Interior LED bulb hack

[kerryb]

I want to convert my bulbs to LED's, but they are pretty expensive and I couldn't find one with two contacts on the bottom of the bulb base.  These are the bulbs that go in the retro light fixture mounted on the wall in the bedroom of my '85 chieftain.  While searching the LED display at Wally World I came across these landscape bulbs...250 lumens, 12 volt, nice plastic covering on the led's.  At $7.00 for two I figured it was worth a shot.
I took the guts out of the old bulb, and soldered in the new LED.  You can fix anything with hot glue!
Works a treat!
Let me know if you want to see the details of how I did it.

[Rickf1985]

Should just be an 1157 replacement. I can't picture that common of a bulb being hard to find or expensive. I like your resourcefulness though.

[circleD]

Great hack! Like Rick said, an 1157 or 1156 is common on ebay or Amazon.
I see where it says 1175 on the metal now.

[MotorPro]

I have the same lights and 1157 bulbs do not fit. They are a single element bulb and the pins on the base are both at the same height instead of staggered like an 1157.

[Rickf1985]

A single element bulb with a double contact base? Never saw one. Power in and out so if one goes out the whole circuit does?

Found them but they are dual element.

http://www.bulbtown.com/1176_Miniature_Bulb_Ba15d_Base_p/1176.htm?gclid=Cj0KCQjwierMBRCHARIsAHl9i4GH7P4ip1oibSXXschp1VEucY0QmxXtn99zIDfv8Yw2UUXm8o57cCoaAiCEEALw_wcB

[M & J]

I think he means the locking pins on the base being at different heights Rick.

[Rickf1985]

Yes, but he also mentioned a single element. Why would you have a single element with two contacts unless it was for a closed circuit. I see two elements in the bulbs in the link I provided. Still not quite sure why but they are there.

[tmsnyder]

Did the original light base have 4 settings? Off, Low, Med, High=Low+Med ?

[kerryb]

The original has two bulbs, one rotary switch, one or two bulbs lit.  I didn't look hard enough to get all the info on the original bulb,  i'll look again for a side-ground on the socket.

[skloon]

These look like the same bulbs

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1-x-White-1157-22SMD-P21W-BA15S-LED-Bulb-Car-Auto-Brake-Lights-Lights-Parking-Lamp/32754548225.html

[WrigleysBraveWin]

I would be weary of those bulbs, look cheap but may work?

[MotorPro]

1157 bulbs will not fit they are double element with staggered base pins these take single element with even base pins

[skloon]

These are actially ba15 base bulbs- dont know why they also reference 1157

[plockit007]

Hi That's a great idea......   How you did it always helps i??  Have a good holiday

[kerryb]

OK, here's a little more information.  I found what I think was the original bulb.  It is a CEC1076, with two pins at the same height and two contacts on the bottom.  There is no indication of a ground to the case and there is only one filament.  See picture "CEC1076"

As for how I did it... here are a few pictures...hopefully in the right order.
1.  remove glass and original filament base, unsolder filament posts and open up the hole.
2.  Add pigtails to the LED bulb, with solder
3.  insert LED pigtails into the bulb base and then fill the bulb base with hot glue.
4. Solder and trim the LED pigtails and sand the contacts to a nice contact surface (same height).

[kerryb]

Final pics from the last post...and if you're like me, you have a nice place to work with everything at hand for the job! 

[WrigleysBraveWin]

Thanks for sharing!

[Rickf1985]

OK, here's a little more information.  I found what I think was the original bulb.  It is a CEC1076, with two pins at the same height and two contacts on the bottom.  There is no indication of a ground to the case and there is only one filament.  See picture "CEC1076"

As for how I did it... here are a few pictures...hopefully in the right order.
1.  remove glass and original filament base, unsolder filament posts and open up the hole.
2.  Add pigtails to the LED bulb, with solder
3.  insert LED pigtails into the bulb base and then fill the bulb base with hot glue.
4. Solder and trim the LED pigtails and sand the contacts to a nice contact surface (same height).

You say it is a 1076 here but the original picture in this thread shows a bulb base marked 1176? Either way it works.

[kerryb]

You say it is a 1076 here but the original picture in this thread shows a bulb base marked 1176? Either way it works.

I can't be sure what the original bulb was, but the bus came with a box of bulbs in the cabinet.  i picked a busted one that fit in the fixture to creat the first "hacked" bulb with little regard fot its model number, a s long as the contacts matched up.  After the debate about the correct bulb started, I looked closer and I think the 1076 is what was in the lamp, working, when I started.
The rotary switch will select one or two bulbs lit.

[WrigleysBraveWin]

These should work, yes?

http://www.m4products.com/1142-17-5630-cw-cool-white-elite-series-with-brighter-samsung-5630-leds-1142-1076-ba15d-base/

Found some on eBay, these guys are pricey compared to the single pin LED bulbs I got for a little over $1 per bulb.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonlux-2X5W-1157-Ba15d-LED-Bulb-Double-Contact-Bayonet-Parallel-Pin-Base-CW6000K-/192116532020?epid=0&hash=item2cbb09a334:g:ffUAAOSw9GhYbgNH

I've replaced all my single contact bulbs and only have two double contact bulbs over the bed - Wonder why the bulbs over the bed are double contact and others such as over dining and sink are single contact?

[RickNC]

I've replaced all my single contact bulbs and only have two double contact bulbs over the bed - Wonder why the bulbs over the bed are double contact and others such as over dining and sink are single contact?

BTW, if you need original light fixtures and lenses I replaced nearly all of mine with LED fixtures. You are welcome to any you need, I'm not saving them.

[TerryH]

FYI, should your present fixtures and lenses be ok, all you need to replace is the bulbs themselves. You can access a replacement LED for virtually any incandescent that may be in your RV.
Most common cause of lens problem with incandescent is the burning and cracking due to the heat created by incandescents. Far less with LED's.
Same problem for the fixture - on/off switch, heat issues.

[beaverman]

These should work, yes?

http://www.m4products.com/1142-17-5630-cw-cool-white-elite-series-with-brighter-samsung-5630-leds-1142-1076-ba15d-base/

Found some on eBay, these guys are pricey compared to the single pin LED bulbs I got for a little over $1 per bulb.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonlux-2X5W-1157-Ba15d-LED-Bulb-Double-Contact-Bayonet-Parallel-Pin-Base-CW6000K-/192116532020?epid=0&hash=item2cbb09a334:g:ffUAAOSw9GhYbgNH

I've replaced all my single contact bulbs and only have two double contact bulbs over the bed - Wonder why the bulbs over the bed are double contact and others such as over dining and sink are single contact?

I have replaced all my interior light bulbs 3 years ago with the M4 bulbs, great quality and mega lighting, tried those cheap ones off fee bay, a couple candles give more light than those, you cant beat the M4 products!

[WrigleysBraveWin]

I have replaced all my interior light bulbs 3 years ago with the M4 bulbs, great quality and mega lighting, tried those cheap ones off fee bay, a couple candles give more light than those, you cant beat the M4 products!

We didn't use the eBay bulbs we got these guys from Amazon and they are actually too bright so we only used in a few fixtures and more reasonably priced:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017386GLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1