DB9 technical electrical issue
Discussion
Hello fellow Astoners,
Technical electrical problem. I have a 7 year old 9. I recently changed my dim 5w pale grey internal Halogens for some nice super white LED lights. I believe there is already a threat about this started by V8Woolie, this is similar but slightly different.
The lights are bril, but when the engine is started and the lights go out, they don’t completely go out, there is a very dim light still showing. I thought that I had a lose connection, so I took them all out and put them back in. Still the same problem. Took them all out and put the Halogens back in – perfect. When they went off, they went off. Put the LED’s back in and when they went off, they still had a slightly dim light remaining.
Bugger, with all the lights out and not hidden behind the light fittings I changed them one at a time. I found that when I took a bulb out the system worked. Also when I put 1 (one) halogen bulb in, again the system worked perfectly.
Somewhere it appears that the LED’s are still drawing a very small current, when I added the Halogen, it seemed to break the circuit (I’m purely guessing at that one).
I have overcome the problem by putting a halogen bulb in the footwell, so the cabin is beautifully bright, but the footwell is the old bulb which I thought were ok, but since putting in the LED’s now appears to be a dull grey.
Anyone got any advice as to why this would happen? And how to overcome the problem?
Technical electrical problem. I have a 7 year old 9. I recently changed my dim 5w pale grey internal Halogens for some nice super white LED lights. I believe there is already a threat about this started by V8Woolie, this is similar but slightly different.
The lights are bril, but when the engine is started and the lights go out, they don’t completely go out, there is a very dim light still showing. I thought that I had a lose connection, so I took them all out and put them back in. Still the same problem. Took them all out and put the Halogens back in – perfect. When they went off, they went off. Put the LED’s back in and when they went off, they still had a slightly dim light remaining.
Bugger, with all the lights out and not hidden behind the light fittings I changed them one at a time. I found that when I took a bulb out the system worked. Also when I put 1 (one) halogen bulb in, again the system worked perfectly.
Somewhere it appears that the LED’s are still drawing a very small current, when I added the Halogen, it seemed to break the circuit (I’m purely guessing at that one).
I have overcome the problem by putting a halogen bulb in the footwell, so the cabin is beautifully bright, but the footwell is the old bulb which I thought were ok, but since putting in the LED’s now appears to be a dull grey.
Anyone got any advice as to why this would happen? And how to overcome the problem?
The lights must be controlled by an electronic dimmer. These never fully switch off the circuit, they just reduce it to a point where the lights will look off.
LEDs use very little power, so at the very low level from the dimmer, you can see them light up. Put in a big hot-wire conventional bulb, and that will soak up all your electricity but it won't get hot enough to give out any light., so they all look off.
An easy answer would be to put another bulb holder in the circuit somewhere and put your conventional bulb in there and put the LED back in the footwell. Be careful about the heat the conventional bulb will give out, so put it somewhere that it won't do any damage. An alternative might be to put a resistor in series, but we'd need an electronics expert to advise on that
LEDs use very little power, so at the very low level from the dimmer, you can see them light up. Put in a big hot-wire conventional bulb, and that will soak up all your electricity but it won't get hot enough to give out any light., so they all look off.
An easy answer would be to put another bulb holder in the circuit somewhere and put your conventional bulb in there and put the LED back in the footwell. Be careful about the heat the conventional bulb will give out, so put it somewhere that it won't do any damage. An alternative might be to put a resistor in series, but we'd need an electronics expert to advise on that
MichaelV8V said:
An easy answer would be to put another bulb holder in the circuit somewhere and put your conventional bulb in there and put the LED back in the footwell. An alternative might be to put a resistor in series, but we'd need an electronics expert to advise on that
I was thinking along the same lines, I guess a light bulb is a resistor, I don't really want to add a lightbulb if I can add a, "thingamabob", and solve the issue.MichaelV8V said:
The lights must be controlled by an electronic dimmer. These never fully switch off the circuit, they just reduce it to a point where the lights will look off.
