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911pcars 911pcars is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: So. Calif.
Posts: 19,910
Nice job refurbishing the housing.

However, it's a little difficult to compare the relative brightness between the LED replacement lamps and regular DOT-spec bulbs. Typically, the brightness level and the narrow light angle are a couple of reasons why LED automotive bulbs aren't DOT-approved.

Unless they've improved LED light output lately, the usual method to increase the light level is to group several LEDs in a cluster, some with as many as 60 LEDs mounted in a base as large as 2" in diameter, possibly small enough to fit inside the tail light housing. 60 might be overkill, but the brake light bulb in my housing uses 9 LED's and it's just okay. The current versions I've seen have a curved mount to increase the overall lighting angle of the LED cluster. I'm sure many have seen the OEM LED tail lights on many cars. Same strategy - use plenty of bulbs.

You're on the right track with more efficient lighting.

Sherwood
Old 04-22-2008, 06:27 PM
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