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Question About Changing Over To LED’s On A 91
#786971 January 04th 2022 8:34 pm
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soundhd Offline OP
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Looking into changing over all the light bulbs on my 91 to LED’s. All exterior lights (except for the headlights) and interior lights. Wondering if anyone has done this and what problems were run into and what was done to correct it.
Thanks

1/10/2022: Well spent some time on the internet and found an LED bulb site that list’s all the LED’s needed to convert ( ‘cept for the headlights….found those on another site….plug & play but pricey…..200 bucks for each set…have the four headlight model…might wait on those until the body work and paint is done in the spring….). Anyway made up a list for the rest, gonna check it twice tomorrow and place the order…..Will up date when done.

Last edited by soundhd; January 10th 2022 8:44 pm.

Recently purchased (10-2021) a 1991 Chevy G-20 “Shorty”. Past vans are a 1976 Chevy G-10 (purchased new in 1976 & sold in 1995). A 1978 Chevy G-20 Shorty purchased in 2010 and sold in 2015.
1 member likes this: frscke1
Re: Question About Changing Over To LED’s On A 91
soundhd #786978 January 04th 2022 10:46 pm
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Id like to know also .... good question


SUNSHINE VANS-VAN DIEGO
ADRENALIN BY THE GALLON & CHASIN RACIN
ONE FOR THE DIRT & ONE FOR THE STREETS
'93 CHEVY G30 454 4X4 SPORTVAN EXT 146" WB
'92 CHEVY G30 454 BEAUVILLE EXT 146" WB
Re: Question About Changing Over To LED’s On A 91
soundhd #793584 July 30th 2022 12:16 pm
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Any update? Which "LED bulb site" did you use?


1991 Chevy G20 5.7L chevy
Re: Question About Changing Over To LED’s On A 91
soundhd #793675 August 01st 2022 3:53 pm
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soundhd Offline OP
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Have not done anything yet with the headlights…..been busy dealing with the A/C and the cruise control, trying it get to get both working before it goes to the body & paint shop. Still looking around at LED’s

Last edited by soundhd; August 01st 2022 3:54 pm.

Recently purchased (10-2021) a 1991 Chevy G-20 “Shorty”. Past vans are a 1976 Chevy G-10 (purchased new in 1976 & sold in 1995). A 1978 Chevy G-20 Shorty purchased in 2010 and sold in 2015.
Re: Question About Changing Over To LED’s On A 91
soundhd #793679 August 01st 2022 4:51 pm
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I have used this site in the past for LED lights. Great service,but pricey!

https://www.vleds.com/

Bob

Re: Question About Changing Over To LED’s On A 91
soundhd #793696 August 01st 2022 8:49 pm
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soundhd Offline OP
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I did come across the new Holly Retrobright LED headlights. Not cheap but sounds easy to install...just plug them in.


https://www.holley.com/products/electrical/led_lighting/retrobright/parts/LFRB120

https://www.holley.com/products/electrical/led_lighting/retrobright/parts/LFRB140


Recently purchased (10-2021) a 1991 Chevy G-20 “Shorty”. Past vans are a 1976 Chevy G-10 (purchased new in 1976 & sold in 1995). A 1978 Chevy G-20 Shorty purchased in 2010 and sold in 2015.
Re: Question About Changing Over To LED’s On A 91
soundhd #793720 August 02nd 2022 4:56 am
Joined: Apr 2007
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G Van Man
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Cannot help you on the headlights to replace the odd sealed beams, but I have used several different brands of LEDs playing around with several designs to find the best light pattern in the OEM incadescent style reflectors. I ended up finding one that worked best for me and ordered every exterior bulb minus the head lights for my 97 with LEDs from a company called Auxlight. I used Honcs 9005 and 9006 LED replacement headlights but I have composite headlights. I performed the 4-HI mod as well. With all the exterior lights (minus the turn signals and brake lights which are usually only a momentary draw) and with all 4 headlights on, my van was only drawing 4.8 amps.


