LED repalcement bulb for fiber optic system?

Please post a pic of the original bulb from a few different angles with measurements if possible, I have some LED bulbs in stock that I think may work, just haven't gotten around to removing my console to find out.

I can send you one to try if I have something that looks close.
Alden

 

Most it seems have changed the entire system to LED, that is they deleted the fiber optic and installed LED at each of the end points of the fiber optics. If you search the forum you will find step by step instructions with pictures on how to accomplish it. It does make a great difference.

 

Dollar store Christmas lights?

 

Yes, individual LEDs:

robogeeks center console LED upgrade

Extra clips if needed:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/mondial/243606-mondial-center-console-fiber-optic-clip.html

 

Just a personal observation. I had a bulb go for the licence plate illumination on my Merc some months back, my daily driver. I replaced the bulb with a LED of comparable size. It seemed to create all sorts of mayhem with the electrical system of the car. It would also flash occasionally. I had to swap it out for a standard bulb. So I'm guessing these bulbs work differently when in circuit to a regular bulb. My advice would be keep it standard in case it causes havoc.
Jeff

 

I believe there are more with those problems after putting Leds. Who whas it that changed his bulbs in his Panel indicator and afterwards all weird things happend ? Someone here ?

Enzo52

 

Just replacing the bulb won't work, because it is the fiber optic system itself that is rubbish, the light transmission of the FO is crap, and some of the FO wires loose their coating and light is lost throughout their length, thus replacing the bulb, even with a brighter LED bulb, doesn't make much of a difference. Also, the problem with replacing regular bulbs with LED bulbs is that the LED bulbs draw so little power compared to the regular bulbs that the system thinks the bulb is out, that's why sometimes when you replace the turn signal bulbs with LEDs they blink faster, like when the bulb goes out. People resolve this issue by wiring a resistor with the bulb to draw more power so the system doesn't think the bulb is out, some LED light bulbs in the market designed specifically to replace turn signal and other automotive bulbs come with internal resistors now. That could be the reason some people have had problems when using LED bulbs in their Mondials.

For my center console LED conversion I purchased LEDs that came pre-wired with resistors, just in case, to avoid the problem. The difference is amazing, you go from basically having no lights, to nice and bright lights, see my original thread, or pm me with your email and I will send you the procedure with pictures. I am thinking of including it as a sticky.

 

Yes, I am aware that can happen. I am troubleshooting my panel right now after I changed the turn signal bulbs with LED's. Weird stuff going on here.

I do not recommend replacing any of the indicator panel bulbs with LED's.
Alden

 

one of the things I was planning to do with sidtx's mondial with this was go buy one of those in-line heat-sink'd load resistors and throw that inline.

the more that we talk about it, and get the leather resto closer to completion, he is leaning towards not performing it out of those above mentioned fears with the electrical system.

I'm still pushing to do it. the pics from robo with the proper lighting level looks amazing. it's a nice touch to make an old car not feel old!

 

I am going to have to post a video to try to explain what is happening with my indicator lights after I installed LED's in the turn signal positions.

No problems with my indicator panel until I installed LED's:

Everything is OK until I turn the headlights on, then all h**l breaks loose. All the outside lights work correctly, but the indicators go haywire. Left turn flashing right indicator, bright (main beam) indicator flashing with the turn signals, etc.

I removed the LED's and installed the original bulbs and it is still doing the same thing!

My stern advice: "Do not install LED's in your car until I (we) can get this figured out!"

Question: Where is the control unit for the indicator panel? I think something is fried in there!
Alden

 

robogeeks, I followed your original instructions and pictures to a tee when I changed my center console to LED's, everything has worked perfectly. I think it would be a great idea to post it as a sticky for fellow Fchat to follow.
Andy

 

what you have a problem with likely isn't a fried component, rather that since you installed LED's to the external lights, the simple system that it is, does not have the proper resistances to operate.

i have a fix for you.

you NEED to install resistors.

ohm out a regular bulb, then you will have to add one resistor equal to the difference between the led and old bulb.

i'm positive that will resolve your issue.

it does however mean tampering with wires (cutting/soldering)

if you want an example to test this theory, go back to bulbs. if all is normal, it's a system resistance issue.

in a parallel circuit, the overall resistance of the entire circuit is less resistance than the least resistive branch.

that said, you can guess how the car gauges certain operation.

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y8Hj9agrxQ

 

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How to Install Load Resistors for LED Turn Signal Lights - All

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SH3ElHaf28

 

Jonathan, if you remove the "s" after "http" when posting youtube links it will embed automatically (most of the time).

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y8Hj9agrxQ[/ame]

 

Turn signal load resistors are obsolete in most cases. The solution is made simpler; a No-Load LED Flasher replaces the antiquated turn signal flasher relay. If your car is a combination of incandescent and LED, it doesn't matter, the No-Load flasher is not dependent on a resistance load.

 

Let me clarify that I only installed LED's in the turn signal indicators in the panel.

None of the other bulbs inside or outside the car were touched, only two LED's in the panel.

Then this crazy stuff started happening. I still think I fried something in the indicator control panel, but have not been able to locate it. I have not torn the dash apart yet, my search has been limited to removing the driver's seat and laying on my back looking under the dash while I moved the wires coming from the indicator panel.

If anyone knows where the indicator control panel is located, please post a pic or something!

I also put the original incandescent bulbs back in the panel and the problem persists.

FWIW, I did try replacing the flasher unit with an LED flasher, thinking that maybe I had fried the flasher. It was cheap, but the flasher is not easy to get to either!

And, all is normal until I turn the headlights on. And the weirdness changes a bit when I go from low/dip to high/main beams.

I will start a new thread and get a video up when I can, then the problem will be much clearer.
Alden

 

.

Check the Amazon review before you buy...

Some of those so-called "No-Load LED Flasher" are not Hazard Light compatible.
Others still require some load to work properly.

Buyers beware.



.

 

could be those two leds are futzing with how the system operates.

I have seen some STRANGE stuff before in cars.

replace with regular specified bulb and see what happens.

 

If you read my post #19 in this thread you will see that I did replace the LED's with the regular bulbs and the problem persists.
Alden

 

oh. I did not see that.

I would check to see what electronics are in between. anything like a module should be investigated.

 

Sipes, do you ever really read my posts? lol!

I am trying to find the module, any idea where it is located so I don't have to tear out the entire dash looking for it?
Alden

 

http://ferrari.cdyn.com/ferrari_docs/87_mondial_32_Wiring.pdf
if fig 11 on page 29 is accurate, unit 78 appears to be the turn signal lever. "direction indicator switch"

it appears a lot of stuff plugs up to is and carries common power/ground wires through the turn signal lever.

it may be worth while to investigate that.
iirc, there was a way to dis-assemble it and check it out. if this diagram is correct, that's one major focus point that it then oddly... splits out.

weird.

edit:
the more i look at this diagram, the more screwy the system looks, and the more in-line your whole problem appears.

all of these light switches are all together tied by atleast one or two wires.... OUTSIDE of the fuse box unit. very bazaar how they did it.

now the bad news i found....

those switches all lead back into the relay box before going to the external lights.
so if something is garfed up.. i'm going to recommend you send your fuse box in for examination/repairs.

try fuses and relays first, but it leads back to the big black relay/fuse/junction box. sorry bud.