LED vs cold cathode

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Old Feb 17, 2009 | 09:18 PM
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LED vs cold cathode

Hey guys, Im really sorry if this is posted in the wrong section. I was just curious, I want to get either a LED or cold cathode light for my license plate. Would the LED or cold cathode be better? And Im still deciding between white or blue so Id appreciate your comments with that too. Thanks a lot guys...
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Old Feb 17, 2009 | 09:24 PM
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LED's are simple plug and play, Cold cathodes require a little bit of work to get in there, but they are much brighter. Go with white and stay legal, you don't want to get pulled over for blue. My vote is for LED
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Old Feb 18, 2009 | 03:39 AM
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go LED.. just more simple and basically the same.. .yes the CC tubes are slightly brighter but we're really picking hairs at this point. I also feel that CC tubes are more inclined to break.
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Old Feb 18, 2009 | 04:08 AM
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Cold Cathode will stop working over time but a properly installed LED system will easily last the life of the car.......
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Old Feb 18, 2009 | 10:53 AM
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thanks for the replies so far guys... looks like ill probably go with the LED's. I did not know that any color besides white is illegal.

Where would you recommend buying the LED's from? Thanks again
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Old Feb 18, 2009 | 02:57 PM
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Does TecToyz sell the license plate LED bulbs?
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Old Feb 18, 2009 | 06:00 PM
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V-Leds.com

http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Control/P...id/0/SFV/32481

Tons of people on here are running these.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 02:41 PM
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What about the reverse lights, is anybody changing those ( there are so many choices) ? Thanks for the help!
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 03:13 PM
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^ 14 LED M-SMT Reverse lights @ V-LEDs.com. Bulb is a 921

These things are hella bright. I absolutely love them. Thanks to Msala524 for the find.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 03:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Trew
^ 14 LED M-SMT Reverse lights @ V-LEDs.com. Bulb is a 921

These things are hella bright. I absolutely love them. Thanks to Msala524 for the find.
super bright!!
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 03:39 PM
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I told you, you would like them. The make the car look super clean when backing up, plus there pretty bright.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 04:23 PM
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yea too bad I may be selling mine soon
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 04:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Trew
yea too bad I may be selling mine soon
I'm a corrupter! msala will soon follow. LoL
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 05:28 PM
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u guys are gay!
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 05:36 PM
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^^^

OP: My theme is BLUE (guess why LOL)....i have BLUE LEDS inside and out....My reverse lights are blue as well....my license plates were blue but I got pulled over and got a compliance ticket....so well i switched it out for whites....

I would say put 12 led 921 size cluster everywhere....bright as a motherfawker!!!!
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 05:41 PM
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Any lights besides white in the domes.. just doesnt make sense. Dont get me wrong, blue, red and any other color under the sun looks nice .. but totally defeats the purpose of domes and you convert the domes into more of a brighter amnbient lighting than normal lights use to see with. It looses its function and just not practical for its purpose. Especially blue reverse lights, I want the brightest and whitest light I can get in my reverses!
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 05:44 PM
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Don't hate Raj, I used to have blue LED'S for reverse lights and I loved them! I only wanted to get white cause they were brighter.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 05:55 PM
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Originally Posted by msala524
Don't hate Raj, I used to have blue LED'S for reverse lights and I loved them! I only wanted to get white cause they were brighter.
So you're proving my point then?
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 06:00 PM
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^^^ get 12 leds or HID....those are BRIGHT....

@raj...one mans food is other mans poison
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 06:04 PM
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ty swoosh your my dawg. Raj has no idea of class Maybe we can talk some sense into him.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by swoosh
^^^ get 12 leds or HID....those are BRIGHT....
Haha.. no doubt.. your wish is my command... stay tuned......

And swoosh, you have pics of your underbody lighting? I'm curious...post up.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 06:25 PM
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I did the cold cathode light, and I couldn't be any more happy with the results. Nice white light and really gives it a look similar to the lights Lexus uses
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 08:13 PM
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yup, i did the cold cathode light too, but the lexus bright white is what i was looking for. if you dont care too much and jus want bright lights shining on your plate, LEDs will be suffice. they're really bright too.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 09:56 PM
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I will go with the LED's. I'll do the reverse and the license plate before the Chi-town meet. I think the blue LED (to match my interior) would not look good. I have very picky POLICE where I live.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 10:42 PM
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Originally Posted by msala524
ty swoosh your my dawg. Raj has no idea of class Maybe we can talk some sense into him.
Not a problem dude....

Originally Posted by Elegant TYPE S
Haha.. no doubt.. your wish is my command... stay tuned......

And swoosh, you have pics of your underbody lighting? I'm curious...post up.
i had these on for a while and then i lost the feel for them so i still do have it on my car but dont turn them on....there is a little control switch inside in the footwell which does a whole bunch of things to the LEDs....they are white but look BLUE









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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 10:51 PM
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My vote goes to CCFL for the license plate (that's coming from an LED guy too!) I put mine in and no problems at all for 1.5 yrs. Nice bright, clean, white light, with wide dispersion. Lexus style. LEDs are known to die prematurely in the license plate. It's maybe because of the shock or repeated closure of the trunk, I dunno. Most people think the CCFL install is tricky but it is really MUCH easier than it looks. It is a 1 hr. mod and is easily reversible. The DIY on the forum are great. Best thing? It's just a $10 mod. Did I sell you on it yet?
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 11:01 PM
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i also vote for the Cathodes. im a LED guy myself. ive tired numours LEDs back there and almost all of them failed or didnt put out the light i wanted. so i went with the cathodes. rockyfeller is right the install isnt hard at all. and the results are awesome!

as rockyfeller said the light is a bright and white. IMHO the LEDs look "ricey". i didnt like that look.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 11:07 PM
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Cathodes are the way to go. The result is almost identical to the lexus lights. Looks much cleaner IMO. LED's dont direct the light as well either and are kind of dull. Plus they fade and burn out more often. Just my two cents.
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Old Feb 19, 2009 | 11:44 PM
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Thumbs up

i LOVE the look of my cathodes!!
i used 2 4" bars and used aluminum tape as reflecters and they are super bright!!

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Old Mar 6, 2009 | 08:32 AM
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Well I was gonna order the pair everyone gets off v-led but its sold out - the license plate LEDS that is

http://v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/Corne...-p6666489.html

i'm pretty sure it will since its a 194 but to double check, those fit also right?
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Old Mar 6, 2009 | 11:46 AM
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Originally Posted by noxfr0st
Well I was gonna order the pair everyone gets off v-led but its sold out - the license plate LEDS that is

http://v-leds.com/Exterior-LED/Corne...-p6666489.html

i'm pretty sure it will since its a 194 but to double check, those fit also right?
Yes, the socket is 194. That is what I'm running.
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