Gday all I have just tried to buy a front clearance light for my van as the current one crumbled, I have checked several accessories shops and they say they are no longer made.
I am thinking of replacing both lights with LED ones and need to know will they work ok with the remainder of the clearance lights being standard 12 volt globe's.
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I have progressively replaced all of my van's lights with LEDs. The only ones left to change are the running lights (can't find any really cheap replacement units, but haven't really tried).
This means that the tug's old filament lights are operating in parallel with the Van's LED ones. No problems.
Rob, There is no problem mixing incandescent fittings with LED fittings on the same circuit. However you can not replace incandescent globes with LED lamps in the old fitting. The lenses in the old lights are designed with a given light source to give the correct light spread. The exact sizes of those replacement globes is specified in ADR-51. If you replace those globes with light sources of any other dimensions then that renders your van unroadworthy.
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PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
Yes Peter is right about issues with just plugging in LED globes (on tail, stop & flashers). I don't know about the legalities but I found that the replacement globes were hopeless. Relatively expensive, dull & didn't spread the light evenly. Fortunately the place where I got them gave me a full refund.
After making up some units from cut down cheap 3 meter strips of LEDs that were good for about 12m before they started to fail, I ended up buying some purpose built boards of LEDs from the LED Shop. Fantastic! Far better viewed from all angles than the originals & they have been working OK for >2 years.
(I kept the fittings & old globes just in case ... will probably throw them out in 10 yrs or so if I'm still around)
PS.
My lights were always very dim & I spent lots of time checking wiring resistance, voltages and all that sort of thing & even replaced the lenses, all to no avail. The LED Shop replacements are excellent and look like they are going to last. Previously when I tested the lights before setting out on the trip I always had to set aside time to fix the ones that weren't working. A real PITA. These days I can be sure that they will be OK & I congratulate myself for a job well done every time I check them. As we wandered about the place I always thought "I wish that my lights were as good as those on the van in front". Now I can't help thinking "mine are better than theirs". Am I pleased? .. yes I am. Are they technically legal? I think that there was something on the site where I got them that indicated that they complied with something or other.
I haven't bothered about the running lights as they have always worked (Early in the bit I sprayed them with WD40 & sealed the fittings with silicon). I see them as a low priority & I rarely if ever use the van at night.
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 6th of April 2018 10:34:53 AM
