LED taillight project. Can the taillight be opened?

[Mike Rocket]

A WHITE LED is NOT the same as a broad-spectrum incandescent 'white' light - behind a Red Filter Lens, you should really use a RED LED, otherwise it will be cutting off significant amount of light.
The Red Filter (because that's what it is - it only lets red light wavelength through) is going to transmit majority of the generated light from a narrow spectrum red LED compared to the loss from an incandescent but even more from a white LED (albeit the LED probably generates much more lumens to begin with)
The general 'rule' is always use same colour LED as the LENs filter is going behind.
i.e. Yellow LEDs for Turns and RED LEDs for tail/stop
Of course with a coloured LED you can also use a clear lens.

 

[Mike Rocket]

If it's a higher wattage watch out for overloading of amps. Some rocketeers on here have had overheated wiring. (Just a thought)

 

[Claviger]

I ran that 30 watt white for over a year, never had a problem.

Ken, while you're absolutely right on all accounts the lens cut a lot of the light off but, it worked and was still bright as hell because of the wattage. The selection of red 1157's I was able to find at the time was not encouraging so I used the high wattage white one.

 

[DEcosse]

If it's a higher wattage watch out for overloading of amps. Some rocketeers on here have had overheated wiring. (Just a thought)

I ran that 30 watt white for over a year, never had a problem ..

When they spec LEDs in wattage, they are not truly consuming that amount of power - they use that as a sort of 'equivalence' to an incandescent.
They don't show the actual current, but have to believe it is not truly 30W.

Example - look at the gobbledy-gook description for this bulb:


See that they claim 21W - same "power" but 3x the lumens.
But then go on to qualify that you can only replace front OR rear without utilizing load resistors - you will get hyper-flashing if replacing both (i.e. the end remaining as incandescent is behaving as the load resistor)
By fundamental definition, if you get hyper-flash, it is NOT drawing the same current as incandescent therefor cannot possibly be consuming 21W

 

[Claviger]

Yep, that’s why I hate shopping amazon, product information quality ranges from china eBay level to German precision, with no easy way to discriminate lol.

I am fairly sure the second wattage number linked is accurate to the actual draw, 5watts, which is still fairly high power for small less like that.

The whole LED market is a mess right now, in many industry sectors as every factory tries to jump on the band wagon and make a buck. It’s really s buyer beware market.

 

[barbagris]

Of course with a coloured LED you can also use a clear lens.

You can - but ime there are then issues with colour fading. Found that smoked lenses - whilst reducing nocturnal light a bit - dramatically improves contrast/visibility during the day.

Best is red behind red, amber behind amber. imo - the 3*3 COB arrays work well for tail/brake/indicators.

Headlights (ime) need bright single point emitters otherwise they're a bugger to focus.

Worth noting that many modern LEDs are in fact close to UV - it's the phosphorescent filter goo they're potted in that alters teh Kelvin Colour range.

A ROT value is 100lumens/Watt. But a 30W "bulb" will need a MONSTER heat-sink.

 

[JRock]

Can anyone recommend a specific Red LED bulb that's a direct replacement for the stock brake light on a 2008 Standard R3?

 

[1olbull]

You think that bulb would fit the stock taillight housing on our R3R’s? I know some are too long.

I bought two different sets of this type.
Both fit inside the OEM lens just fine.
Both suck as they are not visibly better than the OEM 1157.
Just got a new rear Exedra Max on way home from Leakey Texas.
When that wears out, I shall get serious in determining the actual light values for the various bulbs.

FYI - these are what I have:

 

[1olbull]

You can - but ime there are then issues with colour fading. Found that smoked lenses - whilst reducing nocturnal light a bit - dramatically improves contrast/visibility during the day.
Best is red behind red, amber behind amber. imo - the 3*3 COB arrays work well for tail/brake/indicators.
Headlights (ime) need bright single point emitters otherwise they're a bugger to focus.
Worth noting that many modern LEDs are in fact close to UV - it's the phosphorescent filter goo they're potted in that alters teh Kelvin Colour range.
A ROT value is 100lumens/Watt. But a 30W "bulb" will need a MONSTER heat-sink.

Chris,
I have been researching these Luxeon LED applications and may have come up with the reason for my issue regarding the non improvement of the 1157 LEDs I have tried in my OEM tail light.
An OEM lens for incandescent lights filters different wave lengths than does a lens designed for LED; therefor, an LED under a OEM lens is NOT effective.
What sayest youse re: this?

 

[germ79]

@1olbull I’m thinking about ordering these ones that you mentioned in another post. Think these might work well?

https://www.walmart.com/ip/1157-PLA...l-Blinker-LED-Light-Bulbs/274755547#read-more