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I know it is a silly question for someone like me who has owned this truck forever and done just about everything to it that could be thought of.......----
Regarding the interior "dome" light --- chrome rectangle with lens --- centered over where the back glass would be on a standard truck --- what kind/size bulb is in this thing ?
How do I access said bulb ? --- I didn't want to break something.
As long as I have owned this truck and as many many things as I have done to it, I don't think I have ever had reason to mess with this light; it still burns bright as ever.
Many years ago, I did dis-able the silly door switches so that I could open the door without the place lighting up like a stockyards; I always use the switch to turn it on only when I want it on.
The reason I need to know is I am ordering a bunch of LED bulbs.
Is it plain old 1156, or something similar to a 194, or is it one of those pointy double-ended bulbs (I think not as it has been way too dependable for that) ?
do you have the map lights? Is that the version you are talking about? The standard dome light is a 194 bulb, I have mine converted to LED, heck if you get a new lens sometimes they come with a new LED. The cover just pops off.
Thanks guys.
I didn't realize there were so many options.
I do not have the "map light".
I DO have a factory headliner.
I guess the rectangular plastic lens must have a couple little tabs that need the lens to be flexed to release.
I just didn't want to fool around and break the lens or the outer chromed whatever surround.
If it ever quits raining, I will give it a serious investigation.
I already placed my order for a pack of twenty 1156 LED, a pack of ten 5-chip 194, and a pack of twenty 3-chip 194.
If it has either the 1156 style socket or the 194 style, I am covered.
I found this at O'Reilly's:
It makes no mention as to whether one has the map light or not; it just lists a Sylvania 912 bulb that looks to be a fatter version of a 194.
If the socket will accept a standard 194, I am wondering if the 5-chip 194 LED will be bright enough, or would I need to find a 912 LED ?
Of course, this may all go out the window when I pop off the cover and see what is actually in there.
Whatever is in there, it is plenty bright, as are the several other aftermarket lights I have that use plain old 1156; my quest with the LEDs is to decrease battery drain when the lights are ON and the engine is not.
Granted I have not tried them in my some light yet (wire issue) I bought these and they were bright as hell in my dash.
Yours sound like they are pushing more power. Lenses can be replaced but yes they snapp in and out
Originally Posted by LongRider
Thanks guys.
I didn't realize there were so many options.
I do not have the "map light".
I DO have a factory headliner.
I guess the rectangular plastic lens must have a couple little tabs that need the lens to be flexed to release.
I just didn't want to fool around and break the lens or the outer chromed whatever surround.
If it ever quits raining, I will give it a serious investigation.
I already placed my order for a pack of twenty 1156 LED, a pack of ten 5-chip 194, and a pack of twenty 3-chip 194.
If it has either the 1156 style socket or the 194 style, I am covered.
I found this at O'Reilly's:
It makes no mention as to whether one has the map light or not; it just lists a Sylvania 912 bulb that looks to be a fatter version of a 194.
If the socket will accept a standard 194, I am wondering if the 5-chip 194 LED will be bright enough, or would I need to find a 912 LED ?
Of course, this may all go out the window when I pop off the cover and see what is actually in there.
Whatever is in there, it is plenty bright, as are the several other aftermarket lights I have that use plain old 1156; my quest with the LEDs is to decrease battery drain when the lights are ON and the engine is not.
I bought these and they were bright as hell in my dash.
Thanks for posting that.
The part about them being the same dimensions as a standard 194 can be very important in many situations.
In several reviews, I read where some of the LED bulbs were too large to fit in close quarters.
These two LED offerings are what I have on the way:
I figure to use the higher-price 5-chip bulbs in the harder to access places, such as the cab-lights, and to use the cheaper 3-chip bulbs in easier to access places, such as standard 2-bulb marker-lights, of which there are many more than fifty; I counted them once, but forgot what I came up with.
I am hoping LED technology and dependability has increased about a thousand-fold in the last few years.
I was not impressed at all with many of the LED lights on semi trailers; it would absolutely drive me crazy to follow one across two or three states with several of the little "dots" not lit, maybe half or two thirds of the available little "dots" in a light not working, and one or two entire lights constantly flickering; it made me want to take a hammer and knock them out for good.
I have several LED flash-lights that not all of the "dots" light up.
Thanks for posting that.
The part about them being the same dimensions as a standard 194 can be very important in many situations.
In several reviews, I read where some of the LED bulbs were too large to fit in close quarters.
These two LED offerings are what I have on the way:
I figure to use the higher-price 5-chip bulbs in the harder to access places, such as the cab-lights, and to use the cheaper 3-chip bulbs in easier to access places, such as standard 2-bulb marker-lights, of which there are many more than fifty; I counted them once, but forgot what I came up with.
