Got another question for you guys:

I've bought a 31mm festoon LED light to replace my dome light or boot light with it, xenon white color. But the LED light is not turning off completely. Refer to the two videos I've recorded last night:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhIObbJQi9Q

and


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DblFqJ2Yd4Y

Trying on both lights, I don't think that it's the wiring, or any thing like that, is the problem. Would it be the LED light that I bought is faulty? Or do I need one of those CANbus compatible ones (I haven't really wrapped my head around)?

Thanks, in advance, for all your help. Really appreciate it.

Residual current running through the wires. Because leds use less power to turn on than globes they turn slightly on even tho its off. Dont worry tho its not faulty and wont drain your battery and if you wait long enough it does turn off after you turn the car off :happy:

I have had a similar LED bulb in both my TW jalopy and the wife's Subaru Forester for a few years now. Mine switches off immediately, but the wife's is greatly dimmed for a few moments before switching off.
Neither car has had the battery run down.

The kids regularly mess with the light switches and those "dead battery in the morning" days are over

Residual current running through the wires. Because leds use less power to turn on than globes they turn slightly on even tho its off. Dont worry tho its not faulty and wont drain your battery and if you wait long enough it does turn off after you turn the car off :happy:

Hmm.. I really haven't waited that long to see if it's gonna turn off or not. I'll try it tonight.

I had the same problem and I believe it stays on. I fixed it by putting a resistor across the + and - of the LED. Not too high of a value... maybe 100ohm or so.

I had the same problem and I believe it stays on. I fixed it by putting a resistor across the + and - of the LED. Not too high of a value... maybe 100ohm or so.

Hhmm.. I connected them two now on boot and dome light. I waited about an hour, it is still on.

How did you managed to do that? Did you replace your festoon connector?

Edit:
Getting scared that the car won't star tomorrow because of battery drain.. -_-

Edit:
Hooray! Car started this morning. We'll see after an 8 hours work.

Somethings not right there
I know the car uses some sort of mechanism to determine when to shut the power off. Closing the door does not completely break the connection. I have a light delay kit and full LED's in the car. If I use certain colours on the LED's, the light delay would indeed delay and then start fading out, then receive power again and repeat. So somehow it is able to remain powered is there's just the right/wrong amount of draw
As above, a small resistor should fix it

As someone wrote earlier, the drain would be extremely minimal. Unless your car only just starts (as in struggles to wind the motor over) under regular conditions, I wouldnt worry about it at all! And even then... I really wouldnt stress.
I only fixed it because it was annoying knowing it was staying on. You need to either solder the resistor on or you can possibly pop the end caps off and squeeze it under. <0000> is your festoon globe. Connect the resistor across, from the < to the >.

The dome lamp is driven from the electronic module rather than directly from the door switch. The transistor driver can have some leakage current which is normal. This leakage current should be less than 5 milliamp. With a normal incandescent lamp, this small current will not light the lamp. BUT with a LED, this current can make the LED glow faintly. The LED needs at least 1 volt across it to allow it to conduct at all. So to prevent the LED from conducting, place a resistor of not more than 100 ohm as advised by SHEZZA. This resistor will hold the LED voltage in the 'OFF' sate to less than 1.0 volt even if the lamp leakage current is up to 10 milliamp. To check the off state lamp current, connect a milliamp meter across the lamp socket with the lamp removed AND the lamp in the OFF state. The current should be less than 10 mAmp and if it is more, then the lamp driver is too leaky but not necessarily faulty. Regardless of the lamp type (LED or incandescent), the leakage current will flow because it is dependent on the electronics and not the lamp type. The power rating of the resistor will need to be at least 2 watt. A couple of 220 ohm 1 watt resistors connected in parallel would do the job as well.

As someone wrote earlier, the drain would be extremely minimal. Unless your car only just starts (as in struggles to wind the motor over) under regular conditions, I wouldnt worry about it at all! And even then... I really wouldnt stress.
I only fixed it because it was annoying knowing it was staying on. You need to either solder the resistor on or you can possibly pop the end caps off and squeeze it under. <0000> is your festoon globe. Connect the resistor across, from the < to the >.

I confirm that it really is not turning off. So just solder the resistor between the positive and negative pole (of the LED) then?


The dome lamp is driven from the electronic module rather than directly from the door switch. The transistor driver can have some leakage current which is normal. This leakage current should be less than 5 milliamp. With a normal incandescent lamp, this small current will not light the lamp. BUT with a LED, this current can make the LED glow faintly. The LED needs at least 1 volt across it to allow it to conduct at all. So to prevent the LED from conducting, place a resistor of not more than 100 ohm as advised by SHEZZA. This resistor will hold the LED voltage in the 'OFF' sate to less than 1.0 volt even if the lamp leakage current is up to 10 milliamp. To check the off state lamp current, connect a milliamp meter across the lamp socket with the lamp removed AND the lamp in the OFF state. The current should be less than 10 mAmp and if it is more, then the lamp driver is too leaky but not necessarily faulty. Regardless of the lamp type (LED or incandescent), the leakage current will flow because it is dependent on the electronics and not the lamp type. The power rating of the resistor will need to be at least 2 watt. A couple of 220 ohm 1 watt resistors connected in parallel would do the job as well.

100ohm then it is. Do you know where to get those?

So thinking about it, if you have a resistor on it, that means electricity will then now be less = dimmer light?

how's the bootlight switched on/off. Is it possible to set it to auto on which I supose means auto off. so if the circuit can be shut down in such a way maybe that's a solution? I understand that works on some cars with such a problem.

how's the bootlight switched on/off. Is it possible to set it to auto on which I supose means auto off. so if the circuit can be shut down in such a way maybe that's a solution? I understand that works on some cars with such a problem.

Boot light switch is in the closing mechanism. The only "auto off" is to remove the globe. lol

LEDs that glimmer slightly wouldn't drain a healthy battery unless you didn't drive the car for 3 months, so I'd let them glimmer away.
If it really bothers you, try the resistor trick or go back to the standard globes.

I confirm that it really is not turning off. So just solder the resistor between the positive and negative pole (of the LED) then?



100ohm then it is. Do you know where to get those?

So thinking about it, if you have a resistor on it, that means electricity will then now be less = dimmer light?

Do you know where to get those 100ohm resistors, apart from the internet?

Jaycar or Altronics. Whoever is more local to you...

I use RS Components for most of my needs.
Try this address: http://au.rs-online.com/web/p/through-hole-fixed-resistors/0131643/
You need 100 ohm 2 watt.
RS have an office in Perth.
According to my old 2010 catalog, you can use a stock number 131 643. That is 100 ohm 2 watt and they come in packs of 10 for $1.90 per pack
Hope this helps.