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MG MGB Technical - LED Brake light bulbs

Has anyone any experience using these new LED brake/tail light bulbs for better visibility? Want to convert TD, MGA and BGT. Any other solutions?
Cheers,
Dave
d. houser

Are you referring to the new fluorescent bulbs? The ones that look like they are in a circle, with about ten or twelve small bulbs. I think this is what you are talking about. Is so, the bulbs are brighter in testing and seem to be a wave of the future. If you notice, lots of big truck trailers have started using these type bulbs here in the US. The down side is that if you are looking at the lights straight on, they are great, but looking at them from an angle, they start losing their intensity. So if you are looking at them from the side, they are not as bright a standard light. Saying this I am sure that there will be some people that disagree with me, but my statements are based on studies and my work with both Ford and BMW.
Robert Browning

Dave - Robert is correct is saying that the light from these "bulbs" is very directional. Additionally, the ones that are effective, such as the ones used on the trucks and I believe on some of the Cadilacs, are purpose built, with the circle of LEDs being very close to or touching the lens. Sitting back from the lens as the bulbs in our MGs are, I have read that they loose their effectiveness. that said, here are two links to places selling LED "light bulbs" and assemblies:
http://www.theledlight.com/ledbulbs.html
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=CAR
Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Brake lights need to be visisble to the cars behind, so directionality may not be a big issue. A fresnel lens placed between one and the lens might spread the light a bit. Btw a red LED assy is recommended. Even if the lens is red...the red light passes through. Using a white light, only the red part of the total spectrum passes. Remember, with LED's the color does not come from the plastic shell, but by the composition of the crystal that's excited by the current flow.
R. L Carleen

Look at this site as they appear to have an amazing assortment of lights including ones with the right bases, http://www.ultraleds.co.uk This is on the sprite and midget board this morning.
Sandy Sanders
conrad sanders

FWIW, I tried the LED's in my brake lights this summer and found no difference. Infact the LED's seemed a little less bright. Even the guy at the store couldn't tell the difference. I ended up, just giving the metal reflector inside the housing a really good polish, and use regular bulbs.

Ken
70 B
Ken Harris

The big "plus" for LED's isthe power consumption is much less and they last many times longer than standard bulbs.
Regards
Tony
Tony Bates

The low power consumption of the LEDs is a disadvantage if you use them for your turn signal bulbs - they won't draw enough current to operate the turn signal flasher. However, a type 550 or 552 aftermarket flasher may work with them. If not, you can buy special purpose flashers made specifically for led bulb (but they are VERY expensive - around $30 or so if I remember correctly.
Dan Masters

The low current draw could be a solution to the other ongoing brake light problem/discussion--crappy switches that need relays, diodes and capacitors as a life support system.
R. L Carleen

One website selling LEDs was honest enough to say they are no brighter than regular bulbs.
Mike MaGee

Whatever flasher unit and 'bulb' you end up with you should check that if gives a clear indication, usually by a change in flashing speed, when one of the 'bulbs' has failed. If they don't then it is a real safety hazard. Some aftermarket units will not do this, and neither will a hazard flasher that appear to be ideal because it will flash tungsten, halogen and LED units all at the correct rate. Hazard flahers when used as turn flashers also remove the only real practical benefit of having LEDs, which is their very rapid switch on, because there is a delay of half a cycle between powering the flasher and the lamps lighting.
Paul Hunt

d

Check the archives, there are a number of threads on this topic. One consideration is that, for the pre-70 cars the rear light assembly also provides the side visibility because of the lens shape and the non-directionality of the incandescent bulbs. LEDs may be safer from behind but are more dangerous, in my opinion, for traffic approaching from the side.

FWIW

Larry
Larry Hallanger

I have wondered if what is meant by "Super Bright LEDs" in advertising really only means that these LEDs are super bright in comparison to other LEDs, and not, as some might believe, in comparison to other types of illumination, such as halogen or even incandescent lamps.

After having given the super bright LED lamp replacements a try, I must say that the halogens from LBCarCo beat the LED units I tried hands down just on brightness alone. FWIW
Bob Muenchausen

Yes Bob- The halogens, although pricey little devils, are hugely brighter than the stockers (1153?). Coupled with halogen front beams and a 65 amp alternator life is bright and good in the split tail.
vem myers

I am currently using the LED's in my 80 B. They are significantly brighter than the regular bulbs and when the brakelites are lit, they really shine. All in all, I like them better and will continue to use them in my MG's. I have also ran a slimline low wattage light about 10 inches long under the horizontal bar on my luggage rack as well. You can't see it until the lights are turned on. I like all the visibile light that I can get on the rear of my cars without upsetting the original lines of the car.
M. Whitt

M. Whitt,
Tell us where you got yours. There are obviously many sources and as I am sure you are aware, they ain't all created equal.

It would be worth a couple bucks to me to do some research on these and any others out there as most info we hear or read ends up being either apochryphal or experiential until some instrumentation and a little scientific method can be applied. Mostly what I have heard are opinions (including my own) but there are some means available which can help us all evaluate what's what and what truly works and how well.
Bob Muenchausen

Whilst an individual LED might not be as bright as a tungsten in all the automotive applications I have seen them used they are in arrays of a couple of dozen or more. This gives a solid slab of light which doesn't suffer from the usual single tungsten bulb 'feature' of a relatively small pinpoint of bright light in the middle of the light unit lens rapidly fading as you move towards the edges. The LED slabs certainly *appear* brighter. May years ago I read of a biker that fitted a fluorescent lamp unit about 12" long as a tail light. It wasn't dazzling bright, but you could see it from miles away.
Paul Hunt

As I understand it, standard LEDs are not 12V but rather 1.5V or the like. Therefore, ganging them together is the easiest way to get them to tolerate 12V input.

Mike!
mike!

Mike,
LEDs can work on just about any voltage as long as the correct dropping resistor is wired in series with it. Typically, LEDS need about 20 milliamps of current or about .020 amps. The dropping resistor drops the excees voltage across it and the LED drops 1.75V.

just my .020 cents worth
Steve
Steve Brooks

A couple of points yet to me stated...

* Led's are touchy about voltage fluctuations. Small variations which may not bother a standard bulb can wipe them out.

* Check the legality and the insurance before you fit them. Some places have strict lighting requirements (especially for safety lights : brake turn signals etc)so an accident even if it is not your fault may result in no insurance.

* LED's are much quicker to get to full output than are conventional bulbs. This means the driver behind ses your signal more quickly and therefore there is an added safety factor (provided the half asleep idiot in the SUV actually does APPLY the brakes in response to the earlier signal).
The time difference is about 150 to 200 ms. in favour of the lED.

At 100 kmh this is about 5.5 mtrs.

* Silicon Chip magazine here in Australia have a very detailed explanation in their book : Electronic projects for cars Vol II. $12.95 AUS from Jaycar natinally.
Sorry to non OZ people but I have no idea if this is available where you are.

CHeers , Pete.
Peter Thomas

I have an additional brake light behind the rear window that uses a neon light. It comes on fast as well, is extremely bright and rather unobstrusive otherways. Also, it's road legal here...
Jochen
Jochen Beyer

Bob of Idaho. I bought my lights at Autozone. They are made by Jam Strait and the part number is 1157R. Cost is $16.99 for a pair. There are 12 leds per lite bulb. Package says Super-Bright Red LED. Website is www.jamstrait.com. Hope this info helps you guys.
M. Whitt

Thanks for the info, I will check it out!
Bob Muenchausen

This thread was discussed between 06/12/2004 and 13/12/2004

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