RE: IML: LED bulbs

I’ve just ordered a set for my 67. Before installing I’ll be sure to take before and after shots so everyone can see the difference.

Ken

67 Crown 4 Dr Ht

From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Christopher H
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 9:37 AM
To: IML (main)
Subject: Re: IML: LED bulbs

LEDs simply illuminate faster than incandescent bulbs. If you’ve ever been behind a modern car with an LED center-mounted stoplamp but conventional bulbs in the main brake lamps, you might notice that the center one comes on a fraction of a second sooner. At 60 mph, the time difference can allow the following driver enough savings in reaction time to shave about a car’s length off his stopping distance. And as anyone who’s ever missed rear-ending a car by inches can appreciate, sometimes every little bit helps.

When braking while the taillamps are already on, the more rapid change in intensity from dim to bright is also slightly more noticeable than the “slow” increase of conventional bulbs.

LEDs also have a far longer life expectancy and draw far less current (which is why they fool conventional flasher relays into flashing way too fast or not at all). And they should be as bright if not brighter than conventional bulbs.

The challenge in converting old lamps to the LED bulb packs is that LEDs do not tend to distribute light beyond their own dimensions. That’s why modern cars with LED taillamps use anywhere from 9 to 75 or more LEDs per lamp, distributed evenly throughout the lamp’s shape, the achieve a large lighted area. With conventional bulbs, its the reflective housing around the bulb that distributes the light into an area much larger than the size of the bulb.

If you decide to install these lamps, find a storefront with a plate glass window and back up to it in daylight. Watch your lights in the rearview mirror and see if your entire taillamp lights up or if you just get a small circle of light. (Actually, I often recommend everyone do this every so often to check all their rear lamps, and to notice how much brake pedal movement you need to trigger the brake lamps.)

The ones at www.superbrightleds.com seem to address this problem, but I’ve never tested them myself. Not only is this a safety issue (tiny dots of brake lamp won’t be very visible to a driver following at a distance) but it simply won’t look very nice when you turn on the taillamps at night, at least in the giant lamps of the ‘67-68s! Brightness is good, but distribution and diffusion make it better!

Would be curious to hear how they look from someone who has tried these, and what you did about the flasher unit!

Chris in LA
67 Crown
78 NYB Salon

On 7/20/06 8:15 AM, Frederick Joslin at fljoslin@xxxxxxxx wrote:

Mopar Muscle did an article on replacing OEM bulbs with LED's within the last year. They started by making their own panels wiring in separate LED's (about 50 per lens) and then looked into just replacing the bulbs. It was a pretty good article. They commented that brake lights using the LED bulbs are safer because of how quickly they light up vs filament bulbs. Something to do with how humans respond to very rapid changes in light intensity vs. slower ones.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Volkmann"
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: LED bulbs
Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2006 02:06:39 -0700 (PDT)

Of interest in the link you give, there is a link to "identify your bulbs".
You have to select 'Chrysler', and your year, then it allows you to select between 'Chrysler' or 'Imperial' and it tells you all the bulbs in your car (including one for the radio dial). Funny thing though, it says front & rear turn signals are 1034 and the back-up as 1073. I've always seen turn/stop/tail as 1157 and back-up as 1156! (unless, of course, you have a newer car).

I think the biggest concern will be the brightness of the LEDs, they'll light quicker but not as bright. Also, you'll likely need an LED compatible flasher or Load Resistor for the turn signals to work.

----- Original Message ----
From: Ken Lang <ken@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 2:50:17 PM
Subject: RE: IML: LED bulbs

I've been considering doing this to my 67 being as it has 6 tail and 6 stop light filaments all running at the same time. Driving at night with the a/c running then stepping on the brake will cause the ammeter to go into serious discharge.

I've already purchased some of these for a trailer and they work great. I bought them at http://www.superbrightleds.com/tail-brake-turn.html

Ken
67 Crown 4 Dr Ht

-----Original Message-----
From: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of dansgarage@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 1:51 PM
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: IML: LED bulbs

Hi All....Iwas wondering if anyone on the list has tried using these new (?) LED replacement bulbs for the parking/brake/turn signal lights? Anything that may give the guy in back a quicker heads-up as to what I am going to do, is probably not a bad idea! The bulbs can always be replaced with standard bulbs if the vehicle was going toin a show or judging of some kind. I found a few places on the web that sell these replacements for the 1157 bulbs but wondered if anyone has already tried this!?
Thanks all!
Dan Melnik

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