L[Linked Image]

P[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Last edited by 1983G20Van; August 02nd 2022 4:56 am.

1983 G20 Conversion Van, 350 TPI, Reed Hydraulic Roller cam, Ported 906 Vortec, Edelbrock 3817 TPI-Vortec Base, Doug Thorley Tri-Ys, Dual 2 1/2" exhaust, Speed Density 7730 ECM tuned by ME, 700r4 by ME, Stock 1,600 rpm converter, Rebuilt Stock 10 bolt with posi by ME, 3.08 gears, 358 RWHP @ 5,200, 384 RWTQ @ 3,400, 14.66 @ 95.43 w 2.28s 60'
Re: Question About Changing Over To LED’s On A 91
soundhd #793773 August 03rd 2022 1:57 am
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I love LED's. but the only LEDs I currently use as vehicle exterior signal lighting, is for my rear marker side lights. 194 bulbs, T10 base.

I tried red LED 1157 brake lights. With a simple parabolic reflector most will work OK, from a light output standpoint, but many will not have enough difference between running light and brake signal lights. Often the running light will be too bright. then when one steps on the brake it only gets a little more bright, and then is basically useless for its intended function.

I left the 1157 LEDs in my brake lights for a while until someone shouted that my brake light was out. Sure enough, and while I had the stick on the brakepedal, the other LED light bulb which seemed way too dim, started flickering, and when I powered it up outside the housing only half of its leds lit up. and 1/2 of those started flickering after 20 seconds.

Waste of 25$, lasted about 14 months. I wonder how long I was driving around with one half assed brake light before that one driver yelled at me.

Do note one should put red leds behind a red lens. a white bulb behind a red lens, will looks a sickly pink, and the driver of said vehicle will be advertising their limited brain capacity to all.

I returned the 3496 incandescent bulbs, which are a bit brighter than 1157. Its been a couple years now, perhaps the LED offerings are better, more reliable long term, perhaps not. They drive the LEDs pretty hard to make them as bright as they are, and they do not have enough heat dissipation.

Also note that cold LEDs will be brighter than hot ones, so the initial 'wow that is brighter' factor is a bit false. Lux meter apps on one's phone can prove that which the human eye cannot discern.

Pre 1157 brake light failure, I got some amber 1157 LED bulbs, but found them disconcertingly, and obnoxiously bright, and returned the incandescents there too. Another 30$ wasted.

Headlamps are another subject entirely. Very strong opinions and lots of bad info on both sides of the argument.

I hate being blinded by someone who has put LEDS into halogen housings and either declared their new purchase is not too glaring to oncoming drivers, or don't care, or perhaps that is their intention. ALED bulb in halogen housing might have a sharp cut-off, but that does not mean too much light is not shining above that cutoff and blinding oncoming drivers.

Lots of the younger tuners round here run their LEDs in their halogen housings, and when walking my dog at night, its like they have their high beams on, but almost none of the light is actually on the road where it is needed, instead, it is lighting up the trees and the road ahead, just a dim bluish glow.
But, its bluish tint compliments their fart can exhaust attitude.

I often see the same cars at night walking my dog. The worse offender last week was driving with just one blueish tint headlamp lighting up the trees, and just tonight I saw, from an elevated position on the side of the road, he had halogen bulbs back in his housings and there was actually an actual wide flat beam of light on the road an appropriate distance ahead, instead of a diffuse bluish glow lighting up the trees.

JWSpeaker sell very well engineered LEDS which can drop into most sealed beam locations. Very $$$. Tons of knock offs available, with great reviews, buyer beware.

The holley retrofits were professionally tested by a Genuine light nazi over on candlepower forums, in terms of actual beam shape and intensity, and declared them a huge disappointment.

My Van takes 6054 5x7" sealed beams. A decade ago or so I wired them with 12awg and relays, and instead of them receiving 2.5v less than 'alternator' voltage, they get within 0.3volts of alternator voltage. The halogen bulb getting 13.6v is about 70% brighter than the bulb getting 11.5. Its a huge difference in output just doing relays, and will take most of the load off the headlamp switch, high/low dimmer switch, and all the many connections passing through firewall.

