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CarMan



Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 1767

United Kingdom 
Interior LED question
I was going to install the Mud one in the Puma but didn't want to make four new holes in the headlining, so decided just to replace the bulb with an LED festoon, which arrived yesterday.

When the light switch is off the LED bulb goes off and when it's on the bulb lights, so far so good, but when the switch is in the middle position where it works with the doors opening the bulb just glows when the doors are shut Confused

Why Question Rob

1993 200tdi 90 hard-top
1998 300tdi 90 soft-top
2016 2.2 XS 90 hard-top
Post #580556 26th Nov 2016 9:52am
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Butchers Boy



Member Since: 10 Jan 2016
Location: Essex
Posts: 426

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey
I have these bulbs

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-C5W-CAR-BULB...SwubRXKxNy

I think they are the same as you are talking about?

Try turning them around I'm sure that they have to go a curtain way around i.e take the bulb out of the fitting turn so the left side of the bulb now goes in to the right side of the fitting and the right in the left - hope that makes sense? Thumbs Up 2010 Defender 90 HT

The longer I live..... The better I was!
Post #580580 26th Nov 2016 2:26pm
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CarMan



Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 1767

United Kingdom 
That makes perfect sense and mine are these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161908173081?_tr...EBIDX%3AIT but same idea.

They didn't work at all until I turned them around as you suggest. But I don't think that solves my issue.

They go on and off but also have a permanent glow in the middle switch position with the doors closed?

Nice light though when they are on.
Post #580582 26th Nov 2016 2:40pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 19452

United Kingdom 
Pretty sure it's due to low resistance.
You should check current draw at rest between a standard bulb and the new LED and compare.
There will be a drastic difference in current draw between the standard light and an LED one.
I have plenty of other LED's on my interior light feeds so brings the draw up but still slightly below normal operating current that the 10AS is used to detecting.

How fast or slow is the dimming cut off of them?
The lower the resistance the more steep the dimming will likely be, and faster.
However, draw should never be more than the original bulb fixture.
(I can't recall the draw and wattage it is now off the top of my head.) Diesels Lives Matter. ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️
And if You Love the Country, then we’re on the same side ~
I got’ love for Britain, I got’ British pride’. 🇬🇧
Post #580587 26th Nov 2016 3:28pm
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CarMan



Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 1767

United Kingdom 
Really appreciate that, but to be honest not sure what to do with it as I can't use a meter Embarassed

The LED bulb goes from bright to dim as with the original bulb after a few seconds of closing the doors but then appears to stay dim indefinitely - it's been the same now for half an hour anyway.

Guess you've not had this issue Butchers Boy?
Post #580594 26th Nov 2016 4:04pm
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mark_d



Member Since: 07 Sep 2013
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 265

2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
custom90steve wrote:

How fast or slow is the dimming cut off of them?
The lower the resistance the more steep the dimming will likely be, and faster.


It appears the 10AS uses variable Pulse Width Modulation to gradually dim the interior lights. LEDs don't dim in a linear fashion when you use current control. http://defender90xs.blogspot.co.uk/
Post #580597 26th Nov 2016 4:22pm
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CarMan



Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 1767

United Kingdom 
So, does that mean I have to go back to the original bulb?
Post #580604 26th Nov 2016 4:47pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 19452

United Kingdom 
Not really, I'd check the current being used and see what the figure is.
If it's under 5mA I wouldn't really worry, but the issue is you may get battery drain if left for a while.

Perhaps a good idea to try a different type of LED's.
I've never had the issue myself but some others have, not that common though that I'm aware of.
What type of LED's is it using, regular or SMD chips?

Dimming wise, that doesn't worry me.
So long as they mimic standard use that's all that interests me, I've ran LED's in mine for years now with no issues at all. Diesels Lives Matter. ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️
And if You Love the Country, then we’re on the same side ~
I got’ love for Britain, I got’ British pride’. 🇬🇧
Post #580606 26th Nov 2016 4:55pm
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Cupboard



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey
Don't worry about it, any electronic switch will have a little bit of leakage it's just you can notice it now.
It will be "wasting" the same amount of energy as it was before but you couldn't see it before.
Post #580610 26th Nov 2016 5:13pm
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Romadog



Member Since: 07 Jul 2011
Location: Powys
Posts: 1746

Post #580612 26th Nov 2016 5:19pm
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AMBxx



Member Since: 24 Jul 2016
Location: York
Posts: 980

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
I have the same problem with mine. Glad to see it's 'by design'!

I changed to LEDs after I left the internal light on for several days - call from tracker company telling me the battery voltage was below 5V. Shame they didn't tell me at 11V, but there you go.

I don't think the amount of current is anything to worry about. I often leave my Defender a week or more without driving buy have had no battery problems.

If anyone asks - you paid extra for the ambient light version, as fitted to all the posh makes. Thumbs Up
Post #581042 28th Nov 2016 9:44am
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LinDens90XS



Member Since: 24 Feb 2012
Location: Merseyside
Posts: 83

2003 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Bonatti Grey
I bought my festoon led from Halfords, must be over a year at least and no problems, have them on both interior lights. Regards
Dennis.
Post #581734 30th Nov 2016 7:31pm
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Jim G



Member Since: 21 Jul 2014
Location: Ormskirk
Posts: 92

United Kingdom 1984 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Stornoway Grey
The problem you have is that there is a resistance across the switch when the switch is open, as the LED draws very little current it will still illuminate dimly
Probably due to water on the switch contacts with a little dust ( or mud) pull the door switches and clean and WD40 them, that will fix it
Post #606143 2nd Mar 2017 7:03pm
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Cupboard



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey
The door switches have nothing to do with it, at least on a modern Defender.

All the door switches do is talk to the 10AS alarm unit, which then does all the control of the interior lighting. The glowing LEDs is a feature of the 10AS.
Post #606239 2nd Mar 2017 9:52pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 19452

United Kingdom 
Mine don't glow.

I'd put it down to having a low current load, I've tried to mimic the standard incandescent load or at least no lower than 400mA.
It should all be wired in parallel too as per standard and not in series. Diesels Lives Matter. ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️
And if You Love the Country, then we’re on the same side ~
I got’ love for Britain, I got’ British pride’. 🇬🇧
Post #606244 2nd Mar 2017 10:00pm
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