LED Tail Lamp shootout

[ccrat]

Today I compared several tail lamps for possible use with my '09 Speedmaster. I am posting the results and will let you decide which lamp is best for you.

Please note that a caption follows each photo.

Above are the four lamps I tested:

• 1. Factory-installed 1157-style incandescent
• 2. Red 63 LED from eBay vendor "ushd" ($2.99 US + shipping)
• 3. Red 45 SMD LED from superbrightleds.com ($24.95 US each + shipping)
• 4. Red 42 SMD LED from eBay vendor "superb_lights" ($16.99 US/pair + shipping)

Here is the tail light turned off indoors.

Here is the tail light illuminated indoors.

Here is the tail light illuminated indoors with the building lights turned off.

Here is the brake light illuminated indoors.

Here is the brake light illuminated indoors with the building lights turned off.

Here is the brake light illuminated indoors with no lens cover and the building lights turned off.

Here is the tail light illuminated outdoors.

Here is the brake light illuminated outdoors.

I hope you find this useful, and please pardon my poor photography skills. For consistency, I used a tripod and automatic settings with the flash disabled.

For the record, I am not associated with any of the vendors mentioned in this post, and I paid for every lamp that I tested.

 

[mark66]

Interesting, that #3 bulb you tested sure seems to be the brightest to me in your tests. Thanks for the post.:up:

 

[ccrat]

Here's a photo of an "official license plate", under the following conditions:

• 1. Tail light turned off indoors
• 2. Tail light illuminated indoors with the building lights turned off
• 3. Brake light illuminated indoors with the building lights turned off

Yes, this is lamp #3. I'm too lazy to do all of them again.

That's all folks.

 

[jyatesmp]

Only problem I see (depends on your state law) but the License plate lamp must be white in some states...

From Texas Transpertation code (see f)

Sec. 547.322. TAILLAMPS REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or vehicle that is towed at the end of a combination of vehicles shall be equipped with at least two taillamps.

(b) A passenger car or truck that was manufactured or assembled before the model year 1960 shall be equipped with at least one taillamp.

(c) Taillamps shall be mounted on the rear of the vehicle:

(1) at a height from 15 to 72 inches; and

(2) at the same level and spaced as widely apart as practicable if a vehicle is equipped with more than one lamp.

(d) A taillamp shall emit a red light plainly visible at a distance of 1,000 feet from the rear of the vehicle.

(e) If vehicles are traveling in combination, only the taillamps on the rearmost vehicle are required to emit a light for the distance specified in Subsection (d).

(f) A taillamp or a separate lamp shall be constructed and mounted to emit a white light that:

(1) illuminates the rear license plate; and

(2) makes the plate clearly legible at a distance of 50 feet from the rear.

(g) A taillamp, including a separate lamp used to illuminate a rear license plate, must emit a light when a headlamp or auxiliary driving lamp is lighted.



Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

 

[tooblekain]

Awesome post!!! Thanks for sharing. I was looking to find a brighter brake light bulb for safety reasons! Good work!

 

[DIRK]

be sure to let us know how the lens does with the extra heat.

 

[tooblekain]

I thought LEDs dont put ot heat like incandescents.

 

[singlemalt]

Lookin' for some LED strips for running and brake lights to put on the tail bubble of my '08 T100. I've seen two in the past month within a 600 mile range from home, so I guess they're somewhat rare. Anybody out there have any suggestions where I might find any?

 

[DIRK]

http://www.hyperlites.com/ these guys have a good product. we have had good luck with them

 

[singlemalt]

Thanks, Dirk, I'll check them out.