Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega Electrical and Audio Help => Topic started by: PhilCavSRi130 on 02 March 2012, 22:13:13

Title: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: PhilCavSRi130 on 02 March 2012, 22:13:13
Had an unusual one tonight! Bought a couple of led bulbs for the number plate light on the omega and the wifes vectra B as they'd both gone so thought id upgrade. Tried fitting them on the veccy and it wouldnt work. Thought there might be an issue with the holder so checked for power which was ok. Tried a normal bulb and it worked fine. Tried the LED bulb both ways round still nothing. Powered the holder direct onto the battery and it lit up fine. Thought i'd then try the omega and the same problem so again put a normal bulb in and all lit ok!! Puzzled I thought i'd see if anyone has any idea???
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Martian on 02 March 2012, 23:00:24
Probably wants a loading resistor, and if the car has CANBUS then you will need to buy the CANBUS version of the LED.
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Omega_Dan on 02 March 2012, 23:38:23
My rear number plate has an led bulb. Works fine but the beam shines straight at the floor and only illuminates a few letters/numbers
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Bionic on 03 March 2012, 04:47:40
Martian is right on, but the light from an led is directional and has only a limited angle of illumination. If the plate is not fully readable at night then the bobbys may wrell give you a tug when you dont need it. :D
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: HockeyDave55 on 03 March 2012, 06:24:13
Bugger! I just got one for mine but not fitted it yet!!!!
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: venom on 03 March 2012, 11:52:05
If you twist the bulb  a bit more towards the boot & they light the plate up no probs
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: TheBoy on 03 March 2012, 11:59:49
Had an unusual one tonight! Bought a couple of led bulbs for the number plate light on the omega and the wifes vectra B as they'd both gone so thought id downgrade. Tried fitting them on the veccy and it wouldnt work. Thought there might be an issue with the holder so checked for power which was ok. Tried a normal bulb and it worked fine. Tried the LED bulb both ways round still nothing. Powered the holder direct onto the battery and it lit up fine. Thought i'd then try the omega and the same problem so again put a normal bulb in and all lit ok!! Puzzled I thought i'd see if anyone has any idea???
Fixed your spelling mistake ;)
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Martian on 03 March 2012, 13:16:18
Had an unusual one tonight! Bought a couple of led bulbs for the number plate light on the omega and the wifes vectra B as they'd both gone so thought id downgrade. Tried fitting them on the veccy and it wouldnt work. Thought there might be an issue with the holder so checked for power which was ok. Tried a normal bulb and it worked fine. Tried the LED bulb both ways round still nothing. Powered the holder direct onto the battery and it lit up fine. Thought i'd then try the omega and the same problem so again put a normal bulb in and all lit ok!! Puzzled I thought i'd see if anyone has any idea???
Fixed your spelling mistake ;)
;D ;D
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: PhilCavSRi130 on 03 March 2012, 16:22:45
To avoid the directional problem with LEDs all you need to do is sand them to create a diffused light which solves the problem. I've always done this with LEDs especially when fitting into your dash as it avoids the pinpointed light effect.  ;)

Seems a little odd to me that they wont light at all even when im getting a 12volt supply into the bulb holder. I know what your saying about the canbus system but i wouldnt have expected that to have any effect on the light actually working?? i've got a resisitor i can try will put that in and report back.  :y
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: PhilCavSRi130 on 03 March 2012, 17:12:13
Had an unusual one tonight! Bought a couple of led bulbs for the number plate light on the omega and the wifes vectra B as they'd both gone so thought id downgrade. Tried fitting them on the veccy and it wouldnt work. Thought there might be an issue with the holder so checked for power which was ok. Tried a normal bulb and it worked fine. Tried the LED bulb both ways round still nothing. Powered the holder direct onto the battery and it lit up fine. Thought i'd then try the omega and the same problem so again put a normal bulb in and all lit ok!! Puzzled I thought i'd see if anyone has any idea???
Fixed your spelling mistake ;)

OK if you say so.......still in the dark ages are we?  :D
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 03 March 2012, 17:31:51
Just to check, have you tried it without the cover on? Depending on the size of the bulb it can be pushed back and break the contact when it's all fitted.
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Entwood on 03 March 2012, 17:34:05
Had an unusual one tonight! Bought a couple of led bulbs for the number plate light on the omega and the wifes vectra B as they'd both gone so thought id downgrade. Tried fitting them on the veccy and it wouldnt work. Thought there might be an issue with the holder so checked for power which was ok. Tried a normal bulb and it worked fine. Tried the LED bulb both ways round still nothing. Powered the holder direct onto the battery and it lit up fine. Thought i'd then try the omega and the same problem so again put a normal bulb in and all lit ok!! Puzzled I thought i'd see if anyone has any idea???
Fixed your spelling mistake ;)

OK if you say so.......still in the dark ages are we?  :D

Not with incandescent bulbs, they appear to work as designed ..... unlike your LED's .....   :)  :)
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: PhilCavSRi130 on 03 March 2012, 19:00:37
Congrats there Entwood you completely missed the cheesy sarcasm of my comment lol.
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Entwood on 03 March 2012, 19:20:20
Congrats there Entwood you completely missed the cheesy sarcasm of my comment lol.

Ahh .. now .. what was that definition of sarcasm ............. ?

:)
 
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Martian on 03 March 2012, 21:18:50
To avoid the directional problem with LEDs all you need to do is sand them to create a diffused light which solves the problem.
30 LED's in this one
(http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/images/U50130CW.jpg)

Seems a little odd to me that they wont light at all even when im getting a 12volt supply into the bulb holder. I know what your saying about the canbus system but i wouldnt have expected that to have any effect on the light actually working??
The lamp failure warning system expects to see a specific load in order to work

i've got a resisitor i can try will put that in and report back.  :y
You can't use any old resistor, you have to use one that will produce the same load as the standard lamp you are replacing.
You also need to make sure it is man enough for the job as well, because if you use one that is under-rated for the job then it will melt in seconds.
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Andy B on 03 March 2012, 21:41:44
.....
The lamp failure warning system expects to see a specific load in order to work .....

Number plate lamp is NOT on the lamp check   ;) ;)
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Martian on 03 March 2012, 22:24:51
.....
The lamp failure warning system expects to see a specific load in order to work .....

Number plate lamp is NOT on the lamp check   ;) ;)
It gets it's feed from the sidelight circuit which is fed via the lamp failure warning system, and by reducing the expected load the system expects to see it then fails to illuminate the lamp.
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Andy B on 03 March 2012, 23:14:05
....
It gets it's feed from the sidelight circuit which  ....

Doesn't really  ;) .............. 1500 - 1530 in the Haynes
hence why a duff number plate lamp(s) doesn't trigger the lamp check  :y
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Martian on 04 March 2012, 09:14:57
Don't have a Haynes in front of me Andy, but the wiring digram I'm looking at shows the number plate illumination is fed from the RH sidelight feed which in turn comes from the headlight switch.

Dunno why I read it as being fed from the lamp failure warning module, a second look shows that is connected across the lamp being monitored.......maybe it's time to upgrade the reading specs to 1.5x  :(


@ PhilCav,

In your original post you said you tried the LED lamp "both ways around".....you can only put the lamp in one way so I'm a bit confused there.
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: fiend61 on 04 March 2012, 09:22:04
ummm arent the numberplate lights festoon style martian  :y so will go either way round  :y
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: Martian on 04 March 2012, 09:31:51
ummm arent the numberplate lights festoon style martian  :y so will go either way round  :y
Aha....(http://www.anchoredbygrace.com/smileys/kopfpatsch.gif)

They come in two different lengths, and the difference is less than a handful of millimetres.
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: fiend61 on 04 March 2012, 09:34:23
 :y
Title: Re: LED bulbs for number plate light.
Post by: TheBoy on 04 March 2012, 12:21:30
Had an unusual one tonight! Bought a couple of led bulbs for the number plate light on the omega and the wifes vectra B as they'd both gone so thought id downgrade. Tried fitting them on the veccy and it wouldnt work. Thought there might be an issue with the holder so checked for power which was ok. Tried a normal bulb and it worked fine. Tried the LED bulb both ways round still nothing. Powered the holder direct onto the battery and it lit up fine. Thought i'd then try the omega and the same problem so again put a normal bulb in and all lit ok!! Puzzled I thought i'd see if anyone has any idea???
Fixed your spelling mistake ;)

OK if you say so.......still in the dark ages are we?  :D
Welcome to deepest Northamptonshire - we still use candles :P

:y