Installing L.E.D car headlights to an old car

Retro6

Retro6

Retro6

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I want to retro fit some L.E.D car head lights to an old Escort XR3 but connecting the L.E.D lights straight from the power source might not be a good idea as I don't want to risk blowing them without anything limiting the current. Should I put a resistor inline and if so what resistor would I need?

They are fog lights.

I'm going to assume I will need some kind of power resistor. I've been looking at 50watt 60ohm load resistors would these be the ones I need?

Thanks.
 
LED's usually run anyything from 12 to 24 Volts, the only time resistors are needed are for Canbus Errors. You can safely run them on the old wiring as they draw much less than a Halogen and voltage will not be an issue.
 
Its not the voltage I am worried about, its the current. If too much current goes into an L.E.D it can either burn out faster or blow it straight away. I would have thought most L.E.D lights need a resistor to the limit current?

I'll hook one up and run it for a while...
 
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Unless you're literally trying to bodge some discrete LED components into a fog light, I would have thought whatever bulbs you're looking at will have the necessary components to feed the LEDs the correct voltage and current from the original bulb wiring/connector.
 
Current will not be an issue, it will only draw what it needs. you could literally run Monster Cables capable of 100+Amps direct from the Battery and the LED will be fine.
 
Retro6 said:
Its not the voltage I am worried about, its the current. If too much current goes into an L.E.D it can either burn out faster or blow it straight away. I would have thought most L.E.D lights need a resistor to the limit current?

I'll hook one up and run it for a while...
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Current isn't pushed, it's pulled. As long as the lamps aren't crap, they will only draw what they need.

Also, beaten like a Ginger stepchild, @Finglonga explained this already.
 
Retro6 said:
I want to retro fit some L.E.D car head lights to an old Escort XR3
Click to expand...

Not legal but I'm sure you probably already know that

“Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with high intensity discharge (HID) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp.”
 
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