A while back I bought Hella sealed beam 200 mm 5x7 replacements SAE not the E code, which take an H4 replaceable bulb. This was a huge improvement over Sylvania silverstar sealed beams, especially on high beam. I Use Phillips xtreme +130 bulbs, with the blue tint bands scraped off the bulb surface, with a razor blade.

Aimed properly and they have fantastic reach, and no excessive glare to oncoming drivers and are likely the best high beams I have driven behind.

The +130 bulbs use a smaller filament that is more precisely located within the bulb, and able to use the reflector more precisely for better beam pattern. The trade off is bulb life.

Phillips has 'racingvision' + 150 and +200 bulbs out, but the blue banding, which is designed for 'whiter' light, actually attenuates output by some 12 to 20%.
When my +130s fail, I'll get the +200s and strip that blue banding off. They are still 'whiter' than sealed beams with teh blue removed. There is some blue under the tip of the bulb which is blacked out.




Apparently, KOITO, makes a much better 6054 / 200mm 5x7 than the Hella's I own, but about 2x the price.

Not sure exactly which headlight bulbs a '91 chevy g20 uses.
There is a ton of junk available, and very few will ever admit it is not an overwhelming improvement.

Technically putting LED bulbs into halogen headlight housings is illegal in any On road situation, but obviously unenforced. A few companies selling the drops ins have been required to offer halogen replacements and a refund a they were too bright or too glaring. I think most try and say 'for offroad use only' to avoid being sued/fined.

DanielStern.com might still be patient enough to make recommendations Via Email, for the best legal lighting options for your specific vehicle, but do not expect to be told what you want to hear.

Re: Question About Changing Over To LED’s On A 91
wrcsixeight #793781 August 03rd 2022 10:02 am
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 249
Likes: 59
1
G Van Man
Offline
G Van Man
1
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 249
Likes: 59
Originally Posted by wrcsixeight
I love LED's. but the only LEDs I currently use as vehicle exterior signal lighting, is for my rear marker side lights. 194 bulbs, T10 base.

I tried red LED 1157 brake lights. With a simple parabolic reflector most will work OK, from a light output standpoint, but many will not have enough difference between running light and brake signal lights. Often the running light will be too bright. then when one steps on the brake it only gets a little more bright, and then is basically useless for its intended function.

I left the 1157 LEDs in my brake lights for a while until someone shouted that my brake light was out. Sure enough, and while I had the stick on the brakepedal, the other LED light bulb which seemed way too dim, started flickering, and when I powered it up outside the housing only half of its leds lit up. and 1/2 of those started flickering after 20 seconds.

Waste of 25$, lasted about 14 months. I wonder how long I was driving around with one half assed brake light before that one driver yelled at me.

Do note one should put red leds behind a red lens. a white bulb behind a red lens, will looks a sickly pink, and the driver of said vehicle will be advertising their limited brain capacity to all.

I returned the 3496 incandescent bulbs, which are a bit brighter than 1157. Its been a couple years now, perhaps the LED offerings are better, more reliable long term, perhaps not. They drive the LEDs pretty hard to make them as bright as they are, and they do not have enough heat dissipation.

Also note that cold LEDs will be brighter than hot ones, so the initial 'wow that is brighter' factor is a bit false. Lux meter apps on one's phone can prove that which the human eye cannot discern.

Pre 1157 brake light failure, I got some amber 1157 LED bulbs, but found them disconcertingly, and obnoxiously bright, and returned the incandescents there too. Another 30$ wasted.

Headlamps are another subject entirely. Very strong opinions and lots of bad info on both sides of the argument.

I hate being blinded by someone who has put LEDS into halogen housings and either declared their new purchase is not too glaring to oncoming drivers, or don't care, or perhaps that is their intention. ALED bulb in halogen housing might have a sharp cut-off, but that does not mean too much light is not shining above that cutoff and blinding oncoming drivers.

