BobAruba

I have read every DRL thread in the archives in an attempt to find an answer to my question. Right now I have two new front marker assembly housings installed and I have the #2 fuse pulled to kill the DRLs. I'm not too keen on the stock DRL bulbs eventually melting and burning a hole through the top of my housings. But I do like the capability of running with the DRLs on.

Are there any lower power old style bulbs that will work in the C5 Front Parking / Turn Signal / Side Marker / DRL Lamp socket besides the more powerful 4157NA and the 3157NAK bulbs to allow you to run with the DRLs on without having to worry about the bulbs melting / burning through the housings?

I know that the 3157LED bulbs are an alternative that works and at a cooler / safer / more manageable temperature but paying $50 or even $30 for two bulbs is not an alternative.

Is the front marker 3157LED the only option available to run with cooler DRLs?

Are there any cooler running DRL bulbs out there that will operate at a cooler temperature excluding the expensive LED bulbs?

An insight is appreciated,
Bob

corvettedaddy11

Put a Hamster in your DRL'S. Thats different!!

DeeGee

You got it. One thats been regulated with the A2 fuse

Sorry, not heard of one

c5BlackBeauty

PM Forum Member 0TheRadioFlyer97. He'll be able to answer your question.

DeeGee

Trouble is most turn signal bulbs push out quite a bit of heat to get the intensity for the function. The issue with DRLs is that they need the wattage to be seen. Catch 22 because the watts produce the heat so the heat melts the housing. Add to that, you need dual filament bulbs for the DRL/park light/turn signal functions. Not too many options with the correct fittings.

I really think LEDs are the only viable alternative................or inhibit the DRLs.

Of course JMHO and I may be wrong.

jbondfl

Theortically you could go down to Radio Shack and get a high wattage resistor and put it in parallel with your DRL.
It would lower the light output which would lower the heat. Trouble is, now you have to put the resistor somewhere it can stay cool and not melt what it is fastened to.

It can be done.

memphis_vette

i think i recall someone getting reflective(tin foil) tape and put it on the top inside of the housing to prevent the housings from melting...i went with 60 led switchbacks from jwmotoring and i love them.

vett79

I put the "chrome dome" bulbs in when I switched to clear corners. I just replaced one and I didn't see the heat marks like the old corners had. Not as long of time either.
Any body know if maybe the mirror coating helps the heat?

BobAruba

Barry, when I searched for threads started by 0TheRadioFlyer97 to find his profile so I could leave him a PM the Forum search function returned: Invalid User specified

Dave, I assumed that may be the case however I thought I'd try this last thread (for me) on this specific question just to be sure.

James, I'm not much good at adding / splicing any resistors into the harness. I was hoping for a simple low cost bulb replacement solution.

Cody, I've thought of the tin heat shield as a possibility to protect the housings but when I concluded I would have to cut the housings then reseal them to do it right I passed.

Mike, do you remember who the manufacturer was and the part number that was on the "chrome dome" bulbs?

o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o

Hey, thanks for all of your input.

Rather than attempt a harness modification (adding a resistor in parallel) or dropping big $ for two bulbs...

I'll continue to be satisfied with the old #2 fuse pulled and running with my parking lights on.

Thanks again. This Forum rocks!

Semper Fi!
Huurrah!
Bob

Jim Sitton

Actually the resistor would have to be installed in series with the DRL filament to lower the heat dissipation in the lamp which would, of course, result in decreased light output as well.

damilleniumboy

Nope, they all run hot. just a joke hehehe, but HID's might work? You can get those "chrome dome" bulbs at autzone or any auto parts store. They are bulbs for your euro lamps, so that the amber bulb wont be "visible" through the housing.

01magnetic01

The "chrome" bulbs have what looks like a liquid mylar coating on them, use them in my euro tails, don't believe they create quite the heat that the regular amber do...think they would be worth a try

DeeGee

It may be worth a try. The bulb sits vertically in the housing and the chroming is on top of the bulb IIRC. If that reduces the heat on top of the bulb, where the housing normally melts, it might help

General Lee

[QUOTE=BobAruba;1575281883]Barry, when I searched for threads started by 0TheRadioFlyer97 to find his profile so I could leave him a PM the Forum search function returned: Invalid User specified






http://forums.corvetteforum.com/memb...ioflyer97.html

BobAruba

[QUOTE]=General Lee;1575290464]Thanks for the contact info but when I tried to send RF a PM this came up: "TheRadioFlyer97 has exceeded their stored private messages quota and cannot accept further messages until they clear some space."

Thanks,
Bob

vett79

I checked the box for the "chrome domes" and they came from autolumination.com

(By the way I have the full coating not just the top.)

01magnetic01

I got my bulbs off the big auction site....full coating

BobAruba

Mike, thanks for the info.

George (theradioflyer) returned my PM and he's not aware of any old style bulbs of lower wattage that could replace the 3157NA / 4157NAK bulbs for the DRLs.

However he did say there are cheaper LED replacements from China. But when shipping is added they almost become prohibitive with the escalating final cost for two bulbs.

I think if I ever went the LED route I’d rather deal with one of our vendors here.

For the time being I think I'll just run with the #2 fuse pulled and my parking lights on.

Thanks,
Semper Fi
Bob