1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

LED Turn signal bulbs

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Helio, Dec 17, 2008.

  1. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Ok, so I took my dash apart today and found the flasher unit.
    Not sure if I should start a new thread or not, but to be safe will just post the pics I took in here.

    First, I took the first 5 pics that Mike suggested found here:
    http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/pwe/

    This is what I ended up with:

    [​IMG]
    Pic of the Stock Flasher, pin side.



    [​IMG]
    Pic of the stock flasher, opposite side of pins (visible when plugged in)



    [​IMG]
    Pannel without the flasher plugged in (on right, next to blue relay)



    [​IMG]
    Pannel with flasher plugged in (on right, next to blue relay)


    I ordered a led flasher and bulbs today, so hopefully in about 2 weeks I'll have them in the car.
    The flasher number on http://www.superbrightleds.com is: CF18-08. Says "Newer Toyotas"
    Bulbs numbers are: 7440 on there.
    I will post more when they are installed.
    Hope this helps so far.
     
  2. maseace

    maseace Prius enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2008
    191
    11
    0
    Location:
    Poulsbo, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Since I posted that, it appears they are starting to have LED headlights in production cars - the 2010 Prius has an LED option!
     
  3. maseace

    maseace Prius enthusiast

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2008
    191
    11
    0
    Location:
    Poulsbo, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Let us know if this flasher works - I may convert to amber LED signals if it does. I've got enough splices with my other LED mods that I don't have room for load resistors!
     
  4. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    There's no reason that it shouldn't work..but I will keep you guys posted after I get them in.
    I wouldn't suggest the load resistors anyways, as they are known for heating up and melting stuff near by. Not to mention the fact that you have to splice into your wiring...which I'd not be a fan of.

    What LED's do you have installed, and where?
     
  5. thomas124c41

    thomas124c41 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2009
    16
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    this setup works, just put in all my turn signal leds tonight along with the flasher unit.
     
  6. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Hey Thomas, thanks for posting.
    Just curious, can you tell me which bulbs you ordered, and where from?
    Thanks
     
  7. thomas124c41

    thomas124c41 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2009
    16
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I got them from superbrightleds.com, any of the 7440 led bulbs will work, i purchased two of the 3-Watt LED Wedge bulb and two 3-HP LED Wedge bulb and a led flasher
     
  8. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Ok, so you bought the same setup as I bought.
    How do you find them?
     
  9. thomas124c41

    thomas124c41 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2009
    16
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    they are very nice and VERY bright lol, I think I will buy some bulbs for the brake lights and city lights as well.
     
  10. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Brake lights are LEDs, do you mean taillights?
     
  11. exbauer

    exbauer Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2006
    1,185
    101
    0
    Location:
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    could you please take a video of the bulbs in action. i would like to see how bright they are.
     
  12. thomas124c41

    thomas124c41 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2009
    16
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    oh i meant the tail lights at the bottom that are dual filament and constant on. I still need to find a dual intensity led for those, still no luck so not sure if I will replace them.

    I also ordered some new led bulbs for the turn signals. After running around with the old leds I had for a few days without any problems, I started thinking and did a test with the led's during daytime with the sun facing the side that the signals are on. I tested it for the rears signals and realized that its hard to see the orange light in the reflectors if the sun is directly shinning onto them. You can still make out the leds and even though they're bright, they're still relatively small so it may be harder to see. At night of course they're much brighter than bulbs and definately noticeable but I wanted to have something that works in any situation. So I purchased these other types of led bulbs instead, I think these will work better as they will light up the entire reflector. Here is a pic:

    [​IMG]

    I'll take some pictures once they are installed.
     
  13. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    That is bright...I won't get mine in for at least another week, so I'm not sure how they'll look just yet.
    As for the bulbs you'll want for the rear taillights, you'll want the "WLED" bulbs.
    Go here:
    Product Listing - CAR

    Ctrl "F" (find) WLED and it will take you down to the bulbs that are for the Prius' rear lights.

    They aren't dual intensity because the brake lights (factory up top LEDs) are separate from the tail lights.
    The rear tail light number is 2825, which on Super Bright LEDs - Bulb Cross Reference
    (again ctrl "F" the 2825 number) you will see it's WLED.

    Hope this helps.
     
  14. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Thomas, where are these lights from? I have never seen them like that before.

    I read on a LED web page that it's best to use a red light behind a red filter like a red lens. What have you found?
     
  15. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Patsparks,
    It is reconmended that you use the same color LED bulb as the lense you are putting it behind. Ie: amber turn signal lens would be amber bulb, red lens would be red bulb, etc. Ofcourse, in a Prius, you would use a colored bulb anyways since the lense are clear.

    As for getting a bulb like that, you can get them at www.superbrightleds.com as well

    Product Listing - CAR

    Look at the bottom, the 2nd last one and up are the same.
     
  16. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Ok guys, I've got my new LED bulbs and flasher in the car.
    They look great.
    The only catch with them is that the lights don't flash when the car is locked and unlocked...I'm thinking it's something with the new flasher as I see no reason the bulbs would cause this.
    No big deal anyways since the car beeps.

    Installing is very easy.
    Here's a video:
     
  17. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    4,089
    468
    0
    Location:
    Bahstahn
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hey, thanks for posting all this stuff. I wasn't aware that
    Superbright had a replacement flasher relay that doesn't depend
    on lamp load; I think that's the piece I've been looking to
    exist before trying to do my own conversion because the
    dropping-resistor thing is just so klunky. Which lamps did you
    go with, and why -- i.e. would a straight rear-firing wide angle
    be better or worse than the type with LEDs pasted all over the
    outside so it utilizes the reflector better? The video doesn't
    really show it since the camera tends to get a little blown
    out by the relative light levels...
    .
    _H*
     
  18. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    No problem. Just get the newer Toyota flasher (CF18-08)
    and you'll be set. It is a little bit louder then the stocker and the only thing I've noticed is the 4 ways don't flash when you lock/unlock the car.
    I bought the cheapest bulbs ($6.99), 15 led. 9 leds face back and 6 around the side.
    The camera is getting blown out due to the fact that there was no lights on outside. I will take a video of it tomorrow during the day so you can see how they look in daylight.
     
  19. Prius 06

    Prius 06 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    283
    29
    0
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Ok, here is a video I just took of the lights.
    It's pretty sunny out, and it doesn't look as bright on here as it did on the camera.
    They are pretty bright though. Plus you can always go brighter, these are just the cheap ones.
     
  20. yunebug

    yunebug Gas Guzzler

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2007
    162
    10
    0
    Location:
    Long Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    So, an electronic flasher from superbrightleds.com will work (CF18-08 Flasher Specifications). The question, then, is which LED bulb would be best?

    It came down to these two bulbs:
    7440 xHP3: 7443 LED bulb Specifications
    7440 xLX3: 3 Watt Luxeon 7440/7443 Bulb SPECIFICATIONS

    Comparing the two bulbs side by side, I formed a few questions that you may be able to answer.

    Stats:

    xHP3
    Draws 96mA
    53 Lumens
    620k
    $12.95

    xLX3
    Draws 160mA (use an active driver that keeps the current draw constant over the entire operating voltage range)
    44 Lumens
    590k
    $24.95


    Does this mean that the HP3 is brighter (higher Lumens) AND it's half the price of xLX3? Then, what is the point of buying xLX3 from a consumer's standpoint?