Time to get the EDU bulbs sorted

[SaabSurvivor]

Last weekend, I took the top of my dash to have a look at these EDU bulbs...and found that I definitely do have three broken ones!

This is what mine look like:



They're 1.2W 12V bulbs OSRAM bulbs.

Somebody recommended ordering replacements from utlraleds.co.uk, the other day and I just thought I'd check here first that I was ordering the right ones!

http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/product_info.ph...02cd4bae2552096

The ones shown above look like mine. How many would you recommend I buy - am I likely to break a couple when trying to fit them, or is it really foolproof?!

Regards, Richard.

[trollbooster]

They should go straight in, although the one in the picture looks like it put up a good fight to avoid being removed! Given that one might drop down towards the pedals, why not get four?

Anyone know how the LED lights behave with the rheostat/dimmer? I would have thought that when the applied voltage drops below the LED threshold they will just go out, rather than dim?

[djtaylor]

Given that an LED is just a diode, the forward bias voltage should be about 0.6V. I would expect it to dim quite happily although certainly the behaviour will be different to that of an incandescent bulb.

David.

[SaabSurvivor]

Originally posted by Trollbooster:
[qb]They should go straight in, although the one in the picture looks like it put up a good fight to avoid being removed! Given that one might drop down towards the pedals, why not get four?

Anyone know how the LED lights behave with the rheostat/dimmer? I would have thought that when the applied voltage drops below the LED threshold they will just go out, rather than dim? [/qb][/b]

It was difficult to get out - I ended up using a pair of pliers! I thought the way the metal was turned up at the edges was a result of the manufacturing process rather than the removal process though! They require a turn anti-clockwise to remove, so I thought the upturned metal must be used to hold them in place.

Has anybody else used these LED's yet in place of the bulbs? If so, were they satisfactory? They're the only replacement I've found so far - the bulbs don't seem to be available online in the UK.

Regards, Richard.

[djtaylor]

The incanescent bulbs you can get from Halfords, type 509T.

[trollbooster]

Originally posted by David Taylor:
[qb]The incanescent bulbs you can get from Halfords, type 509T. [/qb][/b]

Bet the spotty faced adolescent tells you

" Naw, we don't do anything for SAABs, Mate. Dealer only "

[djtaylor]

Probably. It helps if you know that it's a 509T and tell them that they sell it. I did have to say to one kiddie "Yes, you do sell these!" so eventually he went and phoned the store the other side of town and admitted that they had plenty in stock.

[djtaylor]

In fact for the full effect, once you can prise the spotty face away from Max Power, just print this out and say "SEE!!!!"

[SaabSurvivor]

OK...I'll try them next time I'm in town...sure to be another source of frustration!

I did try their website, but evidently that shows nothing like their entire stock range.

Edit: Just spotted the pic...thanks a lot - I will go in armed with evidence!

Regards, Richard.

[djtaylor]

One thing that is worth mentioning when changing from incandescent to LED illumination is that LED's do not provide light to the side of the bulb, it's all focussed out of the end through the lens.

For this reason, if the instrument cluster is designed such that the illumination is spread sideways off the bulb through a diffusor or other light pipe arrangement then LED illumination will be [expletive deleted].

An example would be the 9000 CD high level brake light which is mounted vertically.

My suspicion is that LED replacements for the EDU will lead to 3 defined hot spots of light instead of a general spread over the bar graph and "Check Engine/Radiator/Oil Level" text" but I haven't tried it so am happy to be proven totally wrong.

David.

[SaabSurvivor]

Well...I'm afraid I'm going to let somebody else be the guinea pig on this one!

I believe there is some sort of orange filter behind the lcd display, which probably diffuses light from the bulbs - so you're likely to be right.

I found somebody selling some on Ebay last night - ten for £8.99 delivered and thought that would probably beat Halfords, as well as providing plenty of leeway for breakages, so they should be here on Tuesday.

Regards, Richard.