Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
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- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
After alot more night driving, I am thoroughly satisfied with these lights. They are a huge improvement over stock and a great opton for 6V cars. I have even been brighted with my low beams on. At first I thought they did not project far as i had hoped, but really can not ask for better headlights on a 6V car. The are brighter then my "modern" 2003 Jetta.
- Wayne Arny
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Zim's does still sell their version of the electronic flasher. I just installed it in my "new" '60 Cab. Works great!
- Paul Ahnell
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Thanks to all for your comments and advice. Couple of questions:
Chuck: So, you just replaced just the dash lights and not the brake/turn signal/parking lights?
David J.: Are you using Fellman's SMD brake/turn signal/parking lights? Dash lights? To what "front light bulb" are you referring, a headlight? Is your electronic unit very audible?
Dave W. Sounds like your setup is like mine but I have Fellman's tail/brake/turn signal lights, not CuLater. I like the idea of a loud "click". My hearing is not what it used to be.
I sent an e-mail to Fellman's site asking for details of the dash lights. Didn't see anything on his website. No reply yet. Anybody have details e.g. cost, what "bulbs" are included, etc.?
Thanks.
Chuck: So, you just replaced just the dash lights and not the brake/turn signal/parking lights?
David J.: Are you using Fellman's SMD brake/turn signal/parking lights? Dash lights? To what "front light bulb" are you referring, a headlight? Is your electronic unit very audible?
Dave W. Sounds like your setup is like mine but I have Fellman's tail/brake/turn signal lights, not CuLater. I like the idea of a loud "click". My hearing is not what it used to be.
I sent an e-mail to Fellman's site asking for details of the dash lights. Didn't see anything on his website. No reply yet. Anybody have details e.g. cost, what "bulbs" are included, etc.?
Thanks.
Paul Ahnell
'60 Normal Coupe
'60 Normal Coupe
- Charles H Jacobus
- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
I replaced the dash lights from Jules Dielen and the headlights but not the outside turn signal or brake lights.
ChuckJ
ChuckJ
Current:
2012 Silver 991
1995 Midnight blue 993
1965 Red 356C
Past:
Fond memories of 14 others (including a '63 Normal and a 61 S90)
2012 Silver 991
1995 Midnight blue 993
1965 Red 356C
Past:
Fond memories of 14 others (including a '63 Normal and a 61 S90)
- Pat Daily
- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
ChuckJ
How hard is it to replace the dash lights? Can it be done with he gauges in place? Do you have a link to Jules Dielen?
Thanks!
How hard is it to replace the dash lights? Can it be done with he gauges in place? Do you have a link to Jules Dielen?
Thanks!
Pat Daily
Midlothian, VA
356B coupe (121123 aka "Fast Frieda")
Midlothian, VA
356B coupe (121123 aka "Fast Frieda")
- Mike Wilson
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
I replaced my dash lights with them in place. Of course, you have to be a bit of a contortionist. But since I am vertically-challenged, I can lay on my back underneath the dash to access the backs of the gauges.
Mike
Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe
- Wayne Arny
- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Pat, I replaced the dash lights in my '57 A Coupe with Jules' lights without removing the gauges. It meant a bit of "upside down" time under the dash with lights (at my age!), but it worked. Wayne
- David Jones
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Paul, I have a mix of tungsten and LED turn signal lights. The electronic unit I have does click but I also have mid range hearing loss (years of jet engines and dyno runs without hearing protection I guess) so I do have to rely on the light more than the clicking.
If I had known I would live this long I would have pushed the envelope a little harder.
Cymru am byth
David Jones #9715
Cymru am byth
David Jones #9715
- Charles H Jacobus
- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Pat:Pat Daily wrote:ChuckJ
How hard is it to replace the dash lights? Can it be done with he gauges in place? Do you have a link to Jules Dielen?
Thanks!
