Frequently Asked Questions on LEDs
Which Color Is Best for Headlight Bulbs?
The best color for your headlight bulbs is white. You want to find a bulb around the range of 6000k in color temperature. The human eye reads this color and brightness better due to its similarity to natural sunlight.
That said, the best color for your headlights can be subjective. LEDs are also available in yellow, blue, and purple. Each color will work just fine on the roads and give your car a more distinctive look than the traditional white color.
Will LED Headlights Damage My Car?
No. LED headlights will not damage your car if properly installed. In addition, you want to purchase the correct LED light that will fit your car. For example, if your vehicle has a CANbus system, you want to buy the right product and install it correctly to avoid any potential issues.
If your car was not originally designed for LED headlights, you can purchase an LED headlight conversion kit. They are safe and will not damage your vehicle as long as you buy top-quality products.
Why Are LED Lights Better?
An LED light bulb saves more energy, produces less heat, and has more light. In addition, it uses 85% less electricity than standard lighting. It is also a lower-cost product but has bright light with a longer life span.
LED light is different from incandescent light. Blue LED combined with yellow phosphor creates white light. The high efficiency of LED light makes it a popular choice.
What Is the Purpose of LED Lights?
LED lights are used as a light source in our homes, devices, and vehicles. LED (light-emitting diode) lights use gallium compounds such as gallium arsenide and aluminum gallium. LED emits light by combining a P-type semiconductor with an N-type semiconductor. Once a voltage is applied, they release energy into light.
What Is the Lifespan of LEDs?
LEDs have a long life span. When an LED is operating at 70% capacity, it has reached the end of its life span.
Incandescent bulbs have around 750 to 2,000 hours of light. In comparison, LED bulbs can have 50,000 to 100,000 hours of light, making them better investments.
Can I Replace Incandescent Bulbs with LED in My Car?
Yes! You can change your initial bulbs to LED in your vehicle. In addition, there are different places where you might want to swap out for LED lights. For example, you can change your headlights, rear license plate lights, interior door entry lights, rear brake lights, and more.
First, however, you need to inspect what type of bulb you need. There are different bulbs with various designs, so you must buy the right one to fit.
Second, different areas of your car may require special tools or specific parts to work properly. Once you have found the products you need, you’re ready to go LED.
Frequently Asked Questions about Switchback LED Bulbs (FAQ's)
What are switchback turn signal bulbs?
Switchback turn signal bulbs are designed for dual filament sockets. When you are driving and using your running lights, the lights will shine bright white. If you use your turn signal, the bulb color switches to bright amber. Once you’re done with the turn signal, the color will “switch back” to the bright white filament. Both filaments project a pure, bright color, lighting up the road for unmatched visibility. Increased visibility means a safer experience for you as well as other drivers and/or pedestrians in the area. At Underground Lighting, we have the expertise you need to choose the best bulbs for your car or truck. Reach out to us today and let us help you make the perfect selection.
Do turn signal bulbs have to be Amber?
Yes, your turn signal bulb needs to alert other drivers on the road with a flashing red/amber light from the rear for maximum safety and consistency purposes. Front-end bulbs must project a white or amber flashing light, as well, to comply with federal regulations. Whichever model you choose, you can rest assured that your amber bulb from Underground Lighting will shine brightly even in the most inclement or low-visibility weather conditions. Call, chat, or email us today and let us help you find the right pick for your car or truck.
What is an LED Switchback?
An LED Switchback bulb from Underground Lighting provides unmatched brightness and shine when you want to upgrade your vehicle’s lighting system. LED bulbs are long-lasting and provide an unbeatable amount of light projection. Switchback bulbs refer to those with built-in dual filament sockets. They switch from pure white running lights to a rich amber color when you use your turn signal. When you switch your turn signal off, these LED bulbs “switch back” to a brilliant white light.
Is switching to Switchback LED lights worth it?