I am hoping LED technology and dependability has increased about a thousand-fold in the last few years.
I was not impressed at all with many of the LED lights on semi trailers; it would absolutely drive me crazy to follow one across two or three states with several of the little "dots" not lit, maybe half or two thirds of the available little "dots" in a light not working, and one or two entire lights constantly flickering; it made me want to take a hammer and knock them out for good.
I have several LED flash-lights that not all of the "dots" light up.
LED tech has become pretty Rock solid. Just remember they are diodes and only allow current to flow in one direction. So if they don't come on, flip them around.
I used these in red for my tail/brake lights. Then their white offerings in the turn signals and backup lights. Very bright. Plug and play fit fine.
LED' have the added bonus of drawing less power. So if you have a stock alternator that frees up less draw for lights and more draw for other goodies.
I don't know about that. I have been having a lot of failures with the 120v LED bulbs that go in your house. I change a lot of bulbs for a living. I think LED technology is solid, but the execution of that tech leaves something to be desired. I hope the automotive bulbs are better.
My 84 F250 calls for the 912 bulb in the plastic dome light. I'm sure those LED 194 would work just as well tho.
Thanks for confirming the 912 bulb; it is still pouring the rain, so I haven't ventured out there to remove the cover and investigate.
From what I have learned from my Amazon research, the 912 and the 194 have the same "wedge" base; so, a 194 will plug in where a 912 was; however, when I specify a LED 912 replacement, it shows a larger LED bulb with 42 SMD chipsets, compared to 3- to 5 SMD chipsets on a 194 replacement.
On a dark night, I will stick one of the 5-chip LED 194 in there and compare the brightness to my stock bulb -- which is plenty bright -- ; if the 5-chip 194 LED is comparable in brightness, then I will leave it in there; and, if not, I will order up some of the actual 42-chip 193 replacements.
If the 194 LED is going to be bright enough to suit me, it draws 55ma 1.5 Watts; whereas, the 912 draws 0.1 Amp 2 Watts ----- which is somewhat surprising to me how 42 chips can draw only 0.5 watt more than 5 chips; common sense tells me it should draw 8+ times as much.
Well, I got a chance to get back to this.
I have the plain rectangular factory dome light.
I now see that is has the 912 or 921 T15 bulb; same socket as a 194, but much larger and about a hundred times brighter.
I had to take loose my cab-curtain track in that vicinity to get the lens off as the track was over one edge of the light.
I am going to look into moving the whole assembly forward about a half-inch to eliminate the problem with the curtain track.
One very curious and interesting fact that I discovered is that, instead of the bulb's socket being hard-wired directly to a switched Hot wire, the third mounting screw actually screws into a block that is Hot when the switch is on; I will need eliminate this foolishness when I relocate the light.
What are you guys thoughts on the one-sided pancake LED bulbs, as opposed to those with SMDs on all surfaces in such an application ?
In theory, the one-sided bulbs make more sense; however, those all-sided bulbs are sure plenty bright.
If I buy a 20-pack of the one-sided bulbs, there are about three places in our whole collection of vehicles where they would work; whereas, I can use the all-sided bulbs in numerous applications; I have already went and talked myself out of getting the pancake bulbs.
Well, I got a chance to get back to this.
I have the plain rectangular factory dome light.
I now see that is has the 912 or 921 T15 bulb; same socket as a 194, but much larger and about a hundred times brighter.
I had to take loose my cab-curtain track in that vicinity to get the lens off as the track was over one edge of the light.
I am going to look into moving the whole assembly forward about a half-inch to eliminate the problem with the curtain track.
One very curious and interesting fact that I discovered is that, instead of the bulb's socket being hard-wired directly to a switched Hot wire, the third mounting screw actually screws into a block that is Hot when the switch is on; I will need eliminate this foolishness when I relocate the light.
What are you guys thoughts on the one-sided pancake LED bulbs, as opposed to those with SMDs on all surfaces in such an application ?
In theory, the one-sided bulbs make more sense; however, those all-sided bulbs are sure plenty bright.
If I buy a 20-pack of the one-sided bulbs, there are about three places in our whole collection of vehicles where they would work; whereas, I can use the all-sided bulbs in numerous applications; I have already went and talked myself out of getting the pancake bulbs.
I feel like the pancake bulb is more directed and therefore would cast more shadow, much like a can light in a house. having the light on all sides your going to get reflections from behind the light etc, will feel more of a "fuller" light and less shadowing.
I feel like the pancake bulb is more directed and therefore would cast more shadow, much like a can light in a house.
Thanks; the can light is a good comparison.
I believe I will ditch the pancake idea; it looks good in theory; but, as you have described, it fails in practice.
