Replacing the only non-LED bulb: the 4 vanity lights

Mine came today and work fine, but I was surprised to see that there was no covering over the LED emitters. No reason there has to be, I guess...


Sent from my iPad using Inside EVs
 
My final post on these before moving on:
If you wonder about the color of the LED vs OEM, I can tell you this.
The overhead lights that come on with the door are a warm white while the convenience lights that come on with push of button are bluish white. The LEDs I linked to are in between in color or what I would call a cool white.
Moving on...
 
So I just got these, and I may be alone in my opinion, but I'm not crazy about them. First, although they're brighter, they seem to produce more glare than the stock lights. So when you're looking at yourself in the mirror, I don't see any real advantage, since the glare overshadows the additional brightness.

Then there's the issue of color temperature. Although they're not a cold blue light, they're not nearly as flattering as the warmer stock lights.

The bottom line is I removed them and put back the stock lights. :(
 
Ken7 said:
So I just got these, and I may be alone in my opinion, but I'm not crazy about them. First, although they're brighter, they seem to produce more glare than the stock lights. So when you're looking at yourself in the mirror, I don't see any real advantage, since the glare overshadows the additional brightness.

Then there's the issue of color temperature. Although they're not a cold blue light, they're not nearly as flattering as the warmer stock lights.

The bottom line is I removed them and put back the stock lights. :(
Click to expand...
If you find them too bright, you can do what I did. Just turn then a bit off center as much as you like to reduce the output. Makes the glare problem go away. Can’t do anything about the color temp though.
 
That's true Ken, but once you turn them enough to minimize glare (I did try that), you then lose much of the brightness advantage and are left with the less flattering color.
 
My tint shop accidentally burned my visor and had to order me another one so I have an extra lens cover if anybody breaks in of theirs. Just private msg me ams I’ll find e you my address to send a stamped envelope to.
 
KentuckyKen said:
Every light in our Claritys is a LED except the 4 vanity lights on the 2 visors.
I know the draw of these light is infinitesimal and that they are rarely on, but hey, it’s the principle of the thing!
Just can’t sleep at night knowing there are incandescent bulbs in my high tech Clarity.
Click to expand...

Hah! You think this is OCD? How about those Tesla car owners whose visor mirrors don't have any vanity lights, and undertake a DIY project to add them? Tesla fans can out-OCD y'all any day of the week! With one hand tied behind our backs, even! ;)

A Tesla Motors Club forum discussion: "Visor Mirror Light Project"
-
 
Ken7 said:
That looks like a fuse (if your post wasn’t tongue in cheek). ;)
Click to expand...

Hmmm, I thought that was a joke, until I saw the last photo in KentuckyKen's post #17, above. I've never seen any light bulbs like that!

Looks like whoever designed those bulbs designed them to be the same size and shape as a fuse, so they could use off-the-shelf fuse mounting clips (or whatever they're called) for the hardware.
-
 
Pushmi-Pullyu said:
Hah! You think this is OCD? How about those Tesla car owners whose visor mirrors don't have any vanity lights, and undertake a DIY project to add them? Tesla fans can out-OCD y'all any day of the week! With one hand tied behind our backs, even! ;)

A Tesla Motors Club forum discussion: "Visor Mirror Light Project"
-
Click to expand...
I’ll have you know sir, that I do not have OCD, I have CDO; it’s like OCD but all the *#¥•@&€ letters are in alphabetical order like they’re supposed to be!!!!
BTAIM, I know I can always count on you and the llamas for good advice or much needed humor. Thanks again.
 
Fantastic set of photos!

The ability to compare them directly was a great help. Very clever and helpful to take photos while in the midst of changing the bulbs. You also provided two comparisons: LEDs on driver side vs. regulars on passenger -- and left and right around the same mirror. It let us see the contrast easily.

Thanks!

By the way, I solved the issue of ensuring that the lighting was flattering -- I simply stuck up photos of George Clooney and Jennifer Aniston over the respective mirrors. Or, if your tastes are different, Elvis and Ann Margaret. :-)
 
KentuckyKen said:
Just received and installed the SuperBright LEDs I posted about. They were the exact size of the OEM filament “fuse” size lights. Went in perfect and took all of 5 min. They are much brighter than the OEMs and I do not find them bluish at all. I’d call them cool white. They are just slightly whiter than our convenience lights which I thought were white but look slightly warmer than these.

One thing to note: these LEDs are polarity specific. Touch them to the contacts before pressing them in place and if they don’t light up just reverse them. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Also my original instructions on removal and reinstalling were incorrect. Removal is as stated from prying on cut out on outside top edge but you reinstall by putting the tabs on the top of the cover in first and then you snap in the bottom.

Here are some before and after pix. My apologies for the over exposure and blooming of the light intensity. In real life the OEMs are dim and the LEDs bright. But the colors are representative of how they actually appear. Also included a pix of the opaque cover so you wil know what you’re prying against. I went slow with a dental pik and didn’t break any tabs off.

Bottom line-I don’t think they are blue, just cool white, and so I don’t think the Missus will make you sleep on the sofa if you install these. I’m very happy w them.
Click to expand...

I see it does not take much to break off the top two tabs. It appears you should pry the top down at the same time as you pry from the top outside edge - now I guess I get to order a new cover :eek:
 
Highland58 said:
I see it does not take much to break off the top two tabs. It appears you should pry the top down at the same time as you pry from the top outside edge - now I guess I get to order a new cover :eek:
Click to expand...
I have a spare cover I could send you. Is it the driver’s or passenger side and left or right cover?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top