Tiny current?

[estorilblue]

Just replaced my interior light bulb with a small LED one.

I've noticed that when the light is "not on" (a phrase I use for a reason, as the switch is in "door entry" position), ie when driving normally, it emits a faint glow.

The only way to stop this is to turn the light to the "off" position via the switch.

Any suggestions on how to remedy this? I'm guessing that when the switch is in "door entry" position a small current still passes through the bulb which isn't enough to light a regular bulb, but dimly lights an LED?

[estorilblue]

One other thing, will this tiny glow from the LED drain my battery eventually? It's so faint you have to be in very dim light (sunset onward) to even see its on!

[Perc]

Typical issue when you put LED into things that were designed for incandescent. The car is apparently always sending power to the interior light, for whatever reason. You don't notice it with a normal bulb because it isn't nearly enough for the bulb to light up.

[estorilblue]

Thanks Perc, do you think it will drain the battery noticeably?

[RADIOTWO]

Just replaced my interior light bulb with a small LED one.

I've noticed that when the light is "not on" (a phrase I use for a reason, as the switch is in "door entry" position), ie when driving normally, it emits a faint glow.

The only way to stop this is to turn the light to the "off" position via the switch.

Any suggestions on how to remedy this? I'm guessing that when the switch is in "door entry" position a small current still passes through the bulb which isn't enough to light a regular bulb, but dimly lights an LED?

Does your car have a "light delay " in other words does the light stay on for a while after you shut the door ? if so I suspect that's where

you are getting your current leak.

You could try a diode, but that might stop the delay working

Radiotwo

[Taylor93]

Well you could put a load resistor parallel to the LED, that would mean it would consume the same amount of electrical power as a standard filament, and would make it less likely to suffer from "Phantom Currents"

for example the circuit may be designed so that there's constantly 4 mA (a number pulled out thin air) flowing through the filament, normally a filament would handle this and not illuminate, however when fed into an LED it will start to illuminate as LED's require less current to illuminate and are more sensitive to current.

Afterall at full power output a 12W bulb draws 1 Amp at 12V, a LED with equivalent light output may only draw 0.05A.

I could try and explain the electronics behind it in more depth but i fear i would bore you to death!! haha

[ricardoinacio]

Hi, just fitted a LED because the factory one is too much eco friendly and it is not bright as you would expect from a modern car. I have the same "phantom effect" in mine... The odd situation appeared only a month AFTER the LED was installed  .

Anyway, could anyone confirm if there is any issue with relays, switches, whatever, or a small amount of current was expected even if the doors are shut?

[Taylor93]

LED's are just much more sensitive to current then Filament lamps are. As i stated previously in this thread, you could put a resistor in parallel to provide another route for this "leakage current" which would reduce the amount of leakage current going into the LED.

 

It should help counter the issues you have found, but as the car is designed for bulbs instead of LED's you will have this issue.

[mannyo]

Hi, just fitted a LED because the factory one is too much eco friendly and it is not bright as you would expect from a modern car. I have the same "phantom effect" in mine... The odd situation appeared only a month AFTER the LED was installed  .

Anyway, could anyone confirm if there is any issue with relays, switches, whatever, or a small amount of current was expected even if the doors are shut?

 

Even with the standard bulb the same amount of current will be flowing, the only difference is the LED glows whereas a normal bulb does not, so the battery power consumption is the same in both cases.

[ricardoinacio]

Didn't notice that these new cars have such leakage, i.e. in my Land Rover this is not a problem. I will swap the resistors and problem solved

[collos]

I think there is a misunderstanding between voltage and current LEDs allow a certain amount of current to flow due to their construction if the proper Led is fitted then there is no current flow. The normal bulbs do not allow current to flow although there may be a tiny voltage ,it would take a long time for a leaking LED to drain a car battery  but LEDs fitted into non LED circuits can cause all sorts of other problems especially in any circuit that is CAN .Best not to put LEDs into a vehicle that is not designed for there use.

[Stormchaser]

I had to experiment with mine as I had a few LED,s I took out of my Octavia. Some when fitted used to still glow dimly but I found one which didn't in the end

Turning them round and refitting made no difference.

Sent from my PID using Tapatalk

[collos]

Even with the standard bulb the same amount of current will be flowing, the only difference is the LED glows whereas a normal bulb does not, so the battery power consumption is the same in both cases.

No you are getting confused between current and voltage with the correct bulbs no current will flow.

[collos]

I had a think about this and did some measurements if a circuit is switched off no current flows ,I think what is being measured is a Can bus signal if this is so and a normal meter is being used then damage can occur as these use a battery in the circuit to measure volts etc.If the meter is used the wrong way round a plus voltage is generated in the minus side of the ECU which can cause untold damage .We use a no volt measuring meter as all good auto electricians should use.