'06 Elise has LED tail lights

[TEAM MAG]

The new Elise has LED tail lights. I have not seen any but I assume they are the same configuration as the old round tail lights, same ones used on the 2002 and later Esprits. Anyone know if these can be fitted to the Esprit? Is it a matter of just changing the bulbs since the lenses/housings are the same?

[SDD]

I don't know if the Elise light assemblies can be fit to the Esprit.

There are, however, aftermarket LED bulbs available to fit any car.

For example, see

www.superbrightleds.com

I've not tried these myself, nor even seen them at all, but they are available in white, red, and amber.

I seem to recall that it is recommended to use the same color LED bulb as the lens. That is, use a red LED bulb to illuminate a red lens, amber LED to illuminate an amber lens.

--Dave

The new Elise has LED tail lights. I have not seen any but I assume they are the same configuration as the old round tail lights, same ones used on the 2002 and later Esprits. Anyone know if these can be fitted to the Esprit? Is it a matter of just changing the bulbs since the lenses/housings are the same?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[madmezza]

I've done a bit of playing around with LED lights, and I haven't had much success with ones you can buy from places like UltraLED's (.co.uk). However, my "research" is ongoing...

I've tried the standard brightness bulbs in the indicators (yellow LEDs), but they just weren't bright enough, and I haven't got around to trying the brighter ones yet.

I'm playing around a bit with discrete LEDs to build a set of rear and front lights - I have some 12000mcd red LEDs which I will mount on a PCB, with a PIC driving them using PWM to give both brake (100% duty cycle) and normal rear lights (say, 50% duty cycle). I was going to play a bit with adding a quick strobe on application of the brakes so they are VERY noticeable, and a fade in for the rear lights when you switch them on!

I've also got some 18000mcd white LED's which are VERY, VERY bright - I was going to maybe replace the front sidelights with these - I'll have to see.

By the way, replacing the bulbs is all a potential MOT failure as they won't have been certified to the appropriate standard. But, hey, most of the stuff we do probably risks the MOT!

I'll let you all know if I have any success with the lights...

[hovgaard]

...with a PIC driving them using PWM to give both brake (100% duty cycle) and normal rear lights (say, 50% duty cycle).  I was going to play a bit with adding a quick strobe on application of the brakes so they are VERY noticeable, and a fade in for the rear lights when you switch them on!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I recall, brake lights are required to be 4 times brighter than rear lights. And the strobe feature should probably be switchable for MOT purposes!

If you can make strobes and fades, you could also consider animations if you put enough LEDs into the lamp...

[madmezza]

As I recall, brake lights are required to be 4 times brighter than rear lights. And the strobe feature should probably be switchable for MOT purposes!

If you can make strobes and fades, you could also consider animations if you put enough LEDs into the lamp...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Like the animation idea!

Unfortunately, fading and strobing is easy as you just control all the LED's at once, and animations would require individual control of the LEDS - there are many ways of doing this, but they all add significant complexity to what is effectively a safety critical application (if your brake lights don't come on, you have a BIGGG problem! )

However, I suppose these isn't too much reason why I couldn't bank the LEDs into a set of 4 (or so) strips - then you could have rolling lines! All a big gimmicky, though - the stobing idea was purely for extra visibility, and just momentarily as you hit the brake pedal.

Thanks for the 4x info. I'm not whether brightness is linear or logarithmic as seen by the eyes. If it's linear, then I can just run at 25% duty cycle, but if it's log then 25% brightness will be... actually, I'm fairly sure it's linear otherwise a mains dimmer switch (which just clips the mains waveform) would be non-linear and they're not.

[bingoking]

At the Factory Visit I followed a Red Esprit on the track that had Elise LED tail lights fitted and spoke to the driver afterwards. Didn't get his details but he said they were simply plug and go, although Lotus had to come up with some elecrical fix to stop them interfering with the ABS.

[Dermot]

Brian,

That mystery "Red Esprit" was me. The new 2006 Elise LED lights will work straight out of the box on Esprits fitted with the Kelsey-Hayes ABS system (MY 96 - on). It you already have the 2002 rear valance and the older style lights you will also need two additional Lotus wiring looms.

Esprits fitted with the Delco-Moraine ABS system (MY 91-95) will experience a conflict between the new lights and the ABS system which triggers the ABS warning light. Fitment of the these new LED lights on this setup is currently not Lotus approved. All I can say is that it can be made to work.

