My thoughts and results with LED bulbs for license plate replacement

hzisfrom1994 · 01-16-2017, 12:42 AM

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to share my experience and what I went through with the replacement of some LED license plate bulbs.

Originally I purchased the HP5 license plate bulbs from Diode Dynamics. I was always happy with their quality and customer service when I had my 5th gen. However, not this time with the 6th gen, not because their products are bad but because the 6th gen requires a 360 degree lighting output bulbs to "work properly"; while the bulbs from Diode Dynamics outputs lights from one direction only.

For those of you who replaced it with the Diode Dynamic, pay attention and see how the lights are not shooting evenly on the left side and right side. Perfectionist me couldn't stand this so I returned mine and went with some LED bulbs found on Amazon, JDM ASTAR, with a 360 degree light output and it is perfect now!!

For those who are interested, this is the one I got, barely any bad reviews, and good brightness. I don't know about the quality, time will tell, but hopefully will be a good quality long lasting bulbs. Hope this will help.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Grandpawmoses · 01-16-2017, 06:52 AM

Just me but I want mine to be minimally bright. Just enough to be legal.

Mojave · 01-16-2017, 09:55 AM

OP: Can you post a link to what you bought?

hzisfrom1994 · 01-16-2017, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojave

OP: Can you post a link to what you bought?

Here you have:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

SSport16 · 01-16-2017, 05:59 PM

Should have went with Philips LED bulbs, I have them and they are awesome bulbs, look great for the plate. Used Sylvania LEDs for the reverse lights, both look great.

camaromike77 · 01-16-2017, 06:04 PM

I went with the Philips LED bulbs. I definitely prefer the Amazon bulbs you posted, as opposed to the HP5 license plate bulbs from Diode Dynamics. Looks GREAT!

LibertyHill · 01-16-2017, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandpawmoses

Just me but I want mine to be minimally bright. Just enough to be legal.

Not just you. I use precisely cut pieces of vinyl to achieve that result. In the good old days I ran a single ground for all taillights to a dash switch. Most people never heard of the Habitual Traffic Offender offense but it results in a 5-year revocation. I've mellowed some in my old age.

tchowe · 01-17-2017, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSport16

Should have went with Philips LED bulbs, I have them and they are awesome bulbs, look great for the plate. Used Sylvania LEDs for the reverse lights, both look great.

What Sylvania LEDs did you use for the reverse lights? I tried looking up the chart on their site and couldn't seem to find any results.

vet757 · 01-17-2017, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandpawmoses

Just me but I want mine to be minimally bright. Just enough to be legal.

SSport16 · 01-17-2017, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tchowe

What Sylvania LEDs did you use for the reverse lights? I tried looking up the chart on their site and couldn't seem to find any results.

7440 is the ones I used for reverse lights.

crankaholic · 01-17-2017, 03:54 PM

The license plate bulb alignment thing is GM's silly way of saving money on wires (?.. don't know what else would possess them to do that besides laziness). If you look at the plastic brackets that hold the bulbs in place, they're both facing the same way... instead of facing each other or away from each other.

Oil Man · 01-18-2017, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crankaholic

The license plate bulb alignment thing is GM's silly way of saving money on wires (?.. don't know what else would possess them to do that besides laziness).

Cost cutting. They didn't have to engineer and produce a LH and RH version of a thing that most owners will likely never even notice. I'm sure there's a bean counter somewhere in GM that can tell you PRECISELY how many beans per car this saved.

I'm a bit OCD too, and I did notice this when I replaced my license plate bulbs, but it's not costing me any sleep.

crankaholic · 01-18-2017, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oil Man

Cost cutting. They didn't have to engineer and produce a LH and RH version of a thing that most owners will likely never even notice. I'm sure there's a bean counter somewhere in GM that can tell you PRECISELY how many beans per car this saved.

I'm a bit OCD too, and I did notice this when I replaced my license plate bulbs, but it's not costing me any sleep.

Actually, you can install the brackets in either orientation... but the wires aren't long enough

I'm too lazy to disassemble that whole section just to see if anything can be done there.

Nightfall1SS · 03-04-2018, 01:44 PM

I just installed my HP5 in cool white, there’s definitely not that big of a gap in light like in your pic. Maybe they’re a little different now? My bulbs also seem brighter, I also heard the jdm astar get really hot, I’m not a fan of hot bulbs. The diode dynamics seem to have the best of both worlds, really bright and not hot like others.

