Best LED's for interior: 8000mcd or wide angle?

[Boone.Msi]

Ok, im ready to start converting my switches and obc to amber LED's. Ebay has tons of sellers that include the correct resistor for the led. My question is, what would be best for this conversion; a really bright led or average brightness with a wide angle(ie: 80-100 degree)

Heres an example of the ones im looking at:
Wide angle (http://cgi.ebay.com/30x-3mm-Orange-Wide-angle-Flat-Top-LED-Free-Resistors_W0QQitemZ300113548857QQihZ020QQcategoryZ 66950QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Bright 8000mcd's (http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-of-50-X-3mm-Orange-LED-8000-mcd-Free-Resistors_W0QQitemZ270120606161QQihZ017QQcategoryZ 66950QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Also, i would like to pick up an extremely bright red LED for my alarm led. What size should i get 8mm/60,000mcd, 10mm/130,000mcd?

found this, would it be too much?:p would probally look nice on the rearview mirror with smoke acrylic paint...
Wowzers (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.plasmaled.com/images/3wblue.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.plasmaled.com/10mm_led.htm&h=480&w=640&sz=12&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=I1EywfLflPx0sM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3D10mm%2Bled%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl %3Den)

[Jon K]

I have 8k mcd LEDs for my knock sensor and shift light and let me tell you, you do not want something that bright. It lights up my entire cabin from a small little 5mm LED

[LunatiC]

I would tend towards the "wide angle" LEDs since the light emitting from an LED has quite a narrow wavelength. This is an area that LEDs are still needing to catch up on in competition with incandescent bulbs.

This is of course if you are wanting to replicate the original lighting output, which I am assuming you are and the reason to the switch to LED is because you're sick and tired of replacing bulbs all the time :D

Wide Angle IMO is even more important for OBC, since it really relies on light scatter to have a more even balance of light throughout the front button panel and with the LCD read-out. The other LEDs are brighter, yes, but you don't want a "spotlight" effect.

Then again, I'm not that well versed in LED technology, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

[Boone.Msi]

thanks guys, those where the answers i was looking for, some with experience and some with insight.


This is of course if you are wanting to replicate the original lighting output, which I am assuming you are and the reason to the switch to LED is because you're sick and tired of replacing bulbs all the time
exactly! none of my gearshift lights work, the obc goes out if you hit it, sunroff lights are out, etc., etc. My main reason is to replace all the bulbs, but i also would like it to be brighter, the gauges and switch lights are just too dim for me. I believe i heard stock brightness is around 2200mcd so 4000mcd "wide angles" should be a good choice then.
Now about dimming, does it work by cuttion out voltage or no? would switching to LED's gaurantee me no control over the brightness level?

Maybe the 10mm led i linked will be too much for an alarm LED. Last thing i want is to bring attention to my car at night. What would be a good brightness for that? 10,000mcd?

[Rus]

thanks guys, those where the answers i was looking for, some with experience and some with insight.


exactly! none of my gearshift lights work, the obc goes out if you hit it, sunroff lights are out, etc., etc. My main reason is to replace all the bulbs, but i also would like it to be brighter, the gauges and switch lights are just too dim for me. I believe i heard stock brightness is around 2200mcd so 4000mcd "wide angles" should be a good choice then.
Now about dimming, does it work by cuttion out voltage or no? would switching to LED's gaurantee me no control over the brightness level?

Maybe the 10mm led i linked will be too much for an alarm LED. Last thing i want is to bring attention to my car at night. What would be a good brightness for that? 10,000mcd?

As mentioned before, 8000mcd will be way too much. 3000-4000 would be ok, but still pretty bright. Every LED conversion/installation I've done works just fine with factory dimming switches (as long as they are rheostats). You can also experiment with different resistors to get the dimming range the way you'd like.

[Jon K]

I run a 470 ohm resistor on a ~20ma (i think) 8k MCD resistor and its perfect. Usually a 470 is a good safe value to put in front of an LED to protect it from too much current.

[Boone.Msi]

ok, i think ive found a good match for what i need. Take a look at these (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300093865836&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:us) and tell me what you think.

Heres (http://cgi.ebay.com/15x-10mm-5000mcd-Red-LED-Ultra-Bright-Free-Resistors_W0QQitemZ300113846350QQihZ020QQcategoryZ 26207QQcmdZViewItem) the ones for the alarm LED, not too bright but big to somewhat emulate the look of the "clown nose" rearview mirror led, on newer model BMW's

same seller so i should get a shipping discount...

[Milkboot]

I always love throwing monkey wrenches into peoples idea's. So here is a list of LED's ive used on other projects of mine. just waiting until i got some vacation time to start and FINISH my next project with them in the car :)

Ive used ALOT of LED's from this company too

http://www.luxeonstar.com/sub_category.php?id=197&link_str=196::197

[Boone.Msi]

that looks like an easy alternative but damn would that be expensive for my project. Im about to order 100 3mm led's including the proper resistors, for a measly $12. the ones in your link are $7 a piece...

Edit:

Changed my mind: 50 3mm led's for $7 shipped;)