Re: [alfa] Brake light upgrade-Now LED's

["Dean W. Cains" <dwc@xxxxxx>]

Hi Nash:

I tried LED "bulbs" about a year ago in my '74 Spider.  Very 
disappointing.  Not brighter (much dimmer), and further, they don't make 
use of the reflectors in the light housing, making the light output even 
lower.  And, when used in flasher applications, due to the current draw 
that's measured in just a few mA's, you'll have to use a large, hot, 
external resistor for each bulb if you want them to flash.  LED's may work 
well enough in OEM applications (ever see those new Cadillacs with an array 
of maybe 100 LED's in each brake light?), but don't seem to as an 
add-on.  LED's are also very directional, and if the viewer is much 
off-axis, light output drops a lot.  BTW, I tried the expensive ones, with 
something like 17 LED's per "bulb", not some Korean-made cheapies.  I even 
bought one for the light in my '74 Spider's rear view mirror, and it turned 
out that the illumination on my Timex Indiglo diver's watch was much 
brighter.  Just a bad joke all around.  A nice idea, though.

Regards,

Dean
Lutz, FL
'74 & '87 Spider Veloce's


At 05:24 PM 8/25/2004, you wrote:

> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 12:37:56 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Nash Bap <nashbap@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] Brake light upgrade-Now LED's
>
> Has anyone tried using  LED replacement lights in their vehicles? These 
> are LED clusters within a common base such as a 1157 or 1156 type which is 
> what is used in most of our Alfas. I think these clusters are much 
> brighter overall, use very little current and  produce less heat.
>
> Regards,
>
> Nash Bapasola
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