LEDs use very little power, so at the very low level from the dimmer, you can see them light up. Put in a big hot-wire conventional bulb, and that will soak up all your electricity but it won't get hot enough to give out any light., so they all look off.
An easy answer would be to put another bulb holder in the circuit somewhere and put your conventional bulb in there and put the LED back in the footwell. Be careful about the heat the conventional bulb will give out, so put it somewhere that it won't do any damage. An alternative might be to put a resistor in series, but we'd need an electronics expert to advise on that
+1 had it on my last roadsterLEDs use very little power, so at the very low level from the dimmer, you can see them light up. Put in a big hot-wire conventional bulb, and that will soak up all your electricity but it won't get hot enough to give out any light., so they all look off.
An easy answer would be to put another bulb holder in the circuit somewhere and put your conventional bulb in there and put the LED back in the footwell. Be careful about the heat the conventional bulb will give out, so put it somewhere that it won't do any damage. An alternative might be to put a resistor in series, but we'd need an electronics expert to advise on that
So on this one I did them all but the foot well lights
It just needs a resistive load in the circuit
MaverickAM9 said:
...The lights are bril, but when the engine is started and the lights go out, they don’t completely go out, there is a very dim light still showing. I thought that I had a lose connection, so I took them all out and put them back in. Still the same problem. Took them all out and put the Halogens back in – perfect. When they went off, they went off. Put the LED’s back in and when they went off, they still had a slightly dim light remaining.
Could it be the LEDs themselves?I’d change them for a different/better make.
The one’s I fitted, explained that LEDs have a built-in current limiting resistor and diode to protect the LED from reversed polarity + - installation. If they are inserted into the socket and they don't light up, you have to turn them around to work.
I didn’t have any problems with the LEDs I fitted (I just took care not to exchange them while the old bulbs were illuminated.)
brakedwell said:
No problems with mine. I have not replaced the puddle light bulbs, which was why I asked the question.
Changing the puddle lights is one of the easier bulbs to do (two minute job) - massive difference.
brakedwell said:
Have you got the spec for these bulbs handy?
2 x 3710-WHP6 (6 LED white high power)Just check in your bulb list from your car’s manual, that your Model Year was fitted with the 37mm festoon.
Here’s the link. I selected the turquoise colour (cool white) when ordering: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/festoon/37...
Here’s the thread on where to lever the puddle light out: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
It's because the controlling ecu runs a small current across all the bulb terminals and other circuits to check for an open / short to ground condition. This is enough to generate a glow from the LED's. You need LED's with a built in resistor. They are sold on ebay sometimes with the incorrect title 'Canbus LED's' which is a misleading title in itself!
Peterr96, I apologise i have not got back to you, I will, my fault, i'm sorry. 
As for the rest of the info on this threat, I have taken it all on board and I have purchased resistors, different LED, Canbus (still don't really understand that) LED's and I will be installing and testing them all.
If all that does not work,
I'm buying a couple of torches from B&Q and gaffer taping them onto the ceiling 
I will tell you how I get on, thanks again ........
As for the rest of the info on this threat, I have taken it all on board and I have purchased resistors, different LED, Canbus (still don't really understand that) LED's and I will be installing and testing them all.
If all that does not work,
I'm buying a couple of torches from B&Q and gaffer taping them onto the ceiling I will tell you how I get on, thanks again ........
A lot of the better quality LED units have a resistor across the supply rails. This essentially fools the bulb fail monitors and also prevents them from lighting when off.
On a different subject but still about quirky lighting, have any of you ever fitted energy saving lamps in your house for the Hallway and upper landing where they are on a double switched circuit?
If so then some of you may notice they pulse on and off very slightly when switched off. a similar reason to the LED's however the fix here is a small capacitor across the supply.
On a different subject but still about quirky lighting, have any of you ever fitted energy saving lamps in your house for the Hallway and upper landing where they are on a double switched circuit?
If so then some of you may notice they pulse on and off very slightly when switched off. a similar reason to the LED's however the fix here is a small capacitor across the supply.
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