Lots of the younger tuners round here run their LEDs in their halogen housings, and when walking my dog at night, its like they have their high beams on, but almost none of the light is actually on the road where it is needed, instead, it is lighting up the trees and the road ahead, just a dim bluish glow.
But, its bluish tint compliments their fart can exhaust attitude.

I often see the same cars at night walking my dog. The worse offender last week was driving with just one blueish tint headlamp lighting up the trees, and just tonight I saw, from an elevated position on the side of the road, he had halogen bulbs back in his housings and there was actually an actual wide flat beam of light on the road an appropriate distance ahead, instead of a diffuse bluish glow lighting up the trees.

JWSpeaker sell very well engineered LEDS which can drop into most sealed beam locations. Very $$$. Tons of knock offs available, with great reviews, buyer beware.

The holley retrofits were professionally tested by a Genuine light nazi over on candlepower forums, in terms of actual beam shape and intensity, and declared them a huge disappointment.

My Van takes 6054 5x7" sealed beams. A decade ago or so I wired them with 12awg and relays, and instead of them receiving 2.5v less than 'alternator' voltage, they get within 0.3volts of alternator voltage. The halogen bulb getting 13.6v is about 70% brighter than the bulb getting 11.5. Its a huge difference in output just doing relays, and will take most of the load off the headlamp switch, high/low dimmer switch, and all the many connections passing through firewall.

A while back I bought Hella sealed beam 200 mm 5x7 replacements SAE not the E code, which take an H4 replaceable bulb. This was a huge improvement over Sylvania silverstar sealed beams, especially on high beam. I Use Phillips xtreme +130 bulbs, with the blue tint bands scraped off the bulb surface, with a razor blade.

Aimed properly and they have fantastic reach, and no excessive glare to oncoming drivers and are likely the best high beams I have driven behind.

The +130 bulbs use a smaller filament that is more precisely located within the bulb, and able to use the reflector more precisely for better beam pattern. The trade off is bulb life.

Phillips has 'racingvision' + 150 and +200 bulbs out, but the blue banding, which is designed for 'whiter' light, actually attenuates output by some 12 to 20%.
When my +130s fail, I'll get the +200s and strip that blue banding off. They are still 'whiter' than sealed beams with teh blue removed. There is some blue under the tip of the bulb which is blacked out.




Apparently, KOITO, makes a much better 6054 / 200mm 5x7 than the Hella's I own, but about 2x the price.

Not sure exactly which headlight bulbs a '91 chevy g20 uses.
There is a ton of junk available, and very few will ever admit it is not an overwhelming improvement.

Technically putting LED bulbs into halogen headlight housings is illegal in any On road situation, but obviously unenforced. A few companies selling the drops ins have been required to offer halogen replacements and a refund a they were too bright or too glaring. I think most try and say 'for offroad use only' to avoid being sued/fined.

DanielStern.com might still be patient enough to make recommendations Via Email, for the best legal lighting options for your specific vehicle, but do not expect to be told what you want to hear.

The only blinding LEDs or HIDs I have noticed are on factory vehicles. I notice the issue more than anything on lifted trucks and SUVs. That and these stupid insanely bright TV screen like signs they let businesses errect near the highway that are absolutely blinding.

Don't get me started on aiming. Literally no parts changing monkey nows how to properly aim a headlight and headliht aim is not checked during an inspection. Compounded with the fact that nobody feels the need to use their dimmer switch around here.


1983 G20 Conversion Van, 350 TPI, Reed Hydraulic Roller cam, Ported 906 Vortec, Edelbrock 3817 TPI-Vortec Base, Doug Thorley Tri-Ys, Dual 2 1/2" exhaust, Speed Density 7730 ECM tuned by ME, 700r4 by ME, Stock 1,600 rpm converter, Rebuilt Stock 10 bolt with posi by ME, 3.08 gears, 358 RWHP @ 5,200, 384 RWTQ @ 3,400, 14.66 @ 95.43 w 2.28s 60'

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