I replaced mine by putting the seat back, lying on my back and replacing one at a time. Jules has very good instructions and they need to be followed exactly. Here's his email: Jules.Dielen@vw.com
Current:
2012 Silver 991
1995 Midnight blue 993
1965 Red 356C
Past:
Fond memories of 14 others (including a '63 Normal and a 61 S90)
2012 Silver 991
1995 Midnight blue 993
1965 Red 356C
Past:
Fond memories of 14 others (including a '63 Normal and a 61 S90)
- Wil Mittelbach
- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Would appreciate recommendations, and sources, for LED bulbs to "directly" replace original T6 front parking/turn indicator bulbs. (Unfortunately, couldn't find via Forum search attempt.)
As an aside; very pleased with Jim's CuLayer rear LED lights installed a few yrs ago - would highly recommend them.
- Wil
As an aside; very pleased with Jim's CuLayer rear LED lights installed a few yrs ago - would highly recommend them.
- Wil
- Richard Sjolund
- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Me too. I would drive during the day with bright front parking lights on rather than headlights. I love the CuLayer rear lights that I installed and I have Jules bright dash lights. I have not been able to contact Jeffrey but I hope to install the SMD headlights at some time.Wil Mittelbach wrote:Would appreciate recommendations, and sources, for LED bulbs to "directly" replace original T6 front parking/turn indicator bulbs. (Unfortunately, couldn't find via Forum search attempt.)
As an aside; very pleased with Jim's CuLayer rear LED lights installed a few yrs ago - would highly recommend them.
- Wil
- Wil Mittelbach
- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Richard -Richard Sjolund wrote:Me too. I would drive during the day with bright front parking lights on rather than headlights. I love the CuLayer rear lights that I installed and I have Jules bright dash lights. I have not been able to contact Jeffrey but I hope to install the SMD headlights at some time.Wil Mittelbach wrote:Would appreciate recommendations, and sources, for LED bulbs to "directly" replace original T6 front parking/turn indicator bulbs. (Unfortunately, couldn't find via Forum search attempt.)
As an aside; very pleased with Jim's CuLayer rear LED lights installed a few yrs ago - would highly recommend them.
- Wil
Unfortunately we've not received a single Registry response.
Consequently, suggest we contact other sites, such as TheSamba.com, for their participants' recommendations regarding the above T6 front parking/turn indicator LED bulb query.
- Wil
Last edited by Wil Mittelbach on Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Eric McKinley
- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Wil,
I looked into this myself recently by contacting Jim Franzen.
I also have the culayers and Jules dash lights.
It seems cost can be restrictive.
I have included Jim's response below.
The same high performance LEDs (BA15D-HP ) that I make for rear taillight beehives as fitted to the 356As and pre-As will work in the front beehives. They work equally well at 6 or 12-volts.
Unfortunately, their cost is not mitigated by their purpose. In fact, the white LEDs I can put in the front beehives cost me about $10 more than red LEDs so it's even more expensive to fit the front turn signals with my LEDs.
As you might imagine the cost of very bright LEDs that serve as brake lights ($200 for a pair) can be easily justified as a safety expense. However, spending $220 for a pair of very bright turn signals is a much harder expense to justify. It's difficult to imagine a situation where having bright turn signals will make you safer. As such it is rare that I ever sell a pair fitted with white LEDs.
Wil, I decided based on Jim's email to hold off until something comes to the market a bit cheaper.
I looked into this myself recently by contacting Jim Franzen.
I also have the culayers and Jules dash lights.
It seems cost can be restrictive.
I have included Jim's response below.
The same high performance LEDs (BA15D-HP ) that I make for rear taillight beehives as fitted to the 356As and pre-As will work in the front beehives. They work equally well at 6 or 12-volts.
Unfortunately, their cost is not mitigated by their purpose. In fact, the white LEDs I can put in the front beehives cost me about $10 more than red LEDs so it's even more expensive to fit the front turn signals with my LEDs.
