

You also wouldn't be the first owner to have L and R wiring fitted the wrong way round.

I don't know how to change the reversing bulbs, but don't forget that Skoda garages will fit bulbs for free if you buy the bulb from them. Would be interesting if they comment on L/R issue.

Edited 6 October, 2013 by JakeBlade

[badgerman]

Thanks again Jake. So to confirm reversing lights are not both sides. Just one.

[JakeBlade]

Thanks again Jake. So to confirm reversing lights are not both sides. Just one.

Ah yes, sorry; didn't read your post properly before.

[badgerman]

Ah yes, sorry; didn't read your post properly before.

 

So after swapping over the reversing bulbs the warning light has gone - I feel like an autoelectrician.

[ujtordai]

What do you think, how much is the estimated lifetime of the listed CREE DLR's LEDs?