I guess if you have a pre-ABS Esprit then I expect there will be no electrical issues with fitting them.

Pictures on my site, but I need to get some better ones.

Dermot

[bingoking]

Brian,

That mystery "Red Esprit" was me. The new 2006 Elise LED lights will work straight out of the box on Esprits fitted with the Kelsey-Hayes ABS system (MY 96 - on). It you already have the 2002 rear valance and the older style lights you will also need two additional Lotus wiring looms.

Esprits fitted with the Delco-Moraine ABS system (MY 91-95) will experience a conflict between the new lights and the ABS system which triggers the ABS warning light. Fitment of the these new LED lights on this setup is currently not Lotus approved. All I can say is that it can be made to work.

I guess if you have a pre-ABS Esprit then I expect there will be no electrical issues with fitting them.

Pictures on my site, but I need to get some better ones.

Dermot

Dermot,

Thanks for responding. My car is a 2003 model but I am not sure what ABS system is fitted. I will contact Lotus direct to ask what mods if any need to be carried out.

Regards,

Brian

[Dermot]

Dermot,

Thanks for responding. My car is a 2003 model but I am not sure what ABS system is fitted. I will contact Lotus direct to ask what mods if any need to be carried out.

Regards,

Brian

Brian,

See my reply. According to Espritfactfile

Esprit V8: May '96

Esprit V8: VIN: T 5009 car after 1996

Have the later ABS system. So you will be fine just fitting it.

Dermot

[2003 V8 TT]

Brian,

That mystery "Red Esprit" was me. The new 2006 Elise LED lights will work straight out of the box on Esprits fitted with the Kelsey-Hayes ABS system (MY 96 - on). It you already have the 2002 rear valance and the older style lights you will also need two additional Lotus wiring looms.

Esprits fitted with the Delco-Moraine ABS system (MY 91-95) will experience a conflict between the new lights and the ABS system which triggers the ABS warning light. Fitment of the these new LED lights on this setup is currently not Lotus approved. All I can say is that it can be made to work.

I guess if you have a pre-ABS Esprit then I expect there will be no electrical issues with fitting them.

Pictures on my site, but I need to get some better ones.

Dermot

Thank you, Dermot. BTW, great footage of you and your car on the Lotus Esprit: Addicted for Life DVD.

Could you please elaborate on the so called "two additional wiring looms?" (What they are and where to source them.)

Thanks,

Will

'03 V8

[gmendoza]

Actually the original poster already has the LED's installed on his car. They look very nice on Bill's car along with all the other mods he's done.

[Dermot]

The new LED lights are new sealed units. They are more expensive than the earlier filament bulb type. You cannot convert from the old round lights Mk2 Elise lights by buying new leds and droping them in.

Will if you have the latest wiring that supports the old style round lights you need these short adaptor looms that have balancing resistors in them to adjust the impedance of the circuit. They are about

[2003 V8 TT]

The new LED lights are new sealed units. They are more expensive than the earlier filament bulb type. You cannot convert from the old round lights Mk2 Elise lights by buying new leds and droping them in.

Will if you have the latest wiring that supports the old style round lights you need these short adaptor looms that have balancing resistors in them to adjust the impedance of the circuit. They are about

[doporto]

If its not to much troube could someone please post the part #'s for the lights, looms and anything else that may be needed.

Steve doPorto

[bingoking]

I haven't got round to changing the lights on my car yet, however I have tested 1 unit on my car.

I have an '08 Elise with the LED lights and had a problem with one of the units whereby the indicator bulb came out of the holder and dropped into the fitting. I had to remove the unit to retrieve the bulb and whilst it was off the Elise I fitted it to the Esprit (2003 model) and tested the lights. All the bulbs worked correctly.

My plan now is to remove the 4 units from the Elise and fit these to the Esprit to test that they work and that the ABS is not affected before I purchase new fittings. I will try and get round to it this weekend and let you know how I got on. The fittings are quite expensive, Murray Motors quoted something like

[th4neuk]

A shameless plug but PNM had a demo kit fitted to the yellow esprit at Donnington which is a retro fit kit.

Might be worth a look as I think it was cheaper than the originals.

Cheers

[mangel]

Think thats available through Superdavelotus site!!