If you’re considering making a change from dull, outdated, traditional incandescent bulbs to Switchback LED light bulbs from Underground Lighting, you won’t regret it! A number of innovative features make these bulbs the perfect pick for just about any driver. Not only are LED bulbs brighter and more vibrant than their incandescent predecessors—they last much longer, too. Enjoy several years’ worth of longer usage (saving you time and money) with Switchback bulbs, in addition to increased visibility and safety when you’re on the road, regardless of the weather conditions. Even more, these bulbs are waterproof, shockproof, and corrosion-proof. Speaking of safety, a built-in cooling fan prevents overheating in your vehicle, adding to your peace of mind.
Do I need to add a switch for LED Switchbacks to work?
No. Switchback LED bulbs are compatible with most vehicles, including many after-market models. LED bulbs are a cost-effective, better for the environment (by using less energy), and an easy way to instantly upgrade your car or truck’s lighting. Installation is quick and painless, as well—have them in and ready to go in less than 10 minutes. Our Switchback LED bulbs feature a “plug and play” installation—meaning you simply plug them in, and you’re ready to go! Let the pros at Underground Lighting help you find the right LED bulbs for your ride.
Are LED light bulbs good for eyes?
Many people worry that the increased brightness of LED headlight bulbs will result in a shine that is too bright for others on the road. However, we feature lights that are specially designed to focus light in a way that will not blind oncoming traffic. Your Switchback LED lights from Underground Lighting contain the perfect balance of brightness, style, and safety on the road.
What is hyper flash and what causes hyper flash?
Hyper flash is where the turn signals or indicators on a vehicle blink at a much faster rate than normal. This can be caused by several factors:
- Bulb Failure: The most common cause of hyper flash is a burnt-out or malfunctioning bulb in one of the turn signals or hazard lights. When one of these bulbs fails, the system detects a lower load on the circuit and increases the flash rate as a warning to the driver.
- Installing an LED Bulb: When replacing traditional incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs in vehicles that were not designed for LEDs, you might experience hyper flash. LED bulbs use less power, and the vehicle's flasher relay may interpret this as a burnt-out bulb.
- Faulty Flasher Relay: The flasher relay is responsible for controlling the rate of blinking of the turn signals. If it malfunctions, it can cause hyper flashing or erratic blinking. Replacing a faulty flasher relay can resolve this issue.
- Wiring Issues: Damaged or corroded wiring can disrupt the electrical flow in the turn signal circuit, affecting the flash rate.
- Incorrect Bulb Type: If the wrong type of bulb is installed, it can draw too much or too little power, leading to hyper flash.
- Resistance Issues: Some vehicles use a variable load sensing flasher relay, which can detect changes in resistance. When adding additional lights or modifying the wiring, you might change the resistance in the circuit, causing hyper flash.
Why do I have hyper flash on the dash after installing LED turn signal bulbs?
LED bulbs draw a lot less power and current making the Body Control Module think the bulb is out.
Why do I still have hyper flash after Installing Underground Lighting LED turn signal with built in Resistors?
Make sure you start the vehicle and let the engine run before testing your turn signal for hyper flash.
Do I need to have Underground Lighting Led turn signals in the front and rear to not have hyper flash issues?
The short answer is no, you don’t. However, you need to have resistors on every turn signal bulb that doesn’t have resisters built in. The front and rear turn signals are tied together so you can not have resistors in the front and not the rear for example if both front and rear are LEDs.
What are Switchback LEDs?
Switchback are dual color bulbs. They are dual filament; low filament is white and high filament is amber usually.
Why does my switchback light up amber as day time running light (DRL) instead of white?
Some vehicles use the high filament as DRL instead of low filament. Corvettes and several Toyota models, for example, tend to use high filament for DRL. By turning your headlight low beam on the running light will be white instead of amber.
My rear Brake light is also my parking light and turn signal will your LED work for all 3 functions?
Yes, as long as you buy the correct part number our led bulb will do all the same functions that your OEM bulb did.
Why do my Switchbacks only illumine one color instead of two?
Your application might be a single filament. Check your socket and see if it has at least 3 wires going to it. If it only has 2 wires it’s a single filament and cannot switch from one color to the other. In this case no switchback will work. If you have more than two wires check the connection pull the metal tabs n the led bulb out and make sure they are straight making a good connection into the socket contacts.
To find more questions and answers, please visit our FAQ Page.