01-16-2017, 12:42 AM	#1
hzisfrom1994 ZYJ Drives: 2017 1SS Camaro/6 speed Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 1,346	My thoughts and results with LED bulbs for license plate replacement Hi everyone, Just wanted to share my experience and what I went through with the replacement of some LED license plate bulbs. Originally I purchased the HP5 license plate bulbs from Diode Dynamics. I was always happy with their quality and customer service when I had my 5th gen. However, not this time with the 6th gen, not because their products are bad but because the 6th gen requires a 360 degree lighting output bulbs to "work properly"; while the bulbs from Diode Dynamics outputs lights from one direction only. For those of you who replaced it with the Diode Dynamic, pay attention and see how the lights are not shooting evenly on the left side and right side. Perfectionist me couldn't stand this so I returned mine and went with some LED bulbs found on Amazon, JDM ASTAR, with a 360 degree light output and it is perfect now!! For those who are interested, this is the one I got, barely any bad reviews, and good brightness. I don't know about the quality, time will tell, but hopefully will be a good quality long lasting bulbs. Hope this will help. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Attached Images Last edited by hzisfrom1994; 01-16-2017 at 03:05 PM.

01-16-2017, 09:55 AM	#3
Mojave San Diego Head Tuners Drives: 2016 Camaro 1SS ,NPP,MagRide, A8 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Temecula, CA Posts: 2,440 View My Garage	OP: Can you post a link to what you bought? __________________ 2016 1SS A8, NPP, MagRide, Black Rims My 5th Camaro (3 Gen5, 1 Gen4) Member of San Diego Head Tuners https://www.youtube.com/c/MojaveKY https://www.instagram.com/mojaveky/ https://twitter.com/MojaveKY http://dinowax.refr.cc/bryanm 15% off DinoWax orders

01-16-2017, 05:59 PM	#5
SSport16 Drives: 2016 Garnet Red Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 5,435	Should have went with Philips LED bulbs, I have them and they are awesome bulbs, look great for the plate. Used Sylvania LEDs for the reverse lights, both look great. __________________ 2SS Camaro, Garnet Red, Adrenaline Red, NPP, MRC, A8, 5 Split Spoke Bright Silver Wheels (56W) 1100 Status - 7/24/15 (Ordered) 3800 Status - 10/13/15 (Built) 6000 Status - 12/22/15 (Delivered)

01-16-2017, 06:04 PM	#6
camaromike77 Drives: S O L D Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Ontario Posts: 2,106	I went with the Philips LED bulbs. I definitely prefer the Amazon bulbs you posted, as opposed to the HP5 license plate bulbs from Diode Dynamics. Looks GREAT! __________________ Club F1FTY 2017 2SS 50th Anniversary Convertible Borla S-Type exhaust NPP\| GM CAI \| Color matched GM side skirts \| Color matched 3rd brake light \| Big Worm Graphics smoked out tail lights & rear reflectors \| Oracle ghosted side markers \| LED License plate bulbs \| Door striker covers \| Jam handle \| Engine emblems from RiverCity Creations \| 50th Center Console \| Black bow ties \| Hawk Performance ceramic brake pads \| ZL1 Start button \| CQuartz ceramic paint finish \| Novistretch bra \| S O L D

01-17-2017, 03:54 PM	#11
crankaholic Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 771	The license plate bulb alignment thing is GM's silly way of saving money on wires (?.. don't know what else would possess them to do that besides laziness). If you look at the plastic brackets that hold the bulbs in place, they're both facing the same way... instead of facing each other or away from each other. __________________

01-16-2017, 06:52 AM	#2
Grandpawmoses Drives: 2017 2SS 50th Anniversary Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: NW AL Posts: 97	Just me but I want mine to be minimally bright. Just enough to be legal.

03-04-2018, 01:44 PM	#14
Nightfall1SS Drives: 2016 Nightfall Gray Metallic 1SS Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: El Monte Posts: 10	I just installed my HP5 in cool white, there’s definitely not that big of a gap in light like in your pic. Maybe they’re a little different now? My bulbs also seem brighter, I also heard the jdm astar get really hot, I’m not a fan of hot bulbs. The diode dynamics seem to have the best of both worlds, really bright and not hot like others.

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