As you might imagine the cost of very bright LEDs that serve as brake lights ($200 for a pair) can be easily justified as a safety expense. However, spending $220 for a pair of very bright turn signals is a much harder expense to justify. It's difficult to imagine a situation where having bright turn signals will make you safer. As such it is rare that I ever sell a pair fitted with white LEDs.
Wil, I decided based on Jim's email to hold off until something comes to the market a bit cheaper.
- Paul Ahnell
- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
Jeffrey sells SMD "bulb" kits for the running lights i.e. front turn signal/parking light, rear brake/turn signal/running lights, but they are not shown on his Classico site. I have installed the full set front and rear and am very pleased with the result. Lights are VERY bright, brighter than the CULayer in my opinion, and look like a normal bulb rather than the circular pattern, and they are a direct replacement for the original 6V bulb rather than the CULayer plate arrangement. I also have his SMD headlights installed. Your challenge is to get Jeffrey to answer your e-mail or phone call. IMHO, Great product, strange marketing.Wil Mittelbach wrote:Richard -Richard Sjolund wrote:Me too. I would drive during the day with bright front parking lights on rather than headlights. I love the CuLayer rear lights that I installed and I have Jules bright dash lights. I have not been able to contact Jeffrey but I hope to install the SMD headlights at some time.Wil Mittelbach wrote:Would appreciate recommendations, and sources, for LED bulbs to "directly" replace original T6 front parking/turn indicator bulbs. (Unfortunately, couldn't find via Forum search attempt.)
As an aside; very pleased with Jim's CuLayer rear LED lights installed a few yrs ago - would highly recommend them.
- Wil
Unfortunately we've not received a single Registry response.
Consequently, suggest we contact other sites, such as TheSamba.com, for their participants' recommendations regarding the above T6 front parking/turn indicator LED bulb query.
- Wil
Paul Ahnell
'60 Normal Coupe
'60 Normal Coupe
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- 356 Fan
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Re: Let there be light (Review of Fellman SMD/LED lamps)
As many of you know I am just one guy and spread very thin. I do the design work, travel to many factories to supervise and arrange production, do most of the machine work and final assembly in house, act as sales department, shipping department etc. and go to several trade shows around the world as well. All this while being a single parent of two special needs children who frankly come first and always will. I apologize if I seem callous and aloof but I can only do as much as I can do any given day. I think most people who persevere and order my parts are well pleased with the personal attention and level of service provided. I continue to note that my most virulent critics on the List have never actually placed an order. Email and providing a phone number in the body of the email is usually replied to within 48 hours. FYI most of you do NOT provide a return telephone number in your emailswhich would make contacting you much easier as I often do not have access to a computer during the day but do read my emails on my phone a couple of times a day.
Now back to business: I do offer a full array of SMD light bulbs more or less for every application throughout the 356 that are a simple direct replacement of the original bulbs. No modifications are required except an electronic signal relay which we supply for free if the set of six brake/turnsignal bulbs are ordered. As has been the case for almost four decades we offer a simple money back if not delightd guarantee on all our products. I would again ask the list members who have tried either the headlights or other bulbs to take a moment and post their experiences. Not so much to bolster my sales but as a coutesy to the many List members who are simply curious. Of course i think they are the best thing since sliced bread but a more objective set of opinions would be more welcomed by the List, Jeffrey Fellman / Classico Wheels
Now back to business: I do offer a full array of SMD light bulbs more or less for every application throughout the 356 that are a simple direct replacement of the original bulbs. No modifications are required except an electronic signal relay which we supply for free if the set of six brake/turnsignal bulbs are ordered. As has been the case for almost four decades we offer a simple money back if not delightd guarantee on all our products. I would again ask the list members who have tried either the headlights or other bulbs to take a moment and post their experiences. Not so much to bolster my sales but as a coutesy to the many List members who are simply curious. Of course i think they are the best thing since sliced bread but a more objective set of opinions would be more welcomed by the List, Jeffrey Fellman / Classico Wheels