Technical Number plate lights

[birtyb]

Hi all i have a 56 plate grande punto. Ive just been out to change the number plate lights to leds but cant get them to work. Will i need to put resistors in to make them work?

 

[lou5590]

Could be anything. Could be your actual holders, could be the leds. Im pretty sure the numberplate lights are on the canbus system so they will flag an error, but they should still work.

 

[Paterson1]

Hi all i have a 56 plate grande punto. Ive just been out to change the number plate lights to leds but cant get them to work. Will i need to put resistors in to make them work?

Did your bulbs work before?

If so try turning the bulb around

Not saying yoyr stupid but they will only go in one way

 

[Ckem247]

LEDs work one way and in mine they wouldn't work without resistors otherwise they just pulsed

 

[birtyb]

Thanks for the reply people the bulbs did work before and when i put the leds in they just flash very dim. So i will try some resistors and see if that makes the leds work instead of a dim flash.

 

[kyle96]

normal led's only work one way and need resistors to make them work at all,

'smd' type leds will work (only one way though) but will still throw up an warning light

You need resistors to make the normal led's work, or to stop the warning light for the smd's.

Can get the resistors off ebay for about £6

 

[Carwyn1286]

Hi can you tell me what resistors I need so the warning light doesn't display?

 

[gioe]

Ohm's law is your friend.
Keep in mind in a 5W5 bulb there is a current flow of 0,42A at 14V.
So you've to add a parallel resistor to your LED that dissipates the difference between the current of the LED and 0,42A.
Mind the wattage: a 56 Ohm resistor at 14V dissipates (14*14/56) 3,5W, so you'd have to choice at least a 5W resistor.

For example: if in your LED there is a current of 0,2A you've to add a standard 68Ohm resistor.

Every resistor that dissipates current becomes warm/hot

 

[cmosfxx]

I can't see why anyone should install led lights since the system is not made for them?

Yes I would like to have less power consumption (=more power) but no...I have to add resistors to trick the system. (Same consumption with classic bulbs once again)

If you just like the color buy these blue colored bulbs and you're done with all these non compatible LEDs and resistors...

 

[gioe]

Imho the only reasons are: they've more lumens and they hardly ever burn out. I've replaced my GP's side-lights so in the daylight I can use them instead of dipped highlights (here you must drive with car's lights always turned on)