Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 09:10:23 -0800
Reply-To: Robyn Lundstrom <robyn@TRAINWIRE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robyn Lundstrom <robyn@TRAINWIRE.COM>
Subject: Re: LED taillights WAS: Re: repost optional bulb sizes/wattages?
In-Reply-To: A<10343.194.105.120.80.1202294530.squirrel@webmail.iae.nl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Yes, but not in a Vanagon. I have a red 1157 replacement of this type
in my motorcycle taillight.
I have no math to back this up (and I'm not really sure a lot of the
numbers apply when comparing a red/yellow/whatever LED to a
colour-filtered white incandescent), but these units *rock*. It is
actually brighter than the stock bulb I had in it, to the point of being
a bit painful to look at straight on from 5' away. It diffuses nicely in
the stock housing, and looks identical to the stock bulb from the
different angles.
They are a bit expensive, though. I want to outfit my Westy with them,
but there are bigger fish to fry first.
Robyn
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Jaap Nauta
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 2:42 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: LED taillights WAS: Re: repost optional bulb
sizes/wattages?
Has anyone tried these:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/115x-xLX3.htm ?
These are wide angle high power LEDs, which in theory are brighter than
incandescents
Jaap
'87 caravelle diesel
>>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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