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

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

Ah, a subject I know something about...  ;-)

As you guys have said, most LED replacements aren't very desirable, 
especially for high output uses like
brakes or flashers.  Intensity is still kinda low,  exepting some 
special and expensive ones that have just HUGE
amounts of light.  Still, the distribution is rough,  either in close 
beams or patterns that the reflector wouldn't be
designed for, and would be poorer for that reason.  Luxeon is the brand 
name of these 1.25 and 5 watt monsters.

As indicator lights,  there could be some use, and I'm currently 
thinking about coming up with a way to mount
a replacement for the fuel reserve light.  Standard one on my car needs 
you to cup your hands around the gauge
and peer in the darkness to see the damn thing in bright daylight...  
not what you want to do while driving!
I'm thinking a common ultra bright red,  with it's nice narrow 15deg 
beam,  would make it sunlight visible...
if a little overpowered at night.  Good thing red is easy on the night 
vision!  If I come up with a semi elegant solution for this,  I'll let 
you all know.

Jon
77 Spider
Irvine, CA


> 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.
>  
>
> When cheap LED replacements for 1156 and 1157 bulbs first became 
> available via local retail shops, I tried them in a Milano, because a 
> switch to LED's in that car's rear lights seemed like an obvious 
> solution to the inadequate grounding problem that the Milano's rear 
> lights suffer from.  Those bulbs were completely awful.  They didn't 
> produce much light, and it all went in one direction, which is not 
> what the optics in the taillights were designed for.  Much better LED 
> replacement bulbs have always been available for $20 and up, but I've 
> never felt like spending that much money for an experiment.
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