Hiya guys! I'm new here, and I own a 2005 Cavalier. Just bought it a few days ago too, and I have ideas with it. Anyways... My question...
I have this blue light that replaces the normal interior light. The package said it is supposed to run off of any 12 volt system (if I remember right). It is really cool looking and it makes an awesome blue glow, yet... The light doesn't shut off. As soon as the light goes in, it turns on with this really dim look. It keeps this dim look no matter what. If the car is on, off, running, etc.
Is there a problem with the light itself, or is this supposed to happen? I don't want to keep it in all the time cause I'm afraid that it will run down the battery since it stays on all the time. Will it go off, or do I need a new light? How do I go about this? I'm pretty new when it comes to putting on after market lights and what not, so please don't make fun of me, lol
How about a little more info on the item.
More info...? Hmmmm...
I don't really know how else to describe it? Its a small blue light that is supposed to fit into any 12 volt light system? It was called a HID light I believe? Anyways, it fits where the normal interior light goes (on the ceiling). If I had a digital camera, I'd be able to show ya a pic.
When I put it in, it has a low glow to it showing that it is on for the most part. When I turn the switch to turn "on" the interior light, it gets really bright and nice looking. However, when I turn "off" the interior light, it stays on with this dim glow. This dim glow stays on when the car is running, off, etc. I don't know if this is normal or not.
if its an l.e.d. it probably always stay on because l.e.d.s are me sensitive to electric current that an incandecent bulb(filiment bulb). it wont drain your battery either, ive had one in my dome light for a little over a year and it hasnt done anything to the battery yet. i just ignored it the eventually i forgot about it. hope this helps!!
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I concur, sounds like a led replacement to me, and yes led's do not require as much current to light up, thus it will stay dim even when the car is on, but for a normal bulb there would not be enough current to cause it to light. So it sounds like a LED replacement, I have one and even mine stays dim all the time. hope that helps some
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Oh? Well as long as it is supposed to stay on with that dim glow, thats awesome then.
I wasn't really that worried about it running down the battery, specially since my Cavalier has battery run-down protection. However, if it doesn't pull that much power anyways and you all say it is fine, thats good enough for me.
Thanks guys
Find the name and brand on the package and post it. Ill do a search to see if i can find a pic for you.
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true.
I would have the name, had I not thrown away the little silver bag it came in. I do remember that it said like HID Replacement. Fits into any 12 system, just remove old bulb and insert.
I kept the bulb in yesterday, and the dim glow I mentioned would stop after like 10 minutes or so. So I guess there isn't a problem?
Does it come on full power when a door is open, as it should?
This is very interesting and somewhat confusing to myself lol.
It could be a lower wattage, that could be why its dimmer. Although Im not sure why it would stay on.
Even if it is a LED, that is more sensitive to elctrical current... When your dome light is off, it should be off... like 0.00 volts going to it. I checked mine with a meter and it starts at about 12.58 (which is normal) then fades to 0.00.
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Some Real hid bulbs have them glow rings. Maybe it kinda the same thing. Those glow rings glow for a short time before turning completely off.
Fact 1:
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true.
ok so if its on all the time and u REALLY dont want it to be.
just wire in a manual override switch and mount it by your dimmer. that way you can FORCE it to cut all current going to the led.
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If it's an LED, then I assume that there are some electronics, plus the LED, therefore, I am also going to assume that when voltage is shut off to the light, there is still a charged capacitor in the works, so the dim light that you see is merely parasitic loss through the led. Nothing to worry about, you're not draining the car battery, you're draining the circuit that allows the LED to light on a 12 volt circuit. DO NOT install a switch, it will accomplish nothing.
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hye, where did you get it from? like autozone? see anything like red?
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You could buy a blue bulb cover and put it over your dome light and it would be just like your dome light on and off when you want it too.
I'm not big I play big
You could buy a blue bulb cover and put it over your dome light and it would be just like your dome light on when you open the door and off when you close it. Want it on all the time just turn on from your dimmer.
I'm not big I play big
I dont think even a small 12v capacitor would run an led for more then 10 seconds... I dont think that's the situation.
I have some LED replacements that are made for different sized light bubls, and they dont have capaciters in them. Since the bulbs are so universal, I dont think they can any way, cuz you wouldnt want a capacter in your turn signal... or glove box light.
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Damn, so many replies, now I gotta catch up, lol
SandStorm: Yes, it does come on to full power when the door is open. Everything is normal with it with the exception of the dim glow is maintains for about 10-minutes after it is "shut off".
AMERICONIUM: The only electronics running the light, are the stock electronics that typically light the dome light. I haven't done anything aftermarket to any of it.
Dave Robinson: I got it off of Ebay about a month or so ago. I typed in "interior LED" as the search and it was a few down on the list. I looked for it again as an example, but I didn't see it
Things seem to be running fine? I've had it in for a few days and I haven't had a volt light come on, or anything that shows the light is pulling any power. Though my start up tonight seemed a little eh, but that could very well be from the cold weather.
The bulb is indeed an LED, and it doesn't take much current at all for it to light even a little bit. The dome light receives the same small amount of power as the PCM and other random electronics that require a miniscule amount of voltage to hold items in memory.
It will NOT drain your battery. Your battery will die long before a single LED running on a miniscule (less than one milliamp) amount of voltate drains it.
Any sort of side effects (rougher starts, dimmer headlights) you're seeing are imagined.
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I didn't say I saw any of the side effects. I just figured that if it WAS pulling power, that I would expieriance problems. As I said, it was a tad cold out, so I figured thats what it was anyways. However, all is still well
