LED Brakelights

[76okievette]

OK did a little test, left side with the halogen blub and right with standard 1157. I was using a multimete with thermo option. After about 10 minutes the 1157 hotest spot was in the range of 250 degrees and the halogen was between 390 and 415 degrees. The only good news is the halogen is about 100 times brighter. I think it would work great for brake, and backup lights but not for tail lights so not sure if it can happen as my tail and brake are the same blub. Since I don't drive much at night I may try it. Any one have any ideas on what temp the light socket and lens would start to melt?

 

[76okievette]

Some more info on LED's
LED brake/tail lamps will not flash with thermal flasher units due to their extremely low current draw. These installations will require an electronic flasher unit, available in our car bulb shopping category (for some vehicles) or at your auto parts store. Try to find flashers designed to work with LED bulbs, they will say "LED compatible". Often HEAVY DUTY flashers will also work with LED bulbs.
Do our cars have thermal flashers?
LED bulbs are generally not as bright as standard incandescent bulbs, they have many advantages over filament bulbs (longer life, faster on/off times, lower power consumption, more vivid colors) but brightness is not one of them.
They are generally not as bright but some of them with large numbers of LEDs, will appear brighter than filament bulbs.
As an exception, our new 3 Watt Luxeon LED car bulbs are as bright or brighter than most standard filament car bulbs.
LED bulbs are generally not as bright as standard incandescent bulbs, they have many advantages over filament bulbs (longer life, faster on/off times, lower power consumption, more vivid colors) but brightness is not one of them.
They are generally not as bright but some of them with large numbers of LEDs, will appear brighter than filament bulbs.
As an exception, our new 3 Watt Luxeon LED car bulbs are as bright or brighter than most standard filament car bulbs.

 

[76okievette]

I did another temp check on the halogen blubs with them installed. After about 15 minutes with the tail lights on the temp on the outside of the lens was 120 for the halogen and 97 for the standard blub. It was hotter but I think with the airflow around the lens when the car is moving it won't really be a problem. Any thoughts?

 

[Evolution1980]

It was hotter but I think with the airflow around the lens when the car is moving it won't really be a problem. Any thoughts?

I doubt there is that much air flow around the lens when the car is moving... Plus, the inside of the lens could still warp while the outside wouldn't. Possibly.

 

[76okievette]

I plan to keep a eye on it and see if its getting hot I need new lens anyway so I am going to see what happens but i just discovered that the right brake light does not work so now I have to troubleshoot that. Thanks

 

[KANE]

...On the other side, the light this bulb produces so much light it's almost daytime when I put it in reverse

Which is never a bad thing when trying to parallel park in Europe!

 

[Evolution1980]

I plan to keep a eye on it and see if its getting hot I need new lens anyway so I am going to see what happens but i just discovered that the right brake light does not work so now I have to troubleshoot that. Thanks

So I was checking out my rear lights...The outer lights (Brake & Turn signal) are 1157's. The inner (night and reverse) use an 1156. So at night, with the headlights on, are the outers brighter than the inners?

As for your one light not working, check your turn signal stalk. My left brake light is "intermittent". By that I mean that my turn signal stalk is worn. After making a left hand turn, if I don't manually give the stalk a little nudge "up" back towards center, the left brake light stays off.

 

[Peer81]

So I was checking out my rear lights...The outer lights (Brake & Turn signal) are 1157's. The inner (night and reverse) use an 1156. So at night, with the headlights on, are the outers brighter than the inners?.

Almost.. The outer rear lights are brake, turn and night with 1157's (double wire) but the inner is only reverse 1156's (single wire) That is how it should be original..

The brake and turn lights come from the same wire and getting them apart is not that easy. The night light is a different wire but when you put on the turn signal it also interacts with the night light... I tried to get the turn signal out of the system (for the inner lights) but gave up after seeing the wiring harness layouts. To much work and changing around for me to pull that one off.

I changed the inner light to also accept brake, turn and night. My reverse light is now a halogen and the brake, turn and night is a 1157. In the following link you can see the picture's (text is in dutch so just look at the pictures )
If somebody has questions about this I would be happy to answer them.

(btw. The 1157 in the pictures is a normal bulb and not the LED 1157 I have now)

http://www.heartbeatforum.nl/viewtopic.php?t=367&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=50

Groeten Peter

 

[Chas]

Bought led 1157...dont work....not bright at all.....any one want to buy 4 of them , let me know

 

[Peer81]

I think the normal lights are bright enough! If you put some brighter ones in them everybody thinks your braking all the time!

Groeten Peter