Date:         Mon, 28 Jun 1999 08:36:27 -0400
Reply-To:     Robert Rountree <rountree@PLANETEER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Rountree <rountree@PLANETEER.COM>
Organization: Rountree R&D
Subject:      Halogen Back-up bulb
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

Interesting find in Canadian Tire yesterday. A 50 watt Super Bright Halogen
Back-up bulb.
Replaces your regular single filament back-up bulb, with a Halogen bulb...
the package says it's 2 & a half times brighter than your regular tungsten
bulb... I bought the box $9.95cdn (thinking 2 would be in it.... NOT... only
1) and replaced my drivers side bulb....It's Much brighter... couldn't
measure the difference with my Minolta light meter (not because I didn't
want to, just because my legs not long enough to hold the clutch in, while I
have it in reverse and my 10 foot arm is holding the meter in front of the
back-up light (^:)... Interesting lighting effect though.  I park my van by
backing into a very narrow covered spot, and have a few pieces of 3M
reflective tape on the corners of the car port post as markers... because of
our van's back-up lens design, and this bulb's focal point in that lens
axis, the light pattern changes into a much brighter & wider sweep, reaching
out much more to the sides as well as straight ahead, but not as wide up or
down, but still much brighter.... for a van well known for it's poor backing
up, rear visibility, I find this really helps.... Oh yeah... get the regular
one, not the 3156 (unless you are using it on another car that uses 3156,
you can use this bulb on ALL your vehicles)... the company also makes a
device that will plug into your back-up bulb socket, that is a
buzzer/beeper... so it will beep when you back up.

here are the facts
Super Bright 50 Halogen Back-up bulb
DesignTech International inc.
7955 Cameron Brown Court
Springfield, Virginia  22153

have a good summer and watch out for those trees backing up in the woods.
Rob
87 Westy SyncroGL.....Cynosure 88k km
Moonstone Ont.