Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 23:12:19 +1300
Reply-To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: LED taillights WAS: Re: repost optional bulb sizes/wattages?
In-Reply-To: <049101c86887$b08aa8d0$6501a8c0@TOSHIBALAP>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed
>Maybe you'd be interested in LED tail lights.
>That's been done before.
>Bright, now power consumption, last forever.
I've been thinking about LED taillights. I wouldn't touch the LED
inserts you can buy to replace bulbs... just not enough LEDs, and the
lens/reflector are not designed to spread the directional LEDs'
light in the right way.
Problem is, none of the complete LED lights are really good-looking.
The rectangular ones LOOK like truck items, Narva moreso than Hella.
Peterson's (?) round lights come in yellow (indicator), red (brake or
tail) and white (reverse) and a three-light black bezel is available.
These would look OK, I think. This way would alleviate any necessity
of cutting the van's body, though some small holes would have to be
drilled for screws. To make things more esthetic a black acrylic
panel could be made-up to cover the entire rear panel, flush with the
tailgate, with circular cutouts so that the lights were the only
items visible. Or a plastic or metal panel color-matched to the van.
The panel could have a cutout for the licenseplate flap, or be two
separate panels, with a gap to clear the licenseplate. Smoked
transparent panels could be used, but raises the problem of dirt
inside showing through, so I'd recommend opaque materials. Shame
these vans didn't have modern wraparound taillights. I'm thinking of
doing this myself eventually.
The Peterson bezels attach by 4 screws, one near each corner (don't
think there were any in the middle) and the light units clip in from
in front (ie bezel has to be off to fit/remove lights). I'd use
stainless bolts rather than sheetmetal screws, so that the holes
drilled in the van could be rustproofed.
LED lights have a problem... they are pretty directional. Viewed
obliquely, they may not show up at all in daylight, but this is less
of a problem for rear lights than front, as you're going, not coming.
Just keep the front indicators incandescent... as they flash, you'd
probably be safe in upping the wattage considerably.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
‚ Opinions stated are mine, not those of Otago University
"There is water at the bottom of the ocean" - Talking Heads
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