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Old 09-04-2010, 03:03 PM
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crhenkel crhenkel is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Decatur, Illinois, USA
Posts: 616
Dont use an LED bulb in Charge indicator

No, I am ok with putting the OEM bulb back in the warning light for the battery charge indicator. The main reason I put LED bulbs in was that all the other bulbs were the much smaller bulbs and they put out dull dim light that made the warning lights easy to miss in the day light. The LED bulbs are brighter, more colorful, and are not hot. The instrument cluster has enough problems with hot bulbs and solder joints as it is, so I figured it was an added benefit to cut down on power draw and heat. They worked great, bright and good deep color. Only catch is I didnt think that the led would cause a charging issue. I didnt notice it right away cause I drive the car infrequently and when I did, I didnt have headlamps or AC on. The day I notices it was 98 degrees F. AC on high and headlights made voltage drop so low I noticed the volt meter at 9 volts and the dash lights were dim. Figured the alt or voltage reg was bad no big deal. Voltage reg tested bad, and I replaced it, but it didnt fix the problem. Replaces alternator, volt reg still showed bad. That is when I figured it was not charging system but a power draw. Now I know the field on the alternator voltage regulator was not getting excited due to the LED bulb not providing enough resistance. Ironic, but an easy fix.
Back in with the OEM bulb, the otehr LEDS can stay.
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Christopher Henkel
1990 190E 2.6 - Arctic white SOLD
1986 190E-16v - Blauswartze
1993 300CE - SOLD
2003 W208 CLK 320 Cabriolet